Beef cutlets are a versatile and delicious cut of meat that can be used in a variety of dishes. Although they may go by different names, breaded beef cutlets are a quick and tasty dinner choice found in many parts of the world. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly beef cutlets are and the many ways they can be prepared.
What Are Beef Cutlets?
Beef cutlets are thin slices of beef taken from the round or loin section They are pounded thin before being cooked to increase tenderness in the naturally tougher cuts used The resulting cutlets cook quickly with dry heat methods like sautéing, frying, or grilling.
Cutlets are different from cube steak which uses tenderizing processes to help break down muscle fibers in the beef. While similar in appearance cube steak maintains more thickness than traditional cutlets.
You may also see beef cutlets referred to as minute steak or schnitzel. The latter comes from the Austrian method of breading cutlets in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs before frying.
Popular Uses for Beef Cutlets
The quick cooking time and versatility of beef cutlets make them useful in a wide variety of dishes:
1. Breaded and Pan-Fried
Breading beef cutlets in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs (or panko) before pan-frying is a popular preparation. The coating adds crunch while keeping the interior tender and juicy. Fried cutlets work well in sandwiches, over salad, or served with vegetables.
2. Sautéed
Simply season and sauté beef cutlets in a bit of oil or butter over high heat for 1-2 minutes per side. The cutlets develop a nice sear while staying tender inside. Sautéed cutlets pair nicely with pan sauces made from ingredients like wine, broth, capers, and herbs.
3. Grilled
Grilling is another excellent high-heat method for cooking beef cutlets. A hot grill sears the outside while allowing them to cook through gently without drying out. Grilled cutlets make delicious tacos, sandwiches, or dinner entrées.
4. In Stir-Fries
Thinly slice beef cutlets across the grain and stir-fry with vegetables and sauce for a quick one-pan meal. Common additions include onions, bell peppers, broccoli, and snap peas. The cutlets cook in just 2-3 minutes, so prep any vegetables beforehand.
5. Skewered
Cut beef cutlets into bite-sized pieces to thread onto skewers for easy cooking on the grill or under the broiler. Skewering helps prevent smaller pieces from drying out. Use a flavorful marinade or sauce to keep them moist and tender.
6. In Soups and Stews
Dice or slice beef cutlets to add to soups, stews, and braises. The thin cuts add richness without taking as long to become tender as larger pieces. Avoid stirring too much or the pieces may break down too much.
Handling and Cooking Beef Cutlets
When preparing beef cutlets at home, follow these tips for the best results:
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Pound to an even 1⁄4-1⁄2 inch thickness so they cook evenly. Place between parchment or wax paper when pounding.
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Cut against the grain before cooking for more tender results.
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Use high heat methods like grilling, sautéing or stir-frying. Cook for just 1-2 minutes per side.
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If breading or flouring, press coating into both sides before pan-frying. Use a hot pan with just a thin layer of oil.
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Allow breaded cutlets to rest for 1 minute after cooking so coating sets up before serving.
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Avoid overcooking as the leanness can lead to dry, chewy results. Cook to medium doneness at most.
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Let rest 3-5 minutes after cooking. Slice against the grain before serving.
With their quick cooking time and mild flavor that takes well to sauces and seasoning, beef cutlets are useful ingredients for weeknight dinners, entertaining, and easy lunches. Try breading and pan frying, sautéing in a pan sauce, grilling for tacos, or dicing into your next soup or stew. With proper preparation and cooking, beef cutlets can be quite tender and delicious.
Types
When producing cutlets, the meat is usually taken from the leg or rib section of veal, pork, or lamb, while chicken and turkey are from the breast. Pork is a convenient meat for making cutlets because the shape of the loin lends itself to producing thin cuts of uniform size and shape.
Veal cutlets may also be labeled as “scallops” or “scallopini.” On restaurant menus or in cookbooks you may see cutlets described as schnitzel, a traditional Austrian dish where cutlets are dredged in flour and then coated in egg and breadcrumbs and fried; Weiner schnitzel is made from veal, in which case it is usually made from center cuts from the leg muscle. While the meat itself is tender, it must still be carefully fabricated to remove any connective tissue that could be chewy after its cooked. Conversely, cutlets made from chicken and turkey come from the breast, which is already tender.
What is a Cutlet?
Cutlets are thin slices of meat that are perfect for quick cooking methods like sautéing, air frying, or deep frying. Cutlets typically come from veal, chicken, or pork, and are often cut from a less tender cut of meat like a shoulder or rear leg. Sometimes cutlets are tenderized, either with a meat tenderizer at a butcher shop, or at home with a meat mallet. Beef cube steaks are a type of cutlet as well, but usually don’t get lumped in with other cutlets.
Making cutlets out of these less expensive, but less tender cuts of meat helps them seem more tender after you cook them. Thin cuts give you less resistance when chewing, and tenderizing cuts through the tough connective tissues so you don’t have as much chewing to do when you eat the meat. The thinner cuts also cook much faster, so cutlets are a smart way to enjoy less tender (and less expensive) cuts of meat without having to cook them all day.
Cutlets are often breaded before cooking, but you don’t have to bread them. Many of the most famous cutlet recipes (think wiener schnitzel) are breaded, but we also enjoy cutlets that don’t have breading. Keep reading to check out some of our recipe picks to find ways you can make these yummy and affordable cuts of meat.
The ULTIMATE Beef Cutlet Recipe | Goan Beef Cutlets | Beef Patties
FAQ
What are cutlets used for?
In cuisine, cutlet (derived from French côtelette, côte, “rib”) refers to: a thin slice of meat from the leg or ribs of mutton, veal, pork, or chicken. a dish made of such slice, often breaded (also known in various languages as a cotoletta, Kotelett, kotlet or kotleta)
How to eat beef cutlet?
Serve them hot along with some ketchup and a hot cup of tea or coffee for a delicious snack. Cutlets can also be served along with a main meal. It goes well with almost all kinds of rice dishes and can also be eaten as a burger sandwiched between lightly toasted bread or burger buns.
What cut of meat is a beef cutlet?
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The Spruce Eatshttps://www.thespruceeats.comWhat Is a Cutlet? – The Spruce EatsSep 27, 2022 — Misconceptions. For some reason, the word cutlet is sometimes used to refer to something that is actually a croquette, which is a mixture of mashed …
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GET COOKING WITH BILL ST JOHNhttps://www.billstjohn.comMEAT CUTLETS 5 WAYS – GET COOKING WITH BILL ST JOHNAug 8, 2024 — In cooking terms, a “cutlet” of meat—chicken, pork, beef, lamb, turkey—refers to a thin cut of meat usually taken from the leg or rib section (with f…
Are beef cutlets the same as cube steak?
Tenderettes are just balls of ground beef that are fed through. So, beef is fed through grinder, and then through tenderizer. Cube steaks, on the other hand, are just pieces of “trim” beef that are fed through the tenderizer.