Recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets and the secrets of their preparation. What to add to the minced meat to make the cutlets juicy Add minced meat so that it

Good afternoon dear friends. Let's talk about cutlets today, or rather, let's look at recipes for juicy cutlets made from different types of minced meat. It would seem that there is nothing complicated here, minced meat, bread, egg, mix it all and fry it.

But things don’t always work out as they should. It is especially difficult for young housewives. You have to make mistakes many times before you get fluffy and juicy cutlets so that the whole family likes them.

That’s why we tried to collect not just recipes, but also reveal the secrets of making delicious cutlets or meatballs, as they are also called.

Also, there are almost always cutlets on the holiday table. Sometimes a regular lunch or dinner cannot be done without them. They can decorate any holiday table. Every housewife wants to cook something interesting and unusual. And that's great. You can make your own recipe and praise it in front of your guests and so on.

But before you cook, you need to know a few simple rules. They were not invented just like that; this is the experience of many housewives of all times. Let's take a closer look.

The cutlets must be very tasty, this is not in dispute. But it is also necessary that they are not dry and fluffy. It depends on many factors. Such as the choice of minced meat, the method of mixing the minced meat, additional ingredients, and so on. And of course experience.

Now let’s look in more detail at the recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets, or rather, first prepare the minced meat.

By the way, it’s best to make minced meat yourself. I never recommend buying it in a store, because you never know what and how is involved in it. Usually, store-bought minced meat does not make good homemade cutlets.

Choosing meat for cutlets.

First of all, you need to decide what kind of meat you will use to make cutlets. Usually I do it this way: whatever meat I have, that’s what I use. But that's not always the case. If we want to surprise guests, or even just our family at dinner, then we think through everything in advance.

The choice of meat also affects the calorie content. Here's how you can divide meat by calorie content:

The most juicy and high-calorie are the pork cutlets. Calorie content is around 350 kcal/100 g (290 kcal/100 g when steamed).
If you do mixture of ground pork and beef, then the calorie content will be around 267 (190) kcal/100 g. It is better to dilute minced pork by 2/3 with minced beef.
When using pure ground beef calorie content is even less: 235 (172) kcal/100 g.
The most dietary are chicken cutlets. The calorie content here is approximately 145-125 kcal/100 g. But they turn out a bit dry. Therefore, such cutlets contain fat or other additives, which increase calories.
Ground turkey- the most ideal option not only for those who watch their figure, but also for children. Turkey meat itself is quite juicy and the calories are not high: 180 kcal when frying in a pan and 140 when steaming.

We must not forget that additives such as bread crumb, egg and oil increase calorie content when frying. But without this, you usually won’t get cutlets, and it all depends on what exactly we want to cook.

How to choose the right meat for minced meat.

Don’t forget that recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets will turn out great only with homemade minced meat. You need to choose the right meat and make it yourself. Then success will definitely await you.

The main argument is fresh meat

When choosing meat, be sure to inspect and smell it. The meat should smell like fresh meat. No off-odors, sourness or other odors indicating old or stale meat.
The meat should be elastic and firm. If you press on the meat with your finger, the hole should soon level out.
The color of the meat should be pinkish-red and moist. There should be no windy areas or slimy surfaces.
For lamb it is better to take the thigh or rump.
If you buy pork, beef or veal, it is better to take: hind thigh, neck, tenderloin or shoulder.
When choosing poultry meat, pay attention to the legs (drumstick and thigh). Then the cutlets turn out more juicy. Breast is also suitable - the lower calorie part, but rather dry.

Subtleties of cooking cutlets.

First of all, I want to note that it is best to roll the meat through a small mesh, preferably 2-3 times. This will make the cutlets more fluffy. Some recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets directly indicate how many times you need to twist and not always through which mesh.

Many argue that it is better to scroll through a large grid. They are right, on the one hand. Then the meat turns out to be large pieces and gives off less juice, which means less fat content. But if you want to get fluffy cutlets, then it is better to twist through a fine mesh, or even better to use a blender.

What you need to consider when preparing cutlets:

When adding crumb to minced meat, you need to take wheat bread. Preferably yesterday's bread, because fresh bread will give you the wrong consistency and extra calories.
Also, for 1 kg of meat you need approximately 150-200 g of crumb.
It is necessary to soak the bread in boiling water, and not in milk, as many people believe. Milk deprives the cutlets of juiciness. But the crumb soaked in water will add fluffiness and airiness.
Onions add juiciness to the minced meat. It can be used 300 g per 1 kg of meat. Onions will not spoil the minced meat in any way; on the contrary, it will be tastier and juicier.
But you cannot grind the onion through a meat grinder, as this will squeeze out all the juice. It’s better to finely chop it with a knife and add it to the minced meat.
If you want to get tender, tender cutlets, then you can add mayonnaise to the minced meat, but just a little, no more than 50 g.
To prevent the cutlets from falling apart and to be more fluffy, you can add potatoes by grating them on a fine grater.
If you use eggs in minced meat, you should not just add them to the minced meat. First, prepare the minced meat completely: add everything you need, including spices. Knead well. And only at the end add the eggs in this way:
Separate the whites from the yolks. Beat the whites until fluffy foam. And slowly pour the protein into the prepared minced meat, stirring from bottom to top.
Try this method and immediately notice how the cutlets take on a fluffy shape right before your eyes.
Add spices and salt to your taste. There are no restrictions here. It is better to have a lot of greens in fish cakes.

How to properly and how long should you fry minced meat cutlets?

While looking through recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets for my holiday table, I came across the fact that the recipe doesn’t say much about how to properly fry the cutlets.

You need to form cutlets, make them thick enough and not flatten too much. It is better to wet your hands with cold water to make it easier to sculpt.
With proper frying, you can avoid loss of juiciness in the cutlets. But usually they use breading. It holds the juiciness inside well. Usually crackers or salted flour are used. But both semolina and Japanese corn flakes work well.
The pan needs to be heated well over medium heat. Pour oil for frying and then lay out our breaded cutlets.
After 3-5 minutes, turn our cutlets over, turn the heat to low, and cover the pan. So fry for 15 minutes. During this time, the meat and onions are fried, and the soybean does not evaporate.
Now open the lid, increase the heat to medium and bring to an appetizing crust.
It is better to change the oil every time you fry.

On average, one batch takes a decent 25 minutes to cook in the pan. But it's worth it.

How else can you cook cutlets?

In addition to traditional methods, recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets suggest frying them by steaming, in the oven and in the microwave. Here's how long it takes:

In the multicooker that housewives love, in the “frying” or “baking” mode, cooking cutlets also takes 20-25 minutes.
In a double boiler or multicooker with this function it will take 25 minutes. At the same time, it contains less calories and is also very tasty.
If you use a microwave steam attachment, you can cook cutlets in 15 minutes. Just first cook for 5 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 7-10 minutes.
If you use the oven for baking, then at 180 ºС it will take 30 minutes.
In a microwave with a power of 800 W you can cook cutlets in 7 minutes.
In an air fryer, the cutlets are baked in 20 minutes.

Here's a look at the version of fluffy cutlets:

The best recipes for juicy and fluffy meat cutlets.

Now let’s look at various recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets. At the same time, do not forget about the subtleties described above. We will not repeat ourselves in the recipes.

Let's try to consider different recipes, with different types of meat.

Recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets - classic with bread.

Sometimes such cutlets are called “homemade platters.” This recipe actually makes the cutlets more tasty and of normal juiciness. We often cook these for lunch or dinner.

We will need:

Pork meat - 300 g;
Beef meat - 300 g;
Bread crumb - 90-100 g;
Egg - 1 piece;
Onions - 2 pcs;
Garlic (optional) - 2 cloves;
Flour - 150 g;
Vegetable oil;
Salt to taste;
Spices to taste.

Step 1.

Prepare the minced meat, grind the pork and beef in a fine mesh meat grinder 2 times and use a blender. Immediately chop the onion finely. Add to the minced meat.

Step 2.

Place the bread crumb into boiling water to soak. While we squeeze the garlic, add salt and pepper to taste. Add bread to the meat, passing it through a meat grinder and mix everything thoroughly.

Step 3.

Now the egg, separate the whites and beat. Add to the minced meat, mix thoroughly.

Step 4.

Now let’s form meat balls with our hands and flatten them a little. At the same time, we wet our hands in cold water so that the minced meat does not stick to them.

Step 5.

Now roll the cutlets in flour or you can use any other breading.

Step 6.

