Pork Schnitzel Sandwich with Apple Brussels Sprout Slaw

This Pork Schnitzel Sandwich with Apple Brussels Sprout Slaw is the way you should be eating pork and apples. Homemade dijonnaise is the perfect condiment to top it off.

You can’t beat a pork sandwich.

Now, I debated the title for this recipe for a while. Considering my Italian roots, I typically call this preparation of pork a milanese rather than a German schnitzle. After some thought, I realized schnitzel sandwich has a nicer ring to it than milanese sandwich, and according to google trends it’s also a better choice SEO wise. So that’s that.

I chose pork shoulder for this recipe, because it’s flavorful and doesn’t easily dry out and overcook. It’s also what I was taught to use. When I made this dish, I bought a large boneless pork shoulder roast, sliced some into steaks which I later pounded for the schnitzel, and cut the rest into cubes for some sort of future braise or stew.

Tips for a great schnitzel

1. Fat equals flavor. The fat content content of pork shoulder compared to that of a pork chop or tenderloin, lends extra flavor. It’s important to cook these cutlets more slowly than you would a chicken cutlet, so the fat melts.

2. Don’t rush. Another reason to cook this pork a little more slowly is so the meat has time to become more tender. Pork shoulder can cook for a long time, so you don’t have to worry about overcooking it like you would for other cuts of pork. At the same time, you don’t want to cook this on such a low temperature that the oil absorbs into the meat and you end up with a soggy mess. Just the right temperature will keep things moist, tender and crispy.

3. Keep it moving. When I make any breaded, shallow-fried meat, I swirl the pan repeatedly to make sure the meat cooks and browns evenly. You gotta love a perfectly browned piece of meat.

The Slaw

Everyone knows pork and apples are a great combination. Before I decided to make this pork schnitzel sandwich, I was tempted to make a pork chop with sauteed apples. I’m sure that will eventually happen on the blog too, but what I’m getting at is there’s a reason I used apples in my slaw. To keep things fall-themed, I also used brussels sprouts and fennel. Brussels are in the cabbage family, so it makes perfect sense to use them in a slaw as you would cabbage. The sprouts also hold up well to the dressing, but don’t need the extra time to soften like cabbage would. Fennel has a nice subtly licorice flavor, which also is known to be a match for pork. To dress up this medley, I kept it simple with olive oil and lemon juice. The tartness from the lemon is a perfect contrast to the rich, breaded pork.

Mayo + Mustard

The dijonnaise adds another acidic component, while being rich and creamy at the same time. Instead of making a slaw with a mayo-based dressing, I decided to keep the mayonnaise separate. Homemade mayo is far superior to the jarred stuff and really simple to make. As long as you stream the oil in slowly and constantly whisk, you’ll be good to go. I added lemon juice and apple cider vinegar and could’ve stopped there, but mustard is great with pork and brussels so I also threw in some dijon. Dijonnaise it is.

Any roll could work for this sandwich, but when I saw these mini focaccia breads I had to get them. They were just the right size and shape, and not too thick. If you use a breadier roll, you might want to scoop out some of the interior. Also I didn’t exactly specify this in the recipe, but to heat up the rolls I placed them uncovered into a 350°F oven for about 5-8 minutes or until they slightly crisped up on the outside. Enough talk. It’s time to take a bite…

Pork Schnitzel Sandwich with Apple Brussels Sprout Slaw

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sabrina Russo
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x

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Description

This Pork Schnitzel Sandwich with Apple Brussels Sprout Slaw is the way you should be eating pork and apples. Dijonnaise tops it off.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pork:

• 1lb pork shoulder roast, cut into 4 steaks
• 1 ¹/₃ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggs
• ¹/₃ cup all-purpose flour
• Extra virgin olive oil and vegetable oil, for frying
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

Slaw:

• ½ honey crisp apple, cored, sliced thinly on mandolin
• ½ fennel bulb, sliced thinly on mandolin
• 8oz brussels sprouts, halved, cored, shredded
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

Dijonnaise:

• 1 egg yolk
• 6 tbsp grapeseed oil
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice, plus 1 small squeeze
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• Kosher salt

4 rolls, such as mini focaccias, warmed in oven, split, for serving

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Instructions

1. Prep meat: Cover pork with plastic wrap or parchment and pound to ³/₈ inch thickness. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Bread: Set up standard breading station. Add flour to a large plate and season lightly with salt. Add eggs to a wide shallow bowl with 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt, and beat to combine. Add panko to another large plate and season with salt. Coat pork in flour, tapping off any excess. Dip in egg, allowing excess to drip off. Coat generously with panko. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining pieces. You can refrigerate meat until ready to fry.
3. Make slaw: In a large bowl, combine apple, fennel and brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper. Add in oil and lemon juice and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Make dijonnaise: Add egg yolk to a bowl. Squeeze over a small amount of lemon juice and add a pinch of salt. Add oils to a liquid measuring cup. Drizzle in oil slowly while constantly whisking until all oil is incorporated and emulsified. Stir in vinegar, lemon and Dijon. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
5. Fry pork: Remove pork from fridge. Coat a large frying pan with about ¾ inch of oil, using half olive oil and half vegetable. Warm oil over medium heat. Test temperature by adding a pinch of breadcrumbs to the pan. The breadcrumbs should sizzle when oil is ready. Add pork to pan, cooking in batches if needed. Swirl pan often as pork cooks to encourage even cooking and browning. Cook for a total of about 10 minutes, turning half way through, or until pork is browned and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack over a sheet tray.
6. Serve: Spread dijonnaise over warmed, split rolls. Top with a piece of pork and slaw. Eat any extra slaw on the side. Enjoy.

• Prep Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Sandwich
• Method: Fry
• Cuisine: American, German

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 sandwich with slaw + mayo
• Calories: 1000
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 322mg
• Fat: 53g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 86g
• Fiber: 6g
• Protein: 50g