Rántott Hús (Hungarian Breaded Pork Cutlets)
Local name: Rántott hús
In short: Thin pork cutlets coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and shallow-fried until golden, crisp and juicy, the Sunday lunch favorite. It takes about 45 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Rántott hús is the Hungarian breaded cutlet, a Sunday lunch and school canteen favorite. Thin slices of pork, or sometimes chicken or turkey, are pounded flat, coated in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and fried in hot fat until golden. In Hungary the crust is meant to puff away slightly from the meat, and the cutlet is served with parsley potatoes, rice or potato salad and a pickled cucumber salad. A squeeze of lemon finishes it.
Instructions
- Place the pork between two sheets of baking paper and pound with a mallet or rolling pin to about 5 mm (1/4 in) thick. Nick the edges in a few places so the meat does not curl.
- Season both sides with the salt and pepper.
- Set up three shallow dishes: flour in one, beaten eggs in the second and breadcrumbs in the third.
- Coat each cutlet in flour and shake off the excess, dip it into the egg, then lay it in the breadcrumbs and press lightly. Do not press hard, so the crust stays light.
- Heat 1 cm (1/2 in) of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat to about 170°C (340°F). A breadcrumb dropped in should sizzle at once.
- Fry the cutlets 2 at a time for 3 to 4 minutes per side, shaking the pan gently so the hot oil washes over the top, until deep golden. The pork should reach 63°C (145°F). Drain on paper towels.
- Serve at once with lemon wedges, parsley potatoes and a pickled cucumber salad.
Tips
- Pound the meat to an even thickness so it cooks in the time it takes the crust to brown. Keep the oil hot but not smoking, or the crumbs will burn.
- Chicken breast, turkey, veal and even thick slices of cauliflower work in place of pork. Mushrooms and sliced cheese can be breaded the same way.
Questions and answers
Is rántott hús the same as schnitzel?
They are close cousins. Hungarian rántott hús is usually made with pork and fried in lard or oil, while Wiener schnitzel is traditionally veal. Both are pounded thin and breaded.
How do I keep the breading from falling off?
Pat the meat dry, flour it first and press the crumbs on gently. Do not move the cutlets around in the pan until the crust has set.
Can I bake rántott hús instead of frying it?
You can bake it at 220°C (425°F) on an oiled tray for 15 minutes, turning once, but the crust will be less crisp and puffed than fried cutlets.
How long does it take to make Rántott Hús (Hungarian Breaded Pork Cutlets)?
About 45 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Rántott Hús (Hungarian Breaded Pork Cutlets)?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 38 g of protein, 28 g of carbohydrates and 28 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 38 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28 g |
| Fat | 28 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 780 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
