Why Cutlets Turn Out Dry, Tough, Liquid, Salty, How To Fix These And Other Mistakes

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

The key to delicious cutlets: what absolutely cannot be done when frying

Juicy, aromatic cutlets, hot in the heat - what could be tastier for lunch or dinner? They are probably loved by everyone (except those who do not eat meat, of course). And they are prepared simply: you take minced meat, add bread with onions and eggs, a little seasoning, form cakes from the mixture and fry them. But why are cutlets often dry and tasteless in the end? Are we making mistakes in the process that we didn't even know about?

The main mistakes in cooking cutlets and how to fix them

Sometimes it seems to us that we know all the rules for frying cutlets. But it turns out that there are a few more. But of those that we are familiar with, some are generally contraindicated for use.

The minced meat turned out to be very liquid

Housewives often add eggs or milk to the meat mass. In the first case, this holds the meat together during the formation of cutlets, preventing them from creeping apart during frying. In the second, the taste of cutlets becomes softer. But if you overdo it with these products, the minced meat becomes so liquid that it does not hold its shape.

For thickening add flour, semolina white bread. Although in reality such additives only make the volume of minced meat more, and in addition, they change the taste of the cutlets not for the better.

If the minced meat is too liquid, do not rush to add a lot of bread to it.

According to the rules of frying, only 40% of the soaked bread of the total volume can be added to the minced meat for cutlets. Remember to wring out the crumb properly. If you have observed this proportion, but the desired consistency has not been reached, just put it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. There it will become thicker and more obedient, and the bread will absorb excess moisture.

Beating mince

Most housewives believe that the minced meat must first be beaten off the table. Thanks to this, excess air and moisture leave the meat, which makes the minced meat denser and more viscous.

It is not at all necessary to beat off minced meat for cutlets

Cutlets don't need this at all - they lose their juiciness, they become dry. This is important for kebabs, because the minced meat will stick well on the skewer.

Knead the minced meat thoroughly and keep it in the refrigerator for a while. Beating will be required only if you do not have time to withstand the meat mass.

Frying immediately after cooking minced meat

Often we do this: knead the minced meat, stick the cutlets, heat the pan with butter and immediately fry. But do not forget that minced meat requires exposure in the cold. After it is thoroughly kneaded, be sure to let it stand.

Cutlets are fried for a very long time

This mistake is often made by those who like to make large cutlets. As a result, you have to fry them longer so that they are completely baked in the middle, but at the same time a dry, sometimes burnt crust is obtained on the outside.

You do not need to fry the cutlets for a long time - they can dry out on the outside

Shape the cutlets so that they are medium in size, smaller than a woman's palm. Plus, don't make them fat. Make them slightly flattened at the top and bottom. Fry each side over high heat for 2 minutes, then put a lid on the pan, turn the heat to almost minimal and bring another 4-5 minutes until fully cooked. The main thing is that the cutlets are located loosely to each other, and the oil in which they are fried is very hot.

Stew in sauce

A good sauce with cutlets stewed in is a good idea. True, a long stewing can ruin even very well-cooked fried cutlets. Most likely they will fall apart.

Stew cutlets in sauce also needs to be done correctly

You need to stew cutlets in sauce only if they are yesterday's or were still overdried. You can do this in a skillet, stacking them in a row, top with sauce or gravy, for 10 minutes over low heat. Or in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 180 ° C. Only the dish with cutlets and sauce should be covered with foil so that they come to readiness in their own juice.

The cutlets were not cooked to the end

It can be called a mistake if you use chicken, turkey or pork - such meat in cooked form should not contain blood. And in the case of high-quality beef and veal, you can make the cutlets a little undercooked.

1. You can check if the cutlet is ready by piercing it with a knife and applying a little pressure. The resulting liquid should be completely transparent, without a pink tint.

2. Also cut the cutlet in the middle and look at the cut. If it has pink patches on it, combine the halves and send back to the pan.

   

   Check the readiness of cutlets on time

Long warm up

Of course, freshly fried cutlets are the tastiest. But what if they stayed after lunch or evening, and by the next meal they cool down, become tough? In this case, they need to be warmed up, and in order not to dry out at the same time, do it in sauce, but evenly soften and moisturize the cutlet.

Heat the sauce or gravy in a saucepan to nearly a boil, remove from heat and immediately add the cutlets. Let it sit for 5-7 minutes to warm up well. This will give the cutlets softness and freshness.

It is better to reheat cutlets in sauce or gravy

If the minced meat is dry, just add a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream to it. 1 raw egg per 500 g of mass will also help. You can also put a piece of crushed ice or butter inside the cutlet. They will melt when fried and the meat will remain juicy and tender.

Video: why some housewives are bad at cutlets

We hope our tips will help you fix mistakes with minced meat and prevent them from happening in the future. As you can see, making perfect cutlets is easy, the main thing is to strictly adhere to the rules. Enjoy your meal!