Deutsche Küche Beef Schnitzel

There are two times of the year when I know that German foods under the Deutsche Küche private label will show up at Aldi: one week sometime in the spring and one week again in the fall. This is when I find treats such as spaetzle, German luxury cakes, spritz shortbread cookies, soft pretzels, strudel, frangipane tarts, peanut puffs, and more.

While Aldi has two official German weeks each year (the exact timing of those weeks is something only Aldi knows), random Deutsche Küche products occasionally pop up on Aldi shelves at other times of year, although the selection is only a fraction of what it is during official German weeks. This week, I found a lone Deutsche Küche product at Aldi: beef schnitzel.

Aldi often stocks chicken schnitzel or pork schnitzel during German week, and my family likes it, so I picked up the beef schnitzel to see how it compares. I could be wrong, but I can’t recall Aldi ever selling beef schnitzel before.

Schnitzel consists of a thin piece of meat that is breaded and fried. Schnitzel goes well with spaetzle (a type of noodle or dumpling) or potatoes. In fact, Aldi sometimes sells a German potato blend that goes well with schnitzel.

Deutsche Küche Beef Schnitzel is an Aldi Find, which means it’s only in stores for a short time. Each store gets one shipment, and after that sells out, it’s gone unless Aldi decides to bring it back at some later point. Aldi does not offer online ordering for products not in stock at your local store.

This beef schnitzel cost $7.99 for a 24-ounce box at the time of publication. With six servings per package, that comes out to about $1.33 per serving. When this is in stock at Aldi, you’ll find it in the store’s Aldi Find freezer aisle.

The package describes this as “uncooked breaded beef patties with a delicious saltine cracker breading.” This is “inspired by Germany” and is actually a product of the U.S.

The beef patties are made with beef, water, and spices, including salt and pepper. If you’re looking out for allergens, this contains wheat, milk, and egg.

Nutritionally, this is what you’d expect for a processed beef product that you fry. It’s got plenty of calories, fat, and sodium. One serving has 290 calories, 16 grams of total fat (21% DV), 6 grams of saturated fat (30% DV), 710 mg of sodium (31% DV), 21 grams of total carbohydrates (8% DV), and no added sugars.

Nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)

The box has directions for pan frying or deep frying the schnitzel.

To pan fry, heat 1/8 of an inch of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the schnitzel in the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Drain on a paper towel before serving.

To deep fry, heat oil to 350 degrees. Place schnitzel in the fryer and cook 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel before serving.

Ready to eat.

I opted to pan fry this, as I usually do with the other types of schnitzel Aldi sells. One key piece of advice is to make sure the oil is good and hot before adding the schnitzel, or it will take longer to get them fully cooked and golden brown.

I served the schnitzel with a package of German Potato Blend and some microwaved steamed asparagus, all from Aldi.

My family is very familiar with and loves the chicken and pork versions of schnitzel that Aldi sells. They immediately noticed that, naturally, these patties are darker in color. I think these have a stronger flavor than chicken or pork schnitzel. They taste a bit like a breaded hamburger. The chicken and pork varieties are probably my favorites, but my family and I will happily eat this beef variety as well.

The box also has a recipe for beef schnitzel with German style potatoes.

Beef Schnitzel with German Style Potatoes:

Serves six.

Ingredients —

• 6 Deutsche Küche Steak Schnitzels (prepare using cooking instructions above)
• 1 1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 4 slices of bacon
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley, for garnish

Directions — 

1. Cover potatoes with water in a medium saucepan. Add salt. Heat over medium heat. As soon as water starts to boil, remove from heat and drain potatoes.
2. Cook bacon until crisp in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Remove from pan and drain.
3. Add onions to skillet. Cook until golden brown.
4. Add potatoes to skillet. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.
5. Return onions to skillet with potatoes. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until potatoes are a deep golden brown.
6. Top with crumbled bacon. Stir to combine. If desired, garnish with minced parsley.

The Verdict:

Deutsche Küche Beef Schnitzel is sold under the Aldi private label that focuses on German or German-inspired foods. This particular entrée is made in the U.S. rather than in Germany. It’s similar to the chicken and pork schnitzel varieties that Aldi often sells during its twice-yearly German weeks. This beef version has a stronger flavor but still tastes great and goes well with classic side dishes such as spaetzle or potatoes.