Burbot cutlets: how to cook an excellent fish dish

Burbot has a pleasant-tasting meat that does not have too many bones. Therefore, many housewives prefer to bake it, whole or in pieces, or fry it in the form of steaks or fillets in batter. Such snacks turn out tasty and appetizing, worthy of a festive table. However, for an ordinary family lunch or dinner, you can prepare burbot cutlets, which are also healthy and have unique organoleptic qualities.

Fish cutlets: burbot is an excellent choice

In the quest for easy cooking of fish, many people immediately reach for a soup pot with the desire to cook fish soup. This standard solution deprives us of diversity and does not allow us to evaluate the properties of each type of fish.

Burbot meat is low-boned, very soft and sweetish in taste, so it is perfect for second courses and minced meat dishes. And fish cutlets, the recipe for which is easy for any housewife to implement, can be given even to a child without fear of small bones missed when cutting the fillet.

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Cooking features

The process of preparing fish cutlets from burbot fillet is not complicated; even a novice cook can cope with this task. However, to get the best result, he needs to know and take into account several important points.

• Cutlets can be made from either fresh or frozen fish, but fresh burbot makes them juicier. If you plan to use a frozen product to prepare minced meat, allow it to thaw naturally without exposing it to sudden temperature changes. An attempt to speed up the process using a microwave or warm water will lead to a noticeable deterioration in the organoleptic qualities of the fish.
• The burbot's body is covered with mucus, which is very difficult to clean off. There is no need to clean fish intended for cutlets, since the skin is not used anyway. It is better to remove it immediately by cutting under the gills. The skin from the burbot is pulled off with a stocking, helping oneself with pliers.
• Gutting the burbot should be done carefully so as not to damage the gallbladder. If the bile spills out, both the burbot meat and its liver will acquire a bitter taste. The liver, caviar and milt of burbot are preserved because they are healthy and tasty. The carcass is washed well, otherwise a specific smell may remain, due to which many eaters may refuse to try fish cutlets made from burbot meat.
• After washing the carcass, you need to remove its head and tail, and cut the rest into fillets. The fillet is cut and ground together with other products in a blender or using a meat grinder, resulting in minced meat for making cutlets or other products.
• To make minced burbot cutlets more juicy, cream, sour cream, butter, lard, as well as chopped vegetables (onions, carrots and others) are added to it. Flour and various grains help thicken the minced meat. To prevent the products from falling apart during frying, eggs are often added to the minced fish, although some recipes allow you to do without them. Black and allspice and other seasonings suitable for fish will not be superfluous in the minced meat.

Minced burbot cutlets can be fried, baked, or steamed. There are many recipes for this snack, so almost every gourmet will be able to choose an option that suits his gastronomic preferences.

Cutting up burbot

Regardless of what you decide to cook - burbot cutlets with lard or fish soup - we first remove the skin from this freshwater “cod”.

For those who will be doing it for the first time, good advice: don’t try to do it manually - it won’t work. You will have to take pliers, make an incision around the head and use your finger to pry up the edge of the skin near the ridge.

It is so strong and thick that you can easily pinch it with pliers and pull it from the head, which you need to hold, to the tail. This way you remove the skin like stockings. After this, cut off the head, tail and all the fins.

Carefully, so as not to catch the bile, we rip open the belly. The gallbladder is located almost on the liver. Therefore, when separating the liver, you should be especially careful. But if you do touch it, and a couple of drops get on the meat, then immediately rub it with coarse salt and rinse well under running water. Then the cooked meat will not taste bitter. The liver, or “maxa” as it is also called, can be put aside.

For the burbot fish cutlets, the recipe for which we will use, we will not need fish giblets, although they are considered a special delicacy among gourmets.

Having washed the liver, we proceed to the next stage of preparing burbot cutlets, the recipe for which requires a good rinsing of the meat, especially near the tail, where blood usually accumulates. The meat of the burbot is so strong that it seems as if it is stuffed with something. In addition, it also holds tightly to the ridge, which makes it difficult to remove the sirloin, which is so necessary for the recipe for burbot cutlets. But the good news is that we won’t find small seeds here.

Variation with tomato sauce

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Fish cutlets stewed in tomato sauce is a bright, nutritious and incredibly tender dish. Jellied meatballs are quite easy to prepare, and during this process, very soon their seductive aroma will gather family and friends around the common table.

Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Number of servings: 6

Energy and nutritional value

• calorie content – ​​178 kcal;
• fats – 3.4 g;
• carbohydrates – 7.3 g;
• proteins – 12.8 g.

