Dear chefs,

[Tarlam!]

I love cooking and food and won't be using this thread to tell people that their dish is wrong or that they can't do things a certain way. Instead I'll share my own successes and attempt to provide insight on their failures. I hope this doesn't become another iphone thread with you and me being Partial and Ty.

That's your perogative, just as I am entitled to set things straight. I value creativity and celebrate progress in the kitchen. It sounds like you do, too. But, I also have strong feelings about tarditional dishes, regrdless of whence they originated.

I'm not as dumb as Partial or as smart as Ty, so, I can't see us ruining this thread.

[Little Whiskey]

[I value creativity and celebrate progress in the kitchen.

like stadium brats?

[Tarlam!]

[I value creativity and celebrate progress in the kitchen.

like stadium brats?

Yeah, we've had my opinion on Brats, right? I stand by it, BTW.

[Iron Mike]

I pisses me off when we head up to the U.P. for deer camp and the noob orders an imitaion pasties! dont you dare call them old time hot pockets either!

Bwahahahaaa!!! If I drive to the U.P., it's to get some cudighi!!!

[MichiganPackerFan]

Thanks Tar & 31 - While i may never understand all of that, it's fascinating to me - keep it up!!!!

[Deputy Nutz]

I pisses me off when we head up to the U.P. for deer camp and the noob orders an imitaion pasties! dont you dare call them old time hot pockets either!

We should really become closer friends.

[Tarlam!]

In fact, if you don’t mind, post how you (or your family) would make it, I would appreciate it very much.

St. Peter’s in Salzburg…..the place claims to be the oldest restaurant in Europe; over five times older than the USA.

I've been to Salzburg a few times. Next time any Rats are there, you must visit the Red Bull hanger. Red Bull is HQed in Salzburg.

The hardest part about doing a true Wiener Schnitzel, IMHO, is finding veal. I know that sounds easy, but there are huge differences in quality. In Germany for example, it is next to imossible to get true veal. They sell young bull meat and call it veal, while in France, I believe they still are allowed to pen a calf up and milk feed. This stops the animal from ever walking, which means the muscles never develop. I don't know if that's still accepted, but I don't eat veal when in France.

Holland has exceptional veal, but, IMHO, Austria and Switzerland are the true veal capitals of the world, although I admit I haven't had the opportunity to check out veal in the USA.

Once you have the right veal, then you need to have the right thickness and here is where the butchers in Vienna just have a leg up. My preference is about 1/2 cm. 1" = 2.54 cm so I'm sure you can figure it out.

Then, using a meat mallot, the escalope (protected by two layers of cling wrap) is then flattened as thinly as possible without it "breaking", meaning don't make holes, it shouldn't sainted (get it? holy?). Now, to correctly mallet meat, a certain "pull" technique should be used, you're trying to make the thing thinner and enlargen the area. You should mallet both sides.

In large kitchens chefs will often put seasoning in the flour (salt and pepper, because if they make schnitzel á la minute, they save a few seconds. At home, I just salt and pepper both sides and the flour.

It's really a good idea to shake off any excess flour, otherwise, the breading is, well, too flourey!

Then your eggwash with a bit of milk or cream, definitely not water or broth! Now, pass the schitzel through your thumb and your forefinger to ensure an even layer and no excess.

then, into the stink normal dried breadcrumbs. When my kids were little, I would re-eggwash and recrumb, because we were on a budget and the portions were, well, smaller! Breadcrumbs are cheaper than veal! My wife, who really grew up on this stuff, told me my schnitzel was better than her mother's! My kids disagree!

To fry n.b SHALLOW FRY as in a frying pan, I like to use a high temp margerine. In this country, it's called Sannella, made by my ex employer, Unilever. I don't like shallow frying in anything but olive oil or Sanella and olive oil it too pungent for schnitzel.

You want a medium high temp and throw a few crumbs in to keep a check on the temp. Once the crumbs fy, it's time for the schnitzel to go in. Now, I always take my veal out of the fidge about 90 minutes before preparing to get it to room temp. Cold meat will suck the temp right out of hot oil relly quickly, unless you have commercial cookery type energy. If you're going fidge to pan, you'll need to accomodate for that.

Only turn the schitzel once. Same as a great steak on a grill. Different than a great steak in a pan.

