Grain Free Pork Wiener Schnitzel

There’s just something super hilarious about the word “Wiener Schnitzel” to me. My husband has ruined me. I am a 9 year old boy when it comes to words and sounds, I swear. On the brighter side, at least I spend my time giggling! That’s a plus, right?

How goes it!? I hope it is going splendidly! Working for a bank, we luck out with all of the federal holidays and I have to brag about how much fun my Mother is. We spent Columbus Day driving throughout the Conroe, Willis, and New Waverly areas in search of land and had the best time. She and my Dad have been on the hunt for what seems as if FOREVER and I think she is finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Buying land is interesting. In my Moms mind, she imagines neighborhoods filled with 5 acre lots spread throughout the county when in reality, that’s not how builders/developers make money. It’s been a fun task for her and my morning, and evening, commute wouldn’t be the same without her rambles. We finished our search with lunch in Willis at Pelican’s Cove. Caleb and I heard great things about it when at the Lake this past Fourth of July and it’s been on my list. They had a great menu full of options and all of their cocktails sounded amazing! Not to mention, the view was also worth the drive down 1097. I’m looking forward to catching live music on their patio soon!

I’ve really looked forward to sharing this recipe with you! We’ve made it a few times and after this past week, I knew it was ready. We celebrated Caleb finishing his Master’s this past December with a short trip to Fredericksburg. It was one of my first visits and I had Schnitzel for lunch, then dinner, and.. my late night snack. It was so incredible. Especially paired with all of the German beer. When we returned home, I had to play with it. The only problem I have faced is the breading. With traditional all-purpose flour and breadcrumbs, the pork fries beautifully and somewhat puffs up. My first attempt was alright except that I overcooked the HELL out that sweet pig. I fried the batter off during my second attempt and by the third go, I just gave them to Caleb for man time at the grill. I’m not quite sure why it took me this many tries to finally go back to the basics of flour, egg, and basically a tougher flour. This time around, it was not only a success for the Schnitzel, it was a success for the left overs too. Both Caleb and I ended up cubing the pork and having it over a salad for lunch the following day and it was amazing. The batter never fell off and it made be feel as if I was eating a crispy protein salad.

So, the trick? Almond meal as the finish. I battered each pork tenderloin with coconut flour, then dipped it in the egg wash, and finished it off with almond meal. The meal is a coarser option to almond flour and it worked perfectly. Can you sense my excitement?

The second trick is patience. My mother has told me time and time again not to cook on high. I have never listened to her. Honestly. Which is one of the most challenging aspects of Wholesome Joy. Sure, I jot down my ingredients but when it comes to the actual cooking methods, I almost always have to do it again or just guestimate. I have NO patience at all and I am ALWAYS in a hurry. I skip steps and I cut corners to avoid spending more time on tasks. As long as the end goal is the same, why does the extra fluff matter?

Well, it matters here. Since we are pan frying these babies, cooking on a medium heat is crucial. Additionally, if utilizing a cast iron skillet, this method is even more important. Apparently, high heat is not that great for cast iron. Oops. Warm the fat first in the skillet and slowly place each cutlet into the pan. Do not move, touch, check, or even look at the tenderloins until it is time to flip them. By doing this, you will achieve a beautiful, golden crust. I worked in batches and added additional oil between which helped the second batch from burning.

Once cooked. I placed them on a paper towel to drain any excess fat. Transferred them to a plate, topped with fresh lemon juice, capers, and raw sauerkraut. We enjoyed our Schnitzel along side mashed red potatoes which made me feel just as happy as I was in Fredericksburg. I hope you love these as much as we do and find them in your dinner rotation!

Pork Wiener Schnitzel 
Cooking time: 40 Minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 Pork Tenderloin Cutlets
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Flour
• 1/4 Cup Almond Meal
• 2 Eggs, whisked
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Cup Fat, divided in half (I opted for Coconut Oil)

Other items:

• Three plates for batter
• Raw Sauerkraut
• 2-3 Lemons, juiced or cut into fourths for squeezing
• Capers
• Red Potatoes, mashed

Directions:

1. Fill three bowls as follows
2. 1. Coconut flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder
   2. Whisked Eggs
   3. Almond Meal
3. In between two sheets of parchment paper, beat the port cutlets down until they are about a quarter of an inch thick with a mallet or the bottom of a skillet.
4. Begin to batter the cutlets by dipping them individually into the flour mixture, then egg, then almond meal. Set aside.
5. In a cast iron or large skillet, heat half of the fat on medium heat.
6. Place the cutlets into the skillet. Work in two batches to cook each tenderloin adding the remaining fat in between the first and second batch. Cook each side for 7 minutes.
7. Once cooked, remove the cutlets and let cool on a paper towel.
8. Top with fresh lemon juice, capers, and raw sauerkraut.