Ingredients

• burbot fillet – 0.5 kg;
• paste (tomato) – 35 g;
• green onion – 4 feathers;
• pepper mixture – 5 g;
• semolina – 90 g;
• flour - for breading;
• marjoram – 3 g;
• oregano – 2 g;
• coriander – 3 g;
• allspice – 3 g;
• garlic – 2 cloves;
• onion (onion) – head;
• salt - to taste;
• oil (lean) – 40 ml;
• egg – 1 pc.

Step-by-step preparation

• Wash the fish fillet, pat dry with a paper towel and cut into several pieces. Then place in a food processor and grind thoroughly.
• Wash green onions under running water, chop into small rings, and combine with chopped meat.
• Add the egg to the minced meat, add pepper, add salt, then add semolina. Stir the resulting composition vigorously until smooth, then send it to a cool place and leave for half an hour. During this time, the semolina will have time to swell and make future cutlets tender and airy.
• Stir the finished minced meat vigorously with wet hands and form it into round balls of equal size.
• Pour the flour onto a plate, then process all the workpieces in it.
• Heat a large frying pan with oil, put fish products in it and fry for five minutes on both sides, until brown.
• Now you should do the filling. To do this, you need to peel the onions, wash them and chop them into strips. Then place it in a separate saucepan and simmer in vegetable oil until translucent.
• Remove the peel from the garlic cloves, crush them with a special device and combine with the onion. Then, stirring constantly, cook the ingredients together for another 2 minutes.
• Dilute tomato paste with water (0.4 l), pour into a saucepan with onions and garlic, then add seasonings, add salt and simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Carefully pour the prepared sauce into the frying pan with the cutlets so that it covers them by 1 cm. After this, simmer over low heat for ten minutes, then turn off the stove.

Tip: instead of semolina, you can add oatmeal to the minced meat - it will also make the cutlets soft and fluffy. Before adding, the flakes should be crushed using a blender or pre-soaked in milk.

The wonderful delicacy is ready; it just needs to be distributed among serving plates and served hot. Fish balls in tomato sauce will go perfectly with mashed potatoes or fluffy rice.

Fish delicacy with rice and zucchini in the oven

Baked burbot meatballs, rice and vegetables are a fragrant, light treat suitable for healthy food lovers. A dish cooked in the oven is extremely healthy, as it retains essential vitamins that disappear with other types of heat treatment.

Cooking time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Number of servings: 12

Energy and nutritional value

• calorie content – ​​160 kcal;
• fats – 2 g;
• carbohydrates – 3.5 g;
• proteins – 17 g.

Ingredients

• burbot (fillet) – 0.85 kg;
• onion – 55 g;
• zucchini – 185 g;
• rice – 0.2 kg;
• dill, basil – 6 sprigs;
• ground pepper – 5 g;
• rosemary – 3 g;
• turmeric – 2 g;
• salt (coarse) – as needed;
• eggs (quail) – 4 pcs.;
• flour – 160 g.

Step-by-step preparation

1. Sort the rice, pour into a colander and rinse several times. Place clean cereal in a saucepan, add cold water (so that its level is 2 cm above the cereal) and boil until half cooked.

2. Wash the burbot fillet, dry with a clean towel and cut into pieces. Then put it in a food processor and turn it into minced meat.
3. Wash the zucchini, remove the skin and remove the seeds. Then cut into pieces and also grind using a food processor.
4. Wash the peeled onion with water, then chop it into small cubes with a sharp knife.

5. Combine the prepared vegetables with minced fish, add salt, add seasonings and stir vigorously with wet hands. After this, add cooked rice, add eggs and knead thoroughly again.
6. To make the meatballs, you need to take a small piece of minced meat, and then use both hands to give it a round shape.
7. Sprinkle the dough on all sides with flour and place in a pan lined with baking paper.

8. Place the dishes with the products in the oven and cook for twenty-five minutes at 185 degrees.

This is interesting: baked burbot cutlets are perfect for a hot lunch, and will remain very tasty after cooling. Therefore, they can be used very universally: on trips, on picnics, or for snacking at work.

Place warm meatballs on plates, pour sour cream, garnish with chopped herbs and place on the table. Then offer to try it as a separate dish with a slice of grain bread.

How to clean and cut burbot

At the end of the story about fish cutlets, let us understand the intricacies of cutting fresh burbot.

How to remove skin

• The skin is removed from the burbot using a stocking. We make a circular cut around the head of the fish, pry up the skin at the ridge with a finger and pinch it with pliers.
• Holding the burbot by the head, we pull the skin towards the tail.
• Then we cut off the head, fins and tail.

Taking out the insides

We open the belly of the fish and take out the contents. We act very carefully.

• The gallbladder is located on top of the liver, so it is easy to touch it, which will lead to the flow of bile onto the meat and give bitterness after cooking.

*Cook's Advice If the gall bladder ruptures and drops of bile get on the pulp, immediately rub the area with coarse salt, leave for a few minutes, and then rinse in cold water.

The liver of burbot (or maxa, as fishermen call it) is very large and tasty. It belongs to the rank of delicacies, like any liver from fish of the cod family.

• Carefully cut out the gall sac and set the liver aside. You can make an exquisite pate from it or marinate it in pieces.
• We wash the skinned burbot well, paying special attention to the area near the tail where there is a large accumulation of blood.

The meat of burbot is dense, adhered to the spine, and removing it is not the easiest task. However, it is worth the effort! After all, burbot cutlets can become a memorable event in our meal, like all dishes made from this fish.

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Video recipe

Watch all the stages of preparing burbot cutlets in this video.

You learned the recipe for making burbot cutlets. This cutlet recipe is good because it uses zucchini, which adds juiciness to the finished cutlets. But you can change the composition of the minced meat and try cooking it with bread, lard or rice. You can add your favorite spices, and lovers of greens can not only decorate the finished dish with it, but also add it to the minced meat, finely cutting it. Write to us in the comments how you prepare burbot cutlets.

How to cook hearty fish cutlets with added lard

Another interesting recipe for making burbot cutlets with lard, which have a juicy taste and higher calorie content. A nutritious treat will help you quickly satisfy your hunger, improve your mood and give you the necessary energy for the whole day.

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Number of servings: 8

Energy and nutritional value

• calorie content – ​​227 kcal;
• fats – 13.4 g;
• carbohydrates – 4.56 g;
• proteins – 12.2 g.

Ingredients

• burbot carcass – 1.3 kg;
• onions – 2 pcs.;
• bread (dried) – 2 slices;
• milk (2.5%) – 85 ml;
• lard (pork) – 0.18 kg;
• eggs (small) – 2 pcs.;
• sea ​​salt - as much as needed;
• pepper (white and black) - to taste;
• paprika (ground) – 3 g;
• thyme – 4 g;
• oil (sunflower) – 60 ml;
• breadcrumbs – 120 g.

Step-by-step preparation

• Remove the head of the fish, cut off the tail and fins, then remove the skin. After this, gut the carcass and separate the fillet from the bones. Wash the prepared meat well, then cut into small pieces.
• Peel the bulbs from the top layer, rinse under the tap with water, cut into four parts.
• Divide the bread into small pieces, place in a bowl with milk and leave for 5-7 minutes. Then knead vigorously with a fork until the mixture reaches a viscous consistency.
• Chop the lard into small pieces.
• Pass the fish fillet through a meat grinder, alternating with onion pieces, soaked bread and chopped lard. It is recommended to grind the finished minced meat one more time, due to which it will become more tender and softer.
• Season the meat mixture with salt, add spices, and beat in the eggs. Then moisten your palms with water and mix vigorously until smooth.
• Now the minced meat should be beaten so that it becomes elastic and lends itself well to sculpting. To do this, you need to pick up the fish mass and forcefully throw it into a large, strong bowl. Such actions must be repeated 15-18 times, then the minced meat will definitely be airy and elastic.
• Now it’s time to make the cutlets. Using a tablespoon, scoop up a piece of the fish mixture and form it into a piece that looks like a thick flatbread. The rest of the products should be sculpted using this principle.
• Pour the crackers onto a flat plate and roll all the cutlets in them.
• Place the fish pieces in a frying pan with hot oil and fry for five minutes on each side, until golden brown.

Tip: instead of breadcrumbs, you can use corn flour; it will also make the products golden brown and crispy. And to get rid of excess oil after frying, the finished meatballs should be placed on a dish covered with paper napkins.

Distribute the appetizing cutlets into portions and invite everyone to the table. It is recommended to eat this treat for lunch in combination with your favorite side dish, or serve it as a cold appetizer for dinner.

Ingredients

Chopped burbot cutlets in batter

To pamper your family and guests, you can prepare delicious fish balls in flour and egg batter. The treat turns out crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and has a unique aroma, so it will definitely appeal to lovers of good cuisine.

Cooking time: 55 minutes

Number of servings: 10

Energy and nutritional value

• calorie content – ​​190 kcal;
• fats – 12.1 g;
• carbohydrates – 7.2 g;
• proteins – 14.2 g.

Ingredients

• burbot fillet – 1 kg;
• onion – 50 g;
• garlic cloves – 3 pcs.;
• eggs (chicken) – 3 pcs.;
• salt - to taste;
• paprika – 2 g;
• pepper (allspice) – 3 g;
• curry – 4 g;
• nutmeg (crushed) – 5 g;
• vegetable oil – 70 ml;
• flour – 100 g.

Nutritional and energy value: