Carlos Solis
The secret to tender, juicy homemade cutlets is an inexpensive pantry item — and you need only half a teaspoon for this recipe. To keep the cutlets from turning tough and dry after frying, add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the minced meat. Other things that help keep the cutlets juicy are a splash of cream or water, finely grated frozen butter folded into the mince, and onion.
Ingredients: ground meat (a mix of beef and pork, or pork shoulder) – 1 kg; onion – 1; egg – 1; loaf or white bread – 200 g; salt – 1 tsp; black pepper – ½ tsp; baking soda – ½ tsp; breadcrumbs or flour – for coating; oil – for frying; milk or water – for soaking the bread.
Preparation
Start by preparing the mince. Pass the meat and the onion through a meat grinder. If you’re using pre-made mince, the process is even simpler: just add finely chopped or grated onion.
Cut the crust off the loaf, soak the soft part in milk or water, let it sit, then squeeze out the excess liquid.
In a large bowl, combine the squeezed bread with the ground meat, onion, and egg. Add the baking soda, salt, and pepper. For extra juiciness, add a splash of cream or cold water. Mix everything until well combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes — long enough for the baking soda to work and make the mince fluffier.
Knead the mince well to increase its stickiness so the cutlets hold together. Shape the cutlets to any size and coat them in breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the cutlets until both sides are golden. Then transfer them to a pot or baking dish, add a little water to the bottom, and simmer on low for 10–15 minutes, or bake in the oven at 180°C (350°F).
Life Hack
When adding frozen butter to the mince, grate it on a fine grater. Likewise, grate the onion instead of chopping it so it distributes evenly and doesn’t leave noticeable chunks. Those fine bits in the mince are the main secret to the finished cutlets’ tenderness.
