Publication in the group: Meat and offal dishes
Minced meat in its classic form is raw meat minced (with a knife, meat grinder or other device). The product is a semi-finished product that is used for making cutlets, meatballs or as a filling. You can make classic minced meat from any type of meat (beef, pork, poultry and even fish).
At the same time, during the cooking process, the proportions of the ingredients used must be strictly observed, otherwise the product may turn out hard, dry or liquid.
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.
Surely every housewife knows how to fry cutlets. Quite often it happens that the cooked minced meat turns out to be too liquid. What to do in such a situation? What can save a delicious dinner? You need to figure out what to do if the minced meat is liquid.
Important tips for getting perfect cutlets
Much depends on correctly composed minced meat.
- For 0.5 kg of various meats, be sure to add 130 g of bread crumbs. The bread needs to be soaked in broth, or water, or you can also soak it in milk, you need to take about 150 ml of it, add 10 g of salt.
- Onions can be added to taste, or raw onions can be added and fried until golden brown, then the cutlets will turn out more pleasant and juicy. Add black pepper as you like - either a lot or less.
- To make the cutlets even more juicy and soft, you can add 200 g of fresh cabbage to the minced meat.
- Instead of bread, you can take 100 g of semolina. There is no need to soak the cereal. But the minced meat with cereal needs to be left for about 30-40 minutes so that it can stand and the cereal will gain moisture. Add 1 egg.
Cutlets
- By the way, sometimes minced eggs are good, sometimes not. As you know, meat and eggs are protein. And when frying, the protein absorbs water and curls. And the minced meat curls up, throwing out water, and the cutlets turn out dry and not tasty.
- If your minced meat is quite liquid, then it is better to add eggs to it, but if the minced meat is without excess liquid, then you do not need to add it. In order for the cutlets not to shrink too much, the bread should be soaked not in milk - it is rich in protein, but in water.
- Before passing the meat through the holes in the meat grinder, it must be well cooled. Because During the grinding process, the temperature of the minced meat increases by 4-6 degrees. This process causes the formation of various microorganisms in the final product.
- The bread that you use for minced meat must be peeled from the crust (we take only the pulp) and the bread must be stale. You need to soak the bread for 10-15 minutes, it retains moisture perfectly.
- If you decide to add pieces of cabbage to your minced meat, then grind it alternately with pieces of meat, so it’s better to pass the cabbage through a meat grinder. Raw onions also need to be ground together with the meat.
- If you have ready-made minced meat. It is better to grind both cabbage and raw onions in a blender.
Ideal
- Before you start frying the finished cutlets, moisten them with meat broth, and only then bread them. Then they turn out even juicier.
- For juiciness, raw potatoes are added to the minced meatballs. Grate the raw potatoes on a fine grater, be sure to squeeze them out, and only then add them to the minced meat. Potatoes contain starch, which will help if your minced meat is very liquid.
- Also, to make your product (namely cutlets) the most juicy, you can add mayonnaise to the minced meat at the rate of 1 tbsp per 1 kg of meat. mayonnaise. You can add half a stick of butter instead of mayonnaise, the effect will be the same.
- Also, the cooks still beat the minced meat heavily. So that it turns out soft and juicy, and all the components in it are well mixed and combined.
- The cutlets need to be well breaded in breadcrumbs or flour to create a crust that will retain moisture inside.
- If you still add semolina instead of bread, let the minced meat rest thoroughly and brew so that the cereal absorbs excess moisture. It’s also better to beat this minced meat. You need to add the cereal when the minced meat is liquid.
Meat
So, dear housewives, we have collected the best tips for you. We hope that your cutlets will always turn out juicy, tasty and look very appetizing. But there are still annoying troubles during cooking and in the final result. Let's deal with them.
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.
- 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.
Minced meat for cutlets is very fatty: what to do?
- In this case, you can add chicken, rabbit or turkey meat to the minced meat; they are not fatty and will dilute the fat in your minced meat.
- Another way out of this situation is to add various vegetables to the minced meat: cabbage, potatoes, zucchini. You just need to grate it on a fine grater and squeeze it out.
- Well, and most importantly, there are products that require fatty minced meat. Prepare not cutlets, but manti, dumplings, pasties.
Not fat
You can also cook steamed cutlets. In a double boiler your cutlets will come out very juicy.
Surely every housewife knows how to fry cutlets. Quite often it happens that the cooked minced meat turns out to be too liquid. What to do in such a situation? What can save a delicious dinner? You need to figure out what to do if the minced meat is liquid.
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.
Tofu with Minced Pork - 4 Easy Steps (with Proven Tips)
Tofu with minced pork is a homemade dish that is served in every Chinese family.
Did you know that tofu (bean curd) has an ancient history dating back two thousand years?
Legend has it that tofu was invented by Lord Liu An劉安, a prince of the Han Dynasty around 160 BC. The earliest evidence of tofu production was found in a mural carved on a stone slab.
Another theory states that tofu was an accidental discovery as crushed soybeans were mixed with sea salt. The mineral in the salt caused the soy mixture to curdle and turn into a tofu-like gel.
Today, you don't have to endure the terrible taste of gelled curds or agree with a historian about tofu's obscure origins. Follow this recipe and you can enjoy the best tofu recipe at home.
Tofu with minced pork - an easy recipe in just 4 steps
In this blog post, I will show you how to make tofu with minced pork, a homemade tofu recipe well received by the Chinese in Malaysia.
Tofu with ground pork is easy to make, and best of all, it's delicious with a bowl of fluffy hot steamed white rice. This is a very tasty dish that is still great even if you get it wrong.
Let's get started.
Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information. I may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post.
Step 1 - Prepare Ingredients
Soak the mushroom
First, soak the dry Chinese mushroom in water for at least an hour. The dry mushroom will rehydrate and become soft so that it can be easily cut into small cubes.
If you forgot to soak the mushrooms in advance, you can use hot water to speed up the rehydration process.
Don't throw away the water after soaking the mushrooms, it has all the flavor of the mushrooms. After soaking, keep the water and use it to make meat sauce later.
Chopped meat
I use pork in this recipe. It should have about 20% fat to make it more tender. Chicken is a great alternative for those who don't eat pork, but the meat is drier.
Shredding the meat by hand using a knife is the best option, but you can use a food processor to get the job done. The texture of grinding it is somewhat different from mixing it with a machine. I, of course, prefer to cook it by hand.
Mix two tablespoons of vegetable oil and half a teaspoon of cornstarch with the ground meat and set aside. Ground meat mixed with vegetable oil and cornstarch has a smoother texture.
Step 2 - Deep fry the tofu for added flavor and texture
Carefully remove the tofu from the box. Carefully place it in the frying basket. Deep fry in hot oil for about five minutes or until golden brown.
This method is my favorite way to prepare a tofu dish because it creates a layer of chewy “skin” on the surface that contrasts sharply with the soft texture of the tofu.
To fry the tofu to form a layer of skin, you need to use medium to high heat.' Gently place the tofu in the air fryer basket and deep fry at 190°C/375°F until golden brown. Because tofu contains a lot of water, it will take longer to brown than fried chicken or fish. The temperature of the oil should be high enough so that the outer layer dries quickly and forms a thin and crispy “skin” that effectively “blocks” the moisture from seeping out of the tofu.
Deep frying also adds extra flavor to the tofu. I especially like the chewy “skin” created after deep frying, which has a different texture and flavor than tofu.
There are two tips I want to share with you when frying tofu:
- Don't be tempted to move the tofu around in the frying basket too often, as they can break easily . You can hold the basket by the handle and shake it slightly to prevent it from jumping out of the basket.
- If you don't have a frying basket, buy one. Otherwise, you can add oil to a large frying pan to fry the tofu. Swirl it around slightly for the first minute to prevent the tofu from sticking to the bottom. Leave the tofu in the basket until it cools. Place it on a plate and carefully cut it in half. Move the tofu around slightly until it looks like two blocks.
Step 3 - Making the Sauce
Fry the garlic and onion in vegetable oil over low heat until fragrant. Since garlic browns faster than onions due to its higher water content, you need to sauté the onions first and then add the minced garlic after a minute.
Then add the minced meat to the garlic and onion and fry on low heat . Since it contains cornstarch, it will stick easily to the wok/pan on high heat. Once the meat is no longer sticky, you can increase the heat for another minute to get that signature stir fry flavor (wok hei).
Then add mushrooms and remaining ingredients. Stir and stir until it forms a thick sauce. Now he is ready for the last stage.
Step 4 - Cover and Decorate
Drizzle hot sauce over tofu. Garnish with chopped green onions and chilies.
You can watch the two videos I uploaded earlier to show you how to prepare the chillies and onions for garnishing.
- Video demonstrating how to cut chili peppers.
- Video demonstrating how to prepare onions for garnishing.
Tips and Notes on How to Make Tofu with Minced Pork
Here is a list of helpful tips for making tofu with minced pork.
Types of tofu
There is no fixed rule about what types of tofu are in a recipe. You can use any type you like, just as if you were choosing pasta to cook with a creamy sauce. However, tofu with a firm consistency is easier to handle as it is not easily broken into pieces. You may have other choices in your accommodation location. Do your research and see the results with different types of tofu.
Steam and braise tofu with minced pork (alternative method)
Steaming
Since the tofu has already been cooked at the time of purchase, some restaurants in Malaysia serve the tofu chilled with a spicy meat sauce as a topping. before serving. When you bite into the hot sauce and cold tofu at the same time, the sensation is incredible.
Please note that the water in the tofu will continue to flow out from the cold tofu. Drain the water from the plate before adding the meat sauce so it can be served undiluted.
Extinguishing
Mapo tofu is one of the typical examples of stewed tofu. You can check out my mapo tofu recipe for a detailed explanation.
To make mapo tofu, simmer the tofu with the meat sauce rather than using it as a filling. The tofu is usually cut into smaller cubes and mixed with the sauce. As a result, the tofu often breaks down into smaller pieces due to mixing it with the sauce. The tofu will absorb the flavor of the meat sauce.
Other Common Ingredients
Some other common ingredients for the ground pork tofu recipe include fermented soybean paste and broad bean paste , both of which impart a much stronger savory flavor.
Other frequently used ingredients are dried Chinese mushrooms , Chinese pickles and French beans .
I like to include some Chinese pickles that contrast sharply with the subtle flavors of the meat. As for the French beans, they add crunchy freshness to the dish.
Garnish
Decorating tofu with minced pork is relatively simple.
Add a generous amount of coarsely chopped onion on top of the tofu just before serving. The scallions have a crunchy texture much like lettuce, which is a welcome complement to the subtle flavor of the meat sauce.
You can also sprinkle fried shallots on top of the meat sauce before serving. It has a distinct aroma and pairs perfectly with the flavor of tofu.
Now it's your turn to decide. Do you prefer using meat sauce as a filling or simmering tofu? Let me know by leaving your comment below.
Recipe for tofu with minced pork
Cooking time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Total time 25 minutes
Ingredients
Ingredients A
Ingredients B (seasonings)
- Sliced red chilies and green onions
Instructions
- Soak the mushroom in warm water until it is soft. Remove the stem and cut it into small cubes.
- Cut square tofu in half, deep fry in hot oil at 190°C/375°F for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Fry the onion and garlic in vegetable oil until it becomes fragrant. Add the mince and cook until fragrant.
- Add mushrooms and seasoning (Ingredients B) until sauce thickens.
- Place the tofu on a plate and pour the minced sauce over it.
- Garnish with chopped red chillies and green onions. Serve.
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The nutritional value:
Productivity:
2
Serving Size:
2 servings Amount per serving: Calories: 908 Total Fat: 61 g Saturated Fat: 15 g Trans Fat: 1 g Unsaturated Fat: 15 g Hol 12 Carbs: 22 Carbs: 15 g 5 g Protein: 72 g These data were provided by
and calculated by Nutritionix March 29, 2019
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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.
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:
- Pork cutlets
are the most juicy and high-calorie . Calorie content is around 350 kcal/100 g (290 kcal/100 g when steamed). - If you make a mixture of minced 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,
the 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
is the most ideal option not only for those watching 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 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 do we 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:
— Sink and float for liquids | Chapter 3: Density
Key Concepts
- Since density is a characteristic property of a substance, each liquid has its own characteristic density.
- The density of a liquid determines whether it will float or sink in another liquid.
- A liquid will float if it is less dense than the liquid in which it is placed.
- A liquid sinks if it is denser than the liquid in which it is placed.
Summary
Students will see three liquids superimposed on each other and conclude that their densities must be different. They will predict the relative densities of liquids and then measure their volume and mass to see if their calculations match their observations and predictions.
Target
Students will be able to determine whether a liquid will sink or float in water by comparing its density to the density of water.
Grade
Download the student activity sheet and distribute one to one student at a time if indicated in the activity. The activity sheet will serve as the Evaluate component of each 5-E lesson plan.
Safety
Make sure you and your students wear properly fitted glasses. When using isopropyl alcohol, read and follow all warnings on the label. Isopropyl alcohol is highly flammable. Keep it away from sources of fire or sparks.
materials for each group
- Remainder
- Isopropyl alcohol 70% or higher
- Water
- Graduated cylinder
- 2 identical tall clear plastic glasses
- 2 tea candles
Materials for demonstration
- Remainder
- Isopropyl alcohol 70% or higher
- Water
- Graduated cylinder
- 2 identical tall clear plastic glasses
- 2 tea candles
Notes on materials
Isopropyl alcohol
The demonstrations and exercises work best with a 91% isopropyl alcohol solution, which is available in many grocery stores and pharmacies. If you can't find a 91% solution, 70% will do, but your candle may not sink in it. If this happens, do not perform this demonstration. Although the isopropyl alcohol solution is 91% alcohol and 9% water, you can ignore the small amount of water for the purposes of this tutorial.
Scales
A simple scale is all that is required for the second demonstration. One of the cheapest is the Delta Education Elementary School Scale (21-inch), Product #WW020-0452 (21-inch). Students can use a smaller version of the same scale, Delta Education, Primary Balance (12 inches), Product #WW020-0452.
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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, 2021 by: Maria Subbotina
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 mince 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 secrets of delicious minced meat,
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Minced meat and cabbage stew
Stewed minced meat and cabbage
Ground Meat and Cabbage Stew is a tomato-based stew you'll love. This sauce brings back a lot of good memories because it is one of my mom's favorites. It is also quite easy to prepare and goes well with boiled rice, spaghetti, sweet potato, banana, etc. Ingredients for minced meat and cabbage stew - 1 small cabbage - 300g boneless beef or chicken or corned beef - 5 large fresh tomatoes OR 400 g tomato puree - 2 tablespoons thick tomato paste (optional) - 1 small pepper / atarado (to taste) - 1 red bell pepper / tatache (optional) - 1 onion (chopped) - 100 ml Vegetable oil - 2 bouillon cubes / 2 tablespoons seasoning powder - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional) - 1/2 teaspoon thyme or oregano - 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Note: You can use any tomato-based stew in place of the tomatoes and peppers.
Preparation
A. If you haven't already, shred the beef or chicken or puree it in a blender. B. Cut the cabbage into thin strips, rinse thoroughly under running water and strain through a sieve.
1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan; add chopped onion and garlic powder, fry a little and then add minced meat. Fry the mixture for 2 minutes or until it changes to its original color.
2. Now add some water, add chopped cabbage, thyme, curry powder, 1 stock cube and salt to taste. Mix well and leave on low heat for 3-5 minutes or until the meat is cooked through. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. If you don't have tomato stew, combine the tomatoes and peppers, pour into a saucepan and drain the excess liquid from the tomato puree. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan, add dried tomato + pepper puree and fry a little; then dilute the tomato paste with a spoon of water and add to the pan. Stir well and continue to cook for about 15 minutes or until the oil rises to the top of the stew. Stir constantly to avoid burning on the bottom.
4. Now add the meat and cabbage mixture, add seasonings and salt, adjust if necessary. Mix well and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove heat, serve and serve with steamed rice, fried plantain or any dish you like.
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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 two are much faster! The knives should be sharp and fairly heavy (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.
© DepositPhotos
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
© DepositPhotos
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.
© DepositPhotos
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.
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!
You've been frying minced meat wrong your whole life... here's how to do it right
COOKING mince before using it to make a hearty bolognese or hot chilli can really enhance the flavor of the meat.
And, most likely, you all threw the minced meat into the pan together, so it changed color.
2
Experts have discovered how improperly browning minced meat can leave your meat gray and tough Photo: Getty Images
But ever notice how this method often leaves the meat grey, stewed and tough?
This is because you are not browning the minced meat correctly.
When frying mince, you need to make sure the pan is on high heat with a little oil, according to BBC Food experts.
But instead of adding the mince until it completely covers the surface of the pan, the meat should be added in stages.
2
To properly brown the mince, you should only put part of the mince into the pan at a time, not all of it Credit: Alamy
This is because adding more mince to the pan will lower the internal temperature, meaning it won't brown.
This will also cause all the liquid to release from the beef, leaving it gray and tough.
You should also use a slotted spoon when adding the browned mince to the bowl, and avoid over-mixing while frying.
And if you follow these rules, it's obvious that you'll have perfectly browned mince every time.
This comes after we previously told you how people are getting their eggs and mashed potatoes wrong.
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But the list of things we've cooked wrong doesn't end there.
We've all cooked rice wrong... and apparently the most common way could be poisonous.
And earlier we found out that most of us cut bread incorrectly all the time.
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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.
Thickeners
But most often, housewives try to thicken liquid minced meat by adding various kinds of thickeners to it.
The choice of such a thickener depends on what you plan to cook from liquid minced meat.
Cutlets
It is impossible to form neat cutlets from liquid minced meat, and therefore, in order for the minced meat to acquire the necessary consistency, you can add bread crumb WITHOUT MILK!
You can also thicken the minced meat for cutlets using mashed potatoes.
Another way to correct the situation is semolina. You need to sprinkle a little semolina into the liquid minced meat. Mix thoroughly and let stand so that the semolina has time to absorb the liquid and swell.
Another quick and easy way to make minced meat much thicker is to add a little starch.
Stuffing for cabbage rolls, peppers or meatballs
Everything is simple here, you just need to add rice, which is already a necessary ingredient for these dishes.
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.
Why do meat cutlets fall apart?
Most often, the cutlets will fall apart during frying due to an incorrectly composed meat mixture.
The cutlets will also fall apart if the following is added to the meat mixture:
- Quite a large amount of liquid
- Salo
- Skins
What needs to be added to the cutlet mixture to prevent the cutlets from falling apart:
- Soaked stale loaf or breadcrumbs.
- Semolina at the rate of 3 tbsp. per 1 kg of meat.
- Grated potatoes (raw), and you can also add carrots, beets, and zucchini. You need to squeeze out excess liquid.
- Egg - 2 yolks per 1 kg of meat.
- And be sure to bread the cutlets in breadcrumbs or flour; you can mix flour with semolina.
Homemade
You need to fry the cutlets over moderate heat, in a very well-heated frying pan. The cutlets can also be baked.
- Place baking paper on the sheet. Lubricate it with vegetable oil.
- Place the cutlets on a sheet. Bake at 220°C for 25 minutes. on one side, turn over and another 25 minutes. with another.
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.
Vegetable soup with meatballs recipe
To prepare you will need:
- ready-made minced meat for meatballs – 300 g;
- potatoes – 3 pcs.;
- bell pepper – 1 pc.;
- cabbage – 200 g;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- carrots – 1 pc.;
- tomato – 2 pcs.;
- salt, bay leaf, allspice.
Place a three-liter pan of water on the fire and bring to a boil. While the water is heating up, peel the potatoes, rinse and cut into small cubes, then chop the cabbage, peel the bell pepper and cut into small strips. When the water boils, add potatoes, cabbage and peppers to it.
While the vegetables are boiling, we begin to form small meatballs, beat them well, and add them to the broth. While the soup comes to a boil again, peel the onions and carrots, cut them into small strips, fry them in a frying pan and put them back into the pan, boil for another 5-7 minutes.
At the very end, add tomatoes, cut into small half rings, to the boiling water, salt to taste and add the remaining spices, boil for another 10 minutes.
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.
A few more secrets and recommendations
- To prevent the meatball broth from becoming covered with an unpleasant greasy film, it is better not to use too fatty meats. For such purposes, the shoulder blade, neck, back, some parts of the hind leg, as well as the brisket are ideal. You should not take high-quality and expensive tenderloin, for example, beef; the meatballs may turn out a little dry.
- If you use fairly lean meat (beef or chicken) in minced meat, then to make it juicy and tender, you can add a little hard cheese, grate it on a fine grater and add it to the general mass, so to speak, a window into Italian cuisine. You don’t need to add anything to fattier meats (for example, pork or lamb), since the minced meat will already be quite juicy.
- In order for the meat balls to acquire an unusual smoked flavor, which is ideal for pea or bean soup, you can add a little smoked meat to the total mass of minced meat.
- In order for the meatballs to turn out very tender and juicy, finely chopped onion is sometimes added to them; if this is done very finely, then it will not be felt at all in the final dish, but will only add a light aroma and a pleasant consistency. You can add both raw and fried onions.
- Many recipes recommend adding an egg to maintain the tenderness and shape of the balls, but as it turns out, this is not necessary. On the contrary, if you overdo it with protein, they can turn out to be excessively tough and lumpy, and in order to prevent this from happening, you need to pass the minced meat several times through a meat grinder with a fine grid. Then knead it well, beat it, after which your meat balls will definitely not fall apart during cooking; by the way, their size will also affect this: small meatballs will definitely not lose their shape, as can happen with large balls.
- To give the meatballs extra tenderness, you can add some “foreign” ingredients to them, such as rice, a little soaked bread or semolina. The latter is enough to add a tablespoon per 500 g of meat, it swells and thoroughly absorbs the meat juice, which makes the meatballs very tender and juicy.
- Many people like meatballs as a second course; to do this, they are either fried in a frying pan until golden brown, and then poured with gravy and simmered to the required degree of readiness.
- If you decide to bake meat balls in the oven, then homemade sauces, for example, cranberry, basil and mint, yogurt or Tahini sauce, are ideal for them.
- The most healthy and dietary meatballs are obtained if they are cooked in a double boiler or slow cooker - they can be an ideal dish for children or an option for people who need to adhere to a strict diet or watch their figure.