Schnitzel Meat

This old-school Pennsylvania Dutch stew transforms simple veal cubes into something special. The meat gets a flour dredge and a hard sear in bacon fat (yes, bacon fat... shortening works but you know which one wins), building a golden crust that adds body to the gravy.

Here’s the clever part: canned tomatoes provide the liquid, but only the juice goes into the pot. That tomato-enriched gravy thickens around the carrots and onions as everything simmers low and slow for 45 minutes, turning fork-tender without any fuss.

The result is a rich, savory braise with just enough tang from the tomato juice to keep things bright.

Kitchen Tips

• Use bacon fat if you have it. It adds a smoky depth that shortening simply can’t match. Save your bacon drippings in a jar in the fridge for exactly this kind of recipe.
• Don’t skip the flour dredge. It creates a crust on the veal AND thickens the gravy later, doing double duty.
• Save those tomatoes. The recipe only uses the juice. Chop the leftover canned tomatoes into a quick pasta sauce or salad.
• Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes to soak up every drop of that gravy.

Variations

• Pork schnitzel meat: Swap veal for boneless pork shoulder, cut into cubes. Increase simmer time to 60 minutes.
• Add mushrooms: Toss in ½ cup sliced cremini mushrooms when you add the carrots for an earthy twist.
• Paprika version: Stir in 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika with the flour for a more traditional Central European flavor.