Kotlety (Russian Pan-Fried Meat Patties)

About This Recipe

Kotlety are Russia's everyday meat patties, distinct from a plain hamburger because the meat is bound with bread soaked in milk rather than breadcrumbs, which keeps the inside remarkably tender and moist. A mix of ground beef and pork gives more flavor than either alone, and a grated onion worked into the mixture by hand adds moisture without any visible chunks. The patties are shaped, then dredged lightly in flour before frying, which forms a thin golden crust that seals in the juices while the inside steams through gently over moderate heat. Cooking them too hot scorches the crust before the center is done, so a steady medium heat with a lid on for part of the cooking is the standard home technique. Served with mashed potatoes, buckwheat or a simple cucumber salad, kotlety are the kind of dish nearly every Russian grew up eating, made in bulk and frozen for quick weeknight meals.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 1 lbground beef
• 0.5 lbground pork
• 2 sliceswhite bread(crusts removed)
• 0.5 cupwhole milk
• 1yellow onion(grated)
• 1egg
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 cupall-purpose flour(for dredging)
• 4 tbspvegetable oil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the bread

   Tear the bread into pieces and soak in milk for 5 minutes until soft, then mash with a fork.

2. 2

   Mix the meat

   Combine ground beef, pork, soaked bread, grