This is one of my favorite meals of all time! Those who I’ve made it for tend to feel the same way. My mom made this years ago when we went to visit and everyone was blown away with how good it was. Every time thereafter I requested it and this Jagerschnitzel with Bacon Mushroom Gravy and Spaetzle has never disappointed. It’s a classic German meal that I urge you try. It does take some time and you will need to put in a bit of work, but the end result is absolutely worth it.
First off, you’re going to cut a pork loin into 6 ounce portions and pound them out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to about 1/4″ thick. Mix together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika in one bowl. Egg, milk and mustard in another. And finally panko and crushed crackers in a third bowl. Dredge the pork first in the flour bowl.
Make sure to get a nice coating on each side and shake off excess.
Next in the egg wash…
…and lastly the panko/crackers.
Set on a sheet pan fitted with a cooling rack and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, start frying up a some a lot of bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once the bacon is fully cooked and crispy, set on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Once cooled, chop it all up and set aside.
In the same pan, leaving the bacon fat behind, saute up some chopped onions until they start to turn translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
Add in sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes until they start to soften.
Sprinkle in some flour, stir around and cook for 2-3 minutes to make a roux.
Just until it’s light brown like this.
Pour in some wine and cook for 3 minutes until it reduces by 1/3.
Add in beef stock and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes until it reduces by another 1/3. Season with salt and pepper if needed and keep warm. I put the burner on low while I wait for the pork to cook.
Heat up some olive oil in another large skillet. You will want about 1/4″ of oil. Add in the pork and fry on the first side about 5 minutes.
You know it’s ready to flip when it’s nice and golden brown like this. Fry for another 3-5 minutes on the other side until pork is fully cooked.
Place pork back on a clean sheet pan fitted with a cooling rack and park in a 250 degree oven to keep warm while we make the spaetzle.
Get some water boiling in a large pot. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together eggs, milk, salt and flour.
You can make spaetzle without a spaetzle maker, but it’s just so much easier this way. It is a unitasker, but this is the one time I make an exception. Plus, it’s only $6.99 on Amazon right now! Pour the batter into the holder of the spaetzle maker while holding right over the boiling water.
Slide back and forth and the little perfect spaetzle’s will come out. Spaetzle is done when it floats. You’ll need to refill the spaetzle maker as you run out of dough.
I like to cook it in 3 or 4 batches so the temperature of the water doesn’t drop too much. Drain with a spider strainer or slotted spoon and scoop into a bowl. Quickly whisk in a couple of tablespoons of room temperature butter into our gravy we’ve been keeping warm and we’re all ready to plate!
Get a piece of the pork, ladle on the silky gravy. Sprinkle on some chopped bacon and parsley. Take a scoop of spaetzle and pour more gravy right on top. I always double the gravy recipe so I have enough for the spaetzle. Finally, I love to serve this with a side of my Mom’s famous red cabbage and an ice-cold beer.
You guys are going to LOVE this! Have a wonderful weekend!
XO, Sarah
- For Jagerschnitzel:
- 1½ pound pork loin, cut into 6-ounce portions
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup crushed unsalted crackers (I use unsalted Saltines)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Olive oil, for frying
- For Gravy: (I always double this recipe when making with spaetzle)
- ½ pound bacon
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cups sliced button mushrooms
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
- Pound out pork between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to about ¼" thick.
- You'll need 3 shallow medium bowls. Mix together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika in one bowl. Egg, milk and mustard in another. And finally panko and crushed crackers in the third bowl. Dredge the pork first in the flour bowl making sure to get a nice coating on each side, then into the egg wash and finally the panko/cracker mixture. Set on a sheet pan fitted with a cooling rack and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start frying up the bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once the bacon is fully cooked and crispy, set on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Once cooled, chop it all up and set aside.
- In the same pan, leaving the bacon fat behind, saute the onions until they start to turn translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Next, add in the sliced mushrooms and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes until they start to soften. Sprinkle in the flour, stir around and cook for 2-3 minutes to make a roux that is light brown in color. Pour in the wine and cook for 3 minutes until it reduces by ⅓. Add in beef stock and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes until it reduces by another ⅓. Season with salt and pepper if needed and keep warm (I put the burner on low until I'm ready to use).
- Heat up some olive oil in another large skillet over medium heat. You will want about ¼" of oil in the bottom of the pan. Add in the pork and fry on the first side about 5 minutes. Flip and fry for another 3-5 minutes on the other side until pork is fully cooked.
- Place pork back on a clean sheet pan fitted with a cooling rack and park in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
- Add butter to gravy, stirring until it melts.
- Place pork on a plate and ladle on a good portion of the gravy. Sprinkle with the chopped bacon and fresh parsley.
- 4 eggs, beaten
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Bring 2 quarts water to a boil.
- Mix together all ingredients. Dough will be sticky. Spray spaetzle maker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place spaetzle maker over pot and pour dough inside of holder on spaetzle maker. Slide back and forth over boiling water.
- Spaetzle is ready when floats. Remove with slotted spoon, drain. Add 1 tablespoon of butter or serve with gravy.
- 4 Strips of bacon
- 2 Onions, thinly sliced (I use a madonline)
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 Bay leaves
- 4 Teaspoons Salt
- 2 Heads of Red Cabbage, shredded
- 1 Apple (I use Granny Smith) chopped into bite size pieces
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth (Low Sodium)
- ½ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- Chop up 4 pieces of bacon into thin slices.
- Cook bacon in a Dutch oven or large stock pot until crispy.
- Add in onion, cinnamon, bay leaves and half the salt. Cover and cook over medium heat until onions have softened, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
- Next add in shredded cabbage. Cook for another 7 minutes until the cabbage starts to wilt.
- Add in chicken broth, red wine vinegar, apples, the rest of the salt, sugar and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about an hour.
- Uncover and cook on high for 5 minutes to let sauce thicken up.
- Serve right away.
I’ll be bringing this AMAZING meal over to my friends at the Fiesta Friday Party co-hosted Elaine @ foodbod and Julie @ Hostess at Heart.
I love everything from cake to kale. Life is all about balance. I like to live, laugh and love to the fullest! Our time is too short not to enjoy ourselves.
Oh my gravy=Yum-o BBFF! Have a great weekend! Cheryl xo
Thank you! Have a great weekend xoxo
This looks so delicious Sarah! I can see why it was such a bit hit. I can see this being a favorite in my house too.
Thank you so much, Antonia! Your family will love it 🙂
You have brought back fond memories of my Mum bashing pieces of meat to make schnitzel when I was a child! And you make it look so simple to make the spaetzle!!
Thank you for sharing your lovely meal with every one at Fiesta Friday 🙂
Glad to bring back fond memories 🙂 Thanks so much for your kind words! Happy FF!
I love German food and this sure looks delicious. My family’s favorite is Sauerbraten served with spatzle, red cabbage, potato pancakes, applesauce and pumpernickel bread. Need to try your recipe – thanks for sharing 🙂
Me too 🙂 That Sauerbraten sounds so delicious!
Sarah, I love everything about this dish and would have loved having it at your table! I don’t have a spaetzle maker, but I’m adding it to my Amazon wish list!
Thank you 🙂 It’s worth having, I promise!
I love the sounds of this, but I love the Spaetzle even more! 😀
It’s such a wonderful addition to the dish! Thank you!
I love german food but had to give all that up when I went gluten free. I am going to see if I can convert this to gluten/dairy free. Looks amazing!
Let me know how it works out!