The culinary garnish is a slice of lemon, topped by a slice of boiled egg, topped by crossed anchovies and, fried parsley somewhere eye appealing. I do it that way in restaurants, but frankly, I've never seen it done in vienna. Slice or wedge of lemon.

Like you pointed out, it's a really simple dish, but the real deal is only to be had in Austria.

[3irty1]

Its getting hard in this country to get good veal as veal crates are slowly getting banned and are expected to be all but gone by next year. The best luck I've seen is through a supplier in Michigan who now uses group housing (although still very crowded) and formula feeding.

The last Chef I worked for did away with veal all together but once ran "Carne Milanesa" on the menu which was what Tarlam! described above but with beef tenderloin, cream in the egg wash, grapeseed oil, and a fried egg instead of boiled. Everything else including the garnish was exact.

My advice to the home cook is to leave veal to the restaurants unless you have some kind of hookup.

[Tarlam!]

My advice to the home cook is to leave veal to the restaurants unless you have some kind of hookup.

Wow, really interesting post, 31. In Germany, they sell cuts of pork for schnitzel. Obviously, it's not Wiener Schnitzel, but even resaurants use pork and call it Wiener Style.

Very interesting.

[Iron Mike]

My advice to the home cook is to leave veal to the restaurants unless you have some kind of hookup.

Wow, really interesting post, 31. In Germany, they sell cuts of pork for schnitzel. Obviously, it's not Wiener Schnitzel, but even restaurants use pork and call it Wiener Style.

Very interesting.

You two get busy making the Rahmschnitzel, now....

[Little Whiskey]

I pisses me off when we head up to the U.P. for deer camp and the noob orders an imitaion pasties! dont you dare call them old time hot pockets either!

We should really become closer friends.

because you like the UP? Pasties? or Deer Camp? or all of the above!

[Little Whiskey]

I pisses me off when we head up to the U.P. for deer camp and the noob orders an imitaion pasties! dont you dare call them old time hot pockets either!

Bwahahahaaa!!! If I drive to the U.P., it's to get some cudighi!!!

thats upper UP. deer camp is lower UP. no cudighi only pasties

[HowardRoark]

In fact, if you don’t mind, post how you (or your family) would make it, I would appreciate it very much.

St. Peter’s in Salzburg…..the place claims to be the oldest restaurant in Europe; over five times older than the USA.

I've been to Salzburg a few times. Next time any Rats are there, you must visit the Red Bull hanger. Red Bull is HQed in Salzburg.

The hardest part about doing a true Wiener Schnitzel, IMHO, is finding veal. I know that sounds easy, but there are huge differences in quality. In Germany for example, it is next to imossible to get true veal. They sell young bull meat and call it veal, while in France, I believe they still are allowed to pen a calf up and milk feed. This stops the animal from ever walking, which means the muscles never develop. I don't know if that's still accepted, but I don't eat veal when in France.

Holland has exceptional veal, but, IMHO, Austria and Switzerland are the true veal capitals of the world, although I admit I haven't had the opportunity to check out veal in the USA.

Once you have the right veal, then you need to have the right thickness and here is where the butchers in Vienna just have a leg up. My preference is about 1/2 cm. 1" = 2.54 cm so I'm sure you can figure it out.

Then, using a meat mallot, the escalope (protected by two layers of cling wrap) is then flattened as thinly as possible without it "breaking", meaning don't make holes, it shouldn't sainted (get it? holy?). Now, to correctly mallet meat, a certain "pull" technique should be used, you're trying to make the thing thinner and enlargen the area. You should mallet both sides.

In large kitchens chefs will often put seasoning in the flour (salt and pepper, because if they make schnitzel á la minute, they save a few seconds. At home, I just salt and pepper both sides and the flour.

It's really a good idea to shake off any excess flour, otherwise, the breading is, well, too flourey!

Then your eggwash with a bit of milk or cream, definitely not water or broth! Now, pass the schitzel through your thumb and your forefinger to ensure an even layer and no excess.

then, into the stink normal dried breadcrumbs. When my kids were little, I would re-eggwash and recrumb, because we were on a budget and the portions were, well, smaller! Breadcrumbs are cheaper than veal! My wife, who really grew up on this stuff, told me my schnitzel was better than her mother's! My kids disagree!

To fry n.b SHALLOW FRY as in a frying pan, I like to use a high temp margerine. In this country, it's called Sannella, made by my ex employer, Unilever. I don't like shallow frying in anything but olive oil or Sanella and olive oil it too pungent for schnitzel.

You want a medium high temp and throw a few crumbs in to keep a check on the temp. Once the crumbs fy, it's time for the schnitzel to go in. Now, I always take my veal out of the fidge about 90 minutes before preparing to get it to room temp. Cold meat will suck the temp right out of hot oil relly quickly, unless you have commercial cookery type energy. If you're going fidge to pan, you'll need to accomodate for that.

Only turn the schitzel once. Same as a great steak on a grill. Different than a great steak in a pan.

The culinary garnish is a slice of lemon, topped by a slice of boiled egg, topped by crossed anchovies and, fried parsley somewhere eye appealing. I do it that way in restaurants, but frankly, I've never seen it done in vienna. Slice or wedge of lemon.

Like you pointed out, it's a really simple dish, but the real deal is only to be had in Austria.

Danke.

Alright, now give me a good Gulaschsuppe.

[Tarlam!]

Danke.

Alright, now give me a good Gulaschsuppe.

If you have a pressure cooker, this is an ideal device for Gulaschsuppe.

In another pot bring about 1.5 - 2 litres of beef stock to a boil. Keep it at a simmer. Skim the scum.

Equal weight quantities, say 200gr onions finely chopped and gulasch (stewing) beef finely cubed, say about 1cm dices. Depends on your beef quailty; if you go to a good butcher, the schrinkage will be only about 10%, but if you buy in a supermarket, shrinkage can be up to 25%. You want your dice to be edible fromn a soup spoon. Remember that, too, when you weigh in the beef against the onions.

3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped.

Sweat the onions and garlic in olive oil until glassy, season the beef with salt and black pepper and add to pot. Sear the beef on all sides.

Add 2 heaped tbs of paprika powder. I use hot paprika, if that's not availabe you can add cayenne pepper to taste. I enjoy it a bit spicey. Add preferably freshly chopped marjoram or oregano, I also like to use a sprig or two of fresh thyme, stripping the leaves from the stems. Obviously dry herbs are OK. Turn the heat down to medium and let the paprika unfold for a few minutes, but continue to stir.

Traditionally, Austrian and German chefs will also add a tsp of coriander seeds, but I hate taste. It's up to the chef.

Now comes the tricky bit: Add three tbs of concentrated tomato paste. Use the best quality you can find because this is make or break. The tricky bit is to get the tomato paste to caramelize, you want it to turn brown, but you don't want it to burn. A good Gulaschsuppe isn't red, it's brown.

I add a tbs of of plain white flour now. IMO, this helps the binding process, but TBH, it's not traditional. But your making about 3 pints of soup and it's easier if you decide to freeze some. It's my security blankett.

Add about 1/5th of the stock and stir until a nice saucie texture results and all lumps have disappeard. Remember, too much stock and you will get lumps!

Then continue this adding stock in small qauntities until you have about 500ml left. You'll need that to adjust the final consistancy.

Bring to a boil, skim the scum and simmer on a slow flame (low temp) for about an hour, or until the beef is almost tender. It's much quicker in a pressure cooker.

Another thing that I add which is a variation are a couple of bay leaves. Just a habit I have.

When the the beef is almost tender, add about 250gr of peeled, finely cubed potatoes. You want firm flesh. Also add a red capsicum, finely chopped. Remember to slice away the white inner skin of the capsicum, otherwise you get a bitter taste.

Its possible that you will get an oily film rise. Either skim it off, or use strips of baking paper to remove. You literally just pull a a strip across the surface of the soup and the oil sticks to the paper.

When the spuds are done, so should be the beef. Correct your seasoning and consistancy and serve!

I know is clichee, but I like chopped chives as a garnish. Use a pair of scissors when cutting chives.

Another variation that I love, but isn't traditional is using leeks instead of a 3rd of the onions. I also seen chefs add chopped carrots to the recipe. Adds some colour and a nice flavour. You would add them with the beef.

[3irty1]

The paprika Tarlam! is talking about and the red flavorless powder you'd no doubt find in the supermarket are two totally different things. For whatever reason that stuff marketed as Hungarian sweet paprika is nearly the only thing available at all. Before attempting a soup like this, I'd strongly recommend mail ordering the real stuff, its not expensive.