Now everything is as per the instructions described above. First, fry one side over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, turn the cutlets over and cover with a lid. Then we bring it to readiness and it’s done.

Minced chicken cutlets in the oven.

As we said, these cutlets are very dietary and are perfect for those on a diet. Kids really love these cutlets. You can use turkey instead of chicken. Then the cutlets will be more juicy.

We will need:

Chicken breast - 200 g;
Wheat bread - 40-50 g;
Egg - 1 piece;
Onion - 1 piece;
Garlic - 1 clove;
Salt to taste;
Spices to taste.

Step 1.

We wash the breast, dry it and separate it from the bone. We pass the fillet through a meat grinder or blender.

Step 2.

Soak the bread in boiling water, after a couple of minutes squeeze it out a little and add it to the minced meat. Salt and pepper to taste, squeeze out the garlic, finely chop the onion, add to the minced meat and mix everything well.

Step 3.

Now it’s up to the egg, or rather the white. Beat and add to the minced meat.

Step 4.

Set the oven to preheat at 180 ºС. Meanwhile, place foil on a baking sheet. We form the minced meat into not very thick cakes and place them on a baking sheet.

Step 5.

Bake the cutlets in the oven for 30 minutes. When ready, you can serve.

Ground beef cutlets.

Recipes for juicy cutlets made from minced beef or other meat are quite simple. Almost everything is prepared according to the same recipe. Now let's look at the simplest recipe, the main thing is to choose the right meat so that it is not dry.

Ingredients:

Beef meat (veal) - 800 g;
Onion - 2 pcs;
Bread - 140-150 g;
Egg - 1 piece;
Salt to taste;
Spices to taste;
Vegetable oil or butter for frying.

Step 1.

We twist the meat. Finely chop the onion and add to the minced meat.

Step 2.

Soak yesterday's wheat bread in boiling water. Squeeze and add to the minced meat. Pepper, salt to taste and mix.

Step 3.

Separate the white from the egg, beat and add to the minced meat.

Step 4.

With wet hands we form meat balls, flatten them a little and place them in a heated frying pan. I use vegetable oil, but you can also fry it in butter. This will make the cutlets more juicy.

We fry according to the technology described above. When ready, you can serve with a vegetable side dish.

Here's another beautiful recipe:

Another recipe for beef cutlets, but with gravy.

Usually cutlets are served with a vegetable side dish or pasta. So I always like to make gravy for cutlets. It's tastier and juicier. Many recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets allow you to make the gravy right away, not separately from the cutlets, but together... Once you try it, you will always do it this way.

We will need:

Beef - 500 g;
Potatoes - 2 pcs;
Egg - 1 piece;
Bay leaf - 1 piece;
Onion - 1 piece;
Flour for breading;
Salt and spices to taste;
Greenery.

Step 1.

Cooking minced meat. We pass the meat through a meat grinder 2-3 times. Finely chop the onion and add to the meat. Grind the potatoes on a fine grater and add them all at once. Salt and pepper. Finely chop the greens and also into minced meat.

Mix everything thoroughly and then add the whipped egg white.

Step 2.

Now with wet hands we form beautiful little balls. Roll them in flour or other breading.

Step 3.

We'll fry it a little differently. Fry in a heated frying pan on both sides until golden brown.

The gravy itself. Fill the cutlets in the frying pan with water, just enough to barely cover the cutlets. Add bay leaf, salt, spices to taste and simply close the lid and let it simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat. Then the cutlets will give their taste and aroma to the gravy, it will turn out simply amazing.

To make the gravy thick, you need to add flour to it, if you like. Then you need to add a couple of tablespoons of flour to 1/2 cup, stir and pour into the gravy. Stir the sauce and let it simmer for another couple of minutes. Then you can put our cutlets and gravy aside.

Juicy minced chicken cutlets stuffed with cheese.

Some recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets require filling. You can experiment with different fillings. We love cheese filling more, so we present you this recipe.

We will need:

Chicken meat - 550 g;
A piece of loaf - 120-130 g;
Garlic - 4 cloves;
Onions - 35-40 g;
Egg - 3 pcs;
Hard cheese - 120 g;
Salt and spices to taste;
Dill and parsley to taste;
Vegetable oil.

Step 1.

Boil 2 hard-boiled eggs, cool, peel and grate on a fine grater.

Step 2.

Cut the cheese into a thin salt shaker.

Step 3.

Wash all the greens well, dry and finely chop. Now combine the egg, herbs and cheese and mix. This is our filling.

Step 4.

We make minced meat. We pass the chicken meat through a meat grinder or blender.

Step 5.

Place the bread crumb in boiling water and after a couple of minutes take it out and add it to the minced meat. Squeeze the garlic through a press into the minced meat.

Step 6.

Chop the onion finely and also add it to the minced meat. Add salt and spices to taste. Mix everything thoroughly.

Step 7

Separate the egg white, beat and mix with the minced meat.

Step 8

Now we make thin cakes from minced meat, put our filling in the middle. Then wrap it in minced meat and flatten it a little. Shape into a cutlet. Don't forget to wet your hands so the meat doesn't stick.

Step 9

Now heat the pan and fry our cutlets.

Cutlets in batter with filling.

This recipe is a little more complicated than those described earlier, but the taste is excellent and they look very beautiful on the holiday table. We continue to look at recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets, now in batter.

Ingredients:

Step 1.

First we make the minced meat. You can take any, you can have assorted ones. I use 2/3 beef and part pork. It is best to take non-fat meat, as there will be enough oil.

Grind the meat through a meat grinder. Finely chop the onion and add to the meat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything thoroughly. You can add a little water if the meat is very dry.

Step 2.

Let's make the filling. Grate the cheese. Finely chop the pineapples and mix with cheese.

Step 3.

Now the minced meat needs to be divided into equal parts. Let's roll them into balls - future cutlets.

Step 4.

We make flat cakes from the balls, put a spoonful of filling and a piece of butter in the middle. Close like pies. Now we make a cutlet shape with our hands and correct it, so to speak.

We put the resulting cutlets in the refrigerator for now. Let's make the batter.

Step 5.

Beat eggs, mayonnaise, soda and salt into a deep bowl. Beat well. Then gradually add flour while stirring. You want the dough to turn out like pancakes.

Step 6.

We take out the cutlets. Melt the fat in a frying pan. You can simply fry it in vegetable oil. First dip the cutlets into the batter and then into a heated frying pan. Leave space between the cutlets so they don't stick together.

When one side is browned, turn it over. Fry until browned on all sides.

Step 7

After frying, it is advisable to place the cutlets briefly on a paper towel to drain excess fat. You can then serve it with a side dish.

Essentially these are the same cutlets, but they are made thin. Also the difference is that a lot of oil is required. You need to completely submerge the cutlets there. Traditionally, schnitzel is made from pork. But you can also make it from other meat. Let's look at recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets in German.

We will need:

Pork - 1 kg;
Cream - 2 tablespoons;
Egg - 2 pcs;
Onion - 1 piece;
Breadcrumbs;
Salt and pepper to taste;
Ground coriander and bay leaf to taste;

Step 1.

We pass the washed meat through a meat grinder. Finely chop the onion and add to the meat.

Step 2.

Pour the cream into the minced meat, add pepper and salt to taste. Beat the whole eggs in there. Mix the minced meat thoroughly, it is advisable to even beat it.

Step 3.

With wet hands, form thin cakes, roll in breadcrumbs and leave on the table for a couple of minutes.

And here is an interesting recipe and very beautiful:

Fish cutlets with semolina.

Finally, let’s look at a simple recipe for fish meat cutlets. For those who are tired of other meat, recipes for juicy cutlets made from minced fish meat are suitable. It also makes delicious cutlets. Reba contains a lot of useful substances, especially phosphorus. You can cook from any fish. We will cook it with pollock.

We will need:

Any fish (mine is pollock) - 1 kg;
Onions - 1-2 pcs;
Bread or loaf - 150 -200 g;
Tomato paste - 2 tablespoons;
Salt and pepper to taste;
Semolina for breading;
Vegetable oil.

Clean the fish and cut into small pieces. Soak the bread in water and squeeze. Finely chop the onion and fry in a frying pan until a beautiful golden color. Be sure to cool.

Step 2.

Now we pass the fish fillet, bread and fried onions through a meat grinder. Salt and pepper the minced meat to taste. Mix everything thoroughly.

Step 3.

With wet hands, form balls and flatten them a little. Heat the frying pan, roll the cutlets in semolina and place in the frying pan. Fry on both sides, reduce the heat, cover with a lid and let them fry a little.

Step 4.

After frying, place the cutlets in a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil, add tomato paste and bay leaf. You can add any other spices to your taste. Cover with a lid and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Then remove from the stove and cool slightly. Can be served.

That's all for me, I hope you found our tips and recipes useful. Bon appetit, bye everyone and see you later. Don't forget to leave your comments and share the post on social networks.

Recipes for juicy minced meat cutlets and the secrets of their preparation. updated: December 8, 2017 by: Subbotina Maria

Do you find it too harsh? So, it's time to cook tender cutlets!

If the minced meat turns out to be too liquid, don’t worry, this problem is easy to fix. Let's look at seven of the best ways to thicken minced meat and make great cutlets and meatballs!

Methods for processing liquid minced meat

You can thicken the minced meat by adding breadcrumbs.

If it is minced meat (chicken) for cutlets, then you can add pre-boiled and mashed potatoes to it. If you don’t have time to bother with making puree, then add 1-2 tablespoons of potato starch to the minced meat. It will thicken the minced meat very quickly and well.
A crumb of white bread or white crackers slightly soaked in water will help you. If there is no bread, then you can use semolina. Some chefs even specially put semolina in the minced cutlets - it makes the cutlets more tender. 1-2 tablespoons of semolina should be poured into the minced meat, mix well and wait 10-15 minutes for the semolina to swell.
If you have liquid minced meat for cabbage rolls or meatballs, you can add lightly cooked rice, barley or boiled and grated carrots.
If you do not want to add anything to the minced meat, but want to remove excess liquid, place the minced meat in a fine sieve or double-layer cheesecloth and leave to drain for 30 minutes. Watch the minced meat so that it does not completely lose liquid, otherwise the cutlets will turn out too dry.
Before preparing dishes, the minced meat can be placed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, and then from the cooled minced meat you can make cutlets, meatballs, or use it for other dishes. In the refrigerator, the minced meat “gathers in a heap.”
Before frying, each cutlet or meatball must be rolled in flour. This will “strengthen” the top layer.
The cutlets need to be placed in a very hot frying pan - this will help to “seal” the minced meat so that the cutlets turn out juicy. Over high heat, the cutlets should be quickly fried on both sides, then turn on a small fire, and cover the frying pan with a lid, where the cutlets “reach” for 15-20 minutes.

Are meatballs and steaks too tough for you? So, it's time to cook tender cutlets!

If the minced meat turns out to be too liquid, don’t worry, this problem is easy to fix. Let's look at seven of the best ways to thicken minced meat and make great cutlets and meatballs!

Methods for processing liquid minced meat

If it is minced meat (chicken) for cutlets, then you can add pre-boiled and mashed potatoes to it. If you don’t have time to bother with making puree, then add 1-2 tablespoons of potato starch to the minced meat. It will thicken the minced meat very quickly and well.
A crumb of white bread or white crackers slightly soaked in water will help you. If there is no bread, then you can use semolina. Some chefs even specially put semolina in the minced cutlets - it makes the cutlets more tender. 1-2 tablespoons of semolina should be poured into the minced meat, mix well and wait 10-15 minutes for the semolina to swell.

If you have liquid minced meat for cabbage rolls or meatballs, you can add lightly cooked rice, barley or boiled and grated carrots.
If you do not want to add anything to the minced meat, but want to remove excess liquid, place the minced meat in a fine sieve or double-layer cheesecloth and leave to drain for 30 minutes. Watch the minced meat so that it does not completely lose liquid, otherwise the cutlets will turn out too dry.
Before preparing dishes, the minced meat can be placed in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, and then from the cooled minced meat you can make cutlets, meatballs, or use it for other dishes. In the refrigerator, the minced meat “gathers in a heap.”
Before frying, each cutlet or meatball must be rolled in flour. This will “strengthen” the top layer.
The cutlets need to be placed in a very hot frying pan - this will help to “seal” the minced meat so that the cutlets turn out juicy. Over high heat, the cutlets should be quickly fried on both sides, then turn on a small fire, and cover the frying pan with a lid, where the cutlets “reach” for 15-20 minutes.

Additional Ingredients

In fact, there are quite a lot of options for correcting this situation. Most housewives know what to do if the minced meat is liquid. For example, you can beat it well in your hands. This way the excess moisture will gradually disappear. If this does not happen, you can add additional ingredients that will absorb excess moisture:

Potato. The vegetable is peeled and boiled until tender. Then the potatoes are mashed and added to the liquid mince.

Starch. In this case, only potato will do. It will take a little, but the minced meat will thicken noticeably.
Groats. You can use boiled buckwheat, rice or other porridge.
Stale bread or breadcrumbs. The most optimal option for liquid minced meat. Many housewives use white bread crumbs.
Semolina. A couple of tablespoons of this cereal will definitely save future cutlets. After adding it to the minced meat, semolina swells, and the treat turns out tender and very tasty.
If the minced meat turns out to be liquid, you can add a little raw rice to it. Then you will get wonderful meatballs. Rice with minced meat should sit for about half an hour.

The tips listed will tell you how to remove excess liquid from the minced meat. But they are only suitable if the consumer is not too picky about the composition of the treat.

Additional events

And yet, what to do if the minced meat is liquid, but you don’t want to observe the presence of additional ingredients in the composition. To do this you will need to follow some procedures:

The liquid minced meat is placed in a fine sieve and left in this state for about half an hour. If you don’t have these kitchen utensils, you can use ordinary gauze. But you need to monitor the process, as future cutlets may turn out dry;
The liquid mince should cool. To do this, put it in the refrigerator for a while. After removing, you should start frying as soon as possible;
With wet hands, cutlets are formed and rolled in corn or wheat flour. All manipulations must be done very quickly;
You can scoop the minced meat into a large spoon and immediately place it in the frying pan, like pancakes. The fire must be set to maximum. This will form a crust, and the cutlets themselves will become juicy and appetizing.

There are many reasons for this situation, but every skilled housewife knows what to do if the minced meat is liquid. Now you know about it too.

Spicy meatballs

Ingredients:

one small zucchini;
mixture of minced pork and beef - 350 g;
one egg;
a teaspoon of ketchup or tomato paste;
half an onion;
fresh or dried peppermint leaves - 5 g;
parsley and basil - to taste;
breading;
spices with salt;
oil for frying.

This is not only a satisfying, but also a very healthy dish that any housewife can prepare:

The zucchini is rubbed and the excess liquid is squeezed out.
The prepared vegetable is mixed with minced meat.
Onion, mint and parsley are finely chopped and combined with minced meat.
Next, add a beaten egg, ketchup, salt and spices.
The minced meat is thoroughly mixed with breadcrumbs.
Small meatballs are formed and placed in a greased pan, which is placed in a preheated oven for half an hour.
You can serve the finished dish with your favorite sauce.

Microwave cutlets

Ingredients:

minced meat - 300 g;
one head of onion;
clove of garlic;
spices.

The dish cooks quickly, but is in no way inferior to classic cutlets in a frying pan:

The onion must be grated very finely or passed through a meat grinder. Do the same with garlic.
All ingredients are combined and mixed well.
Next, the cutlets are formed and placed in a heat-resistant form, which is placed in the microwave for approximately 5-7 minutes.
After the end of the program, the cutlets are turned over and spun again in the microwave for another couple of minutes.
The released juice can be greased with the resulting treat or poured over a side dish.

The word “minced meat”, as you know, comes from the French farce (filling). The most popular and favorite minced meat product is cutlets. In addition, you can use minced meat to make dumplings, juicy cabbage rolls, casseroles, pies and many other delicacies.

Perfectly cooked minced meat is the basis of all these wonderful dishes, which is why it is so important to know how to make it correctly. In this article we will reveal to you the carefully guarded culinary gurus secrets of delicious minced meat.

The most delicious minced meat

How to grind meat

Scroll in a meat grinder.
Grind using a blender.
By hand - finely chop using two sharp knives.

Preparation of minced meat It starts with chopping the meat. Before chopping meat, remove all veins, films, bones and cartilage from it. When chopping with knives, the meat turns out juicier: after all, it is chopped, and not crushed, as in a meat grinder, and all the juices remain inside. A blender does something similar, but it chops too finely.

You can chop meat with one knife, but with two it’s much faster! The knives should be sharp and heavy enough (chef knives are a good option). You need to “deal” with the meat on a heavy and durable board, under which you should place a kitchen towel for stability.

It is often recommended to use several types of meat so that they complement each other in juiciness and taste. Chicken breast, turkey or lean beef, if combined with medium-fat pork, will produce minced meat that is close to ideal - moderately fatty and at the same time juicy. We suggest you try less common combinations.

Meat duets

Beef + lamb.
Beef + chicken.
Lamb + chicken.
Pork + turkey.
Pork + rabbit.

What to put besides meat

Oil
White bread soaked in milk
Grated cheese
Raw vegetables: potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini
Apples
Cereals: rice or bulgur
Tomato juice

To make minced beef or veal more fluffy, add an apple to it - 1 fruit is enough for 600 g of meat. White bread is needed so that the cutlets keep their shape and are more tender. The bread must be soaked in boiled water, milk or cream, squeezed out, the crust removed and passed through a meat grinder.

If a minced chicken dish turns out too dry, add tomato juice: 50 ml per 500 g of meat. To make minced fish more juicy, add a little lemon juice to it. You can add potatoes, beets, bright carrots and juicy zucchini to the minced meat. This will give the minced meat a richer taste and unique aroma. It is better to chop vegetables for minced meat using a fine grater.

Spices and seasonings

For beef: pepper + nutmeg.
For lamb: cumin + coriander.
For pork: pepper + nutmeg.
For the chicken: (if you're a curry fan) turmeric.

The classic seasoning for minced meat usually includes the following components: ground pepper, dried garlic, sweet paprika, ground coriander, mustard seeds, nutmeg, thyme, cumin. The Italian version of seasoning for minced meat is called “tomatoes and herbs.” This seasoning contains dried tomatoes, carrots, paprika and oregano.

Minced meat is not only juicy cutlets, but also incomparable dumplings, delicious cabbage rolls, casseroles, ruddy pies, pies and many other delicacies. It is the basis of many dishes, which is why it is so important to know how to prepare it correctly.

Today we will talk about culinary tricks in preparing the perfect minced meat.

How to grind

You can make minced meat in 3 ways:

grind in a meat grinder
using a blender
manually - using two sharp knives

When chopping with knives, the meat turns out juicier: after all, it is chopped, and not crushed, as in a meat grinder, and all the juices remain inside. A blender does something similar, but it grinds meat into a paste. You can chop meat with one knife, but with two - 3 times faster! The knives should be sharp and heavy enough (chef knives are a good option). You need to “deal” with the meat on a heavy and durable board, under which you need to put a kitchen towel - for stability.

Culinary blogger Sergei Milyanchikov tells.

Meat duets

Chefs often recommend using several types of meat so that they complement each other in juiciness and taste. The most popular combination - beef + pork - is actually not very successful; the following duets are much more interesting:

beef + lamb
beef + chicken
lamb + chicken
pork + turkey
pork + rabbit

The only exception is the burger patty: it is better to make it from one type of meat.
For burgers, we make the patty only from beef. After all, in addition to the cutlet, the burger contains sauce and vegetables, which perfectly complement the meat in its “pure form.”

Chef Mark Statsenko explains.

What else to add

To make the minced meat truly tasty, you can add additional ingredients to it:

white bread soaked in milk
butter
grated cheese

Raw vegetables - potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini or a grated green apple will add juiciness to the meat filling (1 medium-sized apple is enough for 600 g of meat). You can also “weight” the minced meat with cereals - rice or bulgur.

Spices and seasonings

Win-win combinations:

for beef - pepper + nutmeg
for lamb - cumin + coriander
for pork - pepper + nutmeg + a couple drops of Worcestershire sauce
for chicken - (if you are a curry fan) turmeric

The ideal amount of seasoning can only be determined experimentally. It's better to start with small doses.

Beat the minced meat

Another secret: the chopped meat with additives must not only be mixed, but beaten thoroughly until the meat mass gathers into a smooth and springy lump.

This is necessary so that the minced meat does not fall apart during heat treatment - no matter whether we are talking about lula kebab, which is cooked on skewers, about pljeskavica, which is baked on a wire rack, or about ordinary chopped cutlets.

Eva Punch writes in her book “Your own chef. How to learn to cook without recipes."

Let it cool down

After the hot “retribution” of the minced meat, it should be left alone.

It's best to put it in the refrigerator for at least half an hour. The minced meat will infuse, the meat and additives will become one. In addition, it will be easier to form cutlets from cold minced meat, and when frying they will turn out much fluffier.

Sergey Milyanchikov advises.