Name: Kotlet Schabowy: Polish Breaded Pork Cutlet
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: About 720 g cooked cutlets
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 600 g boneless center-cut pork loin, cut into 4 even cutlets about 2 cm thick; 4 g fine salt; 1 g freshly ground black pepper; 50 g all-purpose wheat flour, for dredging; some may remain unused; 2 l arge eggs, about 100 g; 30 ml whole milk; 100 g fine plain breadcrumbs, unseasoned; 150 ml neutral rapeseed oil, for shallow-frying in batches; not all will be absorbed

A wide view of „Kotlet Schabowy: Polish Breaded Pork Cutlet“ arranged on a table for serving.

Yield About 720 g cooked cutlets

Servings 4, one cutlet each

Difficulty Moderate

Dietary classification Contains pork, wheat, egg and milk

Ingredients ↓

Introduction and overview

Kotlet Schabowy: Polish Breaded Pork Cutlet

Kotlet schabowy is a Polish breaded pork cutlet. It is associated with everyday home cooking and canteens, and is commonly served with potatoes and a vegetable such as cabbage. Food historians often describe it as a Polish pork variation related to Wiener Schnitzel that appeared in the 19th century; the exact history and family recipes vary.

For this practical home version, boneless pork loin is pounded evenly thin, seasoned, and coated in three layers: flour, egg loosened with milk, and fine plain breadcrumbs. Shallow-frying gives the outside an even golden crust while the thin cutlet cooks quickly. The recipe uses neutral rapeseed oil and keeps accompaniments separate so the ingredient list covers the cutlets alone.

What makes this version work

Evenly pounding the pork to 6–7 mm helps all four cutlets cook at a similar pace.
A light flour layer helps the egg adhere; shaking off excess keeps the crust from becoming pasty.
Letting excess egg drip away before the breadcrumbs helps the coating stay crisp.
Frying in batches leaves room to turn the cutlets and helps the crumbs brown instead of steam.

Ingredients

Pork and seasoning

600 g boneless center-cut pork loin, cut into 4 even cutlets about 2 cm thick
4 g fine salt
1 g freshly ground black pepper

Breading

50 g all-purpose wheat flour, for dredging; some may remain unused
2 l arge eggs, about 100 g
30 ml whole milk
100 g fine plain breadcrumbs, unseasoned

For frying

150 ml neutral rapeseed oil, for shallow-frying in batches; not all will be absorbed

Method

Directions

Pound the pork.Place each cutlet between sheets of parchment and pound evenly to 6–7 mm thick. Work gently so the meat does not tear. Season both sides with the salt and pepper.
Set up the coating.Put the flour in one shallow dish. In a second, beat the eggs with the milk until uniform. Put the breadcrumbs in a third dish.
Bread each cutlet.Coat a cutlet in flour and shake off the excess. Dip it in the egg mixture and let the excess drip away, then press it into the breadcrumbs on both sides and around the edges. Set aside on a clean plate, keeping the raw pork and used dishes away from ready-to-eat food.
Heat the oil.Pour the rapeseed oil into a heavy 28–30 cm skillet and warm over medium to medium-high heat until it shimmers but does not smoke. Work in batches so the cutlets fit without crowding.
Fry until golden.Shallow-fry each cutlet for about 3–4 minutes per side, adjusting the heat as needed so the crumbs become evenly deep golden rather than dark brown. Turn with tongs.
Check doneness and rest.Insert an instant-read thermometer horizontally from the side into the centre of each thin cutlet. Remove it from the pan at 63 °C / 145 °F and rest for at least 3 minutes. If it has not reached that temperature, return it to the pan and continue cooking before checking again.
Drain and serve.Let the cutlets drain briefly on a wire rack or absorbent paper and serve hot. Potatoes and cabbage are common accompaniments, but they are not part of this recipe's ingredient list.

Troubleshooting

The coating slips offPat the raw cutlets dry before breading, shake away excess flour, and let extra egg drip back into its dish before adding crumbs.
The crust browns before the centre is readyLower the heat and continue cooking gently, checking the centre with a thermometer.
The crumbs look pale or greasyLet the oil heat until it shimmers, and fry fewer cutlets at once so the pan temperature does not drop sharply.
The cutlets cook unevenlyPound each one to an even thickness, especially around the edges.

Nutrition per serving

Serving sizeOne cutlet, about 180 g cooked
CaloriesAbout 450 kcal
CarbohydrateAbout 22 g
ProteinAbout 40 g
FatAbout 22 g
FibreAbout 1 g
SodiumAbout 600 mg

These are approximate values. Actual nutrition varies with the pork's leanness and how much flour, breadcrumb coating and oil remain on the cutlets.

Allergens and food safety

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Serve one cutlet per person, with potatoes or cabbage if desired. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the surrounding temperature is above 32.2 °C / 90 °F. Store in a shallow covered container and use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F; the crumb coating may soften. For a crisper result, reheat in an oven or air fryer and check the centre with a thermometer.

Contains wheat (gluten), egg and milk. Check breadcrumb labels for additional allergens and cross-contact information. Keep raw pork and used breading dishes separate from ready-to-eat foods. Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces after handling raw pork. Cook whole pork cuts to at least 63 °C / 145 °F and let them rest for at least 3 minutes. For these thin cutlets, insert the thermometer horizontally from the side into the centre. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32.2 °C / 90 °F; use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F.

To remember

The result: a tender Polish pork cutlet beneath a crisp, golden breadcrumb crust.
The key technique: pound evenly, bread in flour–egg–crumb order, and use a thermometer to check the thin centre.