JB's French Pork Schnitzel

Ingredients

• 4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (, or any other neutral flavoured oil)
• 4 pork steaks or chops (125g to 150g / 4.4oz to 5.3oz each) ((Note 1))
• 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/3 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked (, from large eggs (55g / 2oz each in shell))
• 1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs ((Note 2))
• 3 tbsp herbes de Provence ((Note 3))
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• sea salt flakes
• 3 tsp dried rosemary ((Note 4))
• 1 1/4 tsp dried marjoram or savory (, sub with more thyme or rosemary)
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano

Steps

1. 1

   Pound pork to 0.5cm / 0.2″, season with salt and pepper. Coat in flour, egg, then panko mixed with herbes de Provence. Fry over medium-high heat 2 minutes per side until golden.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 70°C / 160°F (all ovens).

3. 3

   Pound the pork - Place the pork between two sheets of baking paper / parchment paper or freezer bags. (Note 5) Pound with a meat mallet until evenly 0.5 cm / 0.2 inch thick. (Note 6)

4. 4

   Season - Season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. 5

   Prepare the crumbing station - Place flour, eggs, and panko mixed with herbes de Provence in three separate bowls. (Note 7)

6. 6

   Crumb - Coat pork in flour and shake off excess. Dip in egg and let excess drip off. Press into the breadcrumb mixture so it sticks well. Transfer on a tray and repeat with remaining pork.

7. 7

   Cook the schnitzels - Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, it should be 0.4cm / 0.15" deep. When hot, add 2 schnitzels. Cook 2 minutes until golden. Flip and cook the other side 2 minutes. Transfer to a rack over a tray and place in the warm oven. Repeat with the remaining two schnitzels. (Note 8)

8. 8

   Rest and Serve - Let the schnitzels rest on the rack outside of the oven for 2 minutes before serving with a wedge of lemon and a sprinkle of salt flakes.