Kotlety Mielone: Polish Ground Pork Patties (Cutlets)

Ingredients

• 1.1-1.2 pound (500-550 g) ground pork; shoulder, or chuck
• 1/2 large bread roll (or 1 small one, approx. 1.4 oz, 40 g); stale or fresh
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, stock, or water
• 1 medium onion (approx. 4 oz, 110 g); white or yellow
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon marjoram; dried
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; ground
• 1/2 cup (50 g) breadcrumbs + some extra for coating the patties
• 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) water
• canola oil, lard, or clarified butter; for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   If you bought a whole cut of pork,...: If you bought a whole cut of pork, ground it using the medium holes of your meat grinder.

2. 2

   Slice half of the bread roll into pieces...: Slice half of the bread roll into pieces and place the slices into a container. Cover with milk, so that it’s fully covered. [You could also use stock or water instead]. Soak for at least 5 minutes.

3. 3

   As you wait for the roll to soak,...: As you wait for the roll to soak, peel the onion and dice it finely. The finer the onion pieces are, the easier it will be to form the patties later.

4. 4

   Heat up a touch of oil on the...: Heat up a touch of oil on the frying pan (skillet). Add the diced onion in and fry on a medium-low for 10 minutes or so, until the onion turns nicely golden. Move it over onto a plate and set it aside to cool.

5. 5

   Move ground pork into a large bowl.

6. 6

   Squeeze the milk out of the bread roll...: Squeeze the milk out of the bread roll slices and add them to the meat.

7. 7

   Crack in the egg. Add in diced onion...: Crack in the egg. Add in diced onion we’ve fried and cooled.

8. 8

   Sprinkle a tablespoon of marjoram, a teaspoon of...: Sprinkle a tablespoon of marjoram, a teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper. Add in the breadcrumbs.

9. 9

   Start kneading the meat mass (I do so...: Start kneading the meat mass (I do so by hand, to avoid extra cleaning). To make the process easier, you can add a tablespoon or two of water. It takes around 5 minutes of kneading to get a smooth mass. Don’t try to skip this process, this is important!

10. 10

    Form equally sized balls from the ground mixture....: Form equally sized balls from the ground mixture. In my case, one cutlet usually weighs about 3-3.3 oz (85-95 g), and I end up with eight of them.

11. 11

    First, form each cutlet by hand into a...: First, form each cutlet by hand into a perfect ball, then lengthen and flatten it slightly (resembling a flattened tic-tac).

12. 12

    If any onion pieces are sticking out on...: If any onion pieces are sticking out on the surface, you can push them in and reshape the patty again.

13. 13

    Coat each cutlet in breadcrumbs.

14. 14

    Prepare a large frying pan (skillet), ideally with...: Prepare a large frying pan (skillet), ideally with a heavier bottom. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil, lard, or clarified butter. Set the heat on the highest setting.

15. 15

    Add the patties in, and fry them for...: Add the patties in, and fry them for 90 seconds from each side (that’s 3 minutes in total). Do be mindful of the time, we’re frying on a high heat here.

16. 16

    Reduce the heat to medium and cover the...: Reduce the heat to medium and cover the frying pan with a lid. Fry for 3-4 minutes, then flip the patties and fry for another 30 seconds.

17. 17

    If you’re unsure about the doneness, you can...: If you’re unsure about the doneness, you can remove one cutlet onto a plate and cut it in half. If the inside has a uniform, slightly grey colour, that means the patties are done. Don’t extent the cooking time unnecessarily, that will turn them dry.

18. 18

    Line a plate with 2 layers of paper...: Line a plate with 2 layers of paper towel and carefully move the cutlets over. That way, we’ll get rid of the excess fat.

19. 19

    And we’re done! Smacznego.