Minced meat has been on Polish tables for generations and no one can imagine Sunday dinner without it. The problem is that the basic recipe often ends with an unsatisfactory result. Such cutlets are a bit too dry, a bit too dense and a bit bland. And yet ground can be a real pleasure – light, moist, fluffy on the inside and with an appetizing crust on the outside. Just one ingredient is enough to make a recipe you have known for years take on a completely new and fresh character.
This question is asked by many people who come out of the kitchen with a copy that is scathing, but far from perfect. To significantly improve its appearance and taste, just follow a few basic rules.
Let’s start with the meat. The best combination is pork and beef in a ratio of approximately two to one. Pork itself can be too fatty and too dense. Together they create the perfect balance.
Another thing is temperature of ingredients. Cold meat straight from the fridge combines worse and unevenly, so it is worth taking it out earlier. It’s important too thorough but not too long kneading. The longer it is crushed, the thicker and harder it becomes after frying.
And one more thing: cutlets should be fried on medium heat, not on maximum heat. Too high a temperature will burn the outer layer before the inside has time to warm up. In this case, you can expect nothing more than a dry center and a burnt crust.
Sounds surprising? It’s understandable – white cheese and meat is a combination that seems strange at first glance. Minced cutlets with cottage cheese
however, this is one of those tricks that becomes your secret weapon after the first time.
works completely differently than traditional breadcrumbs. Instead of absorbing moisture from the meat, it releases it gradually during thermal processing, thanks to which the cutlet remains juicy even after a few minutes in the pan.
About 100 grams of semi-skimmed and well-squeezed cottage cheese is enough for half a kilogram of meat. The mass then becomes slightly creamy, easy to shape and surprisingly light. It is also worth mentioning that the dish gains in flavor, which becomes subtle and slightly milky.
You can add finely chopped onion, garlic, salt, pepper and your favorite herbs, such as parsley or thyme, to the mass. Form the cutlets with wet hands so that the mixture does not stick, and immediately put them in the heated frying pan.
There is another method that works perfectly. The trick for fluffy mince is to add grated zucchini or grated potato to the mixture. Sounds like kitchen heresy? Don’t worry – none of these vegetables changes the taste of the cutlet into a vegetable pancake.
Grate the zucchini finely and squeeze out the water thoroughly. This is a key step because excess liquid will thin the mass. One small zucchini is enough for half a kilogram of meat. Grated potato works similarly, and additionally glues the mass together slightly, thanks to which the cutlets hold their shape even without eggs.
This trick for fluffy mince works especially well with poultry – minced chicken or turkey cutlets tend to dry out, and the vegetable effectively prevents this.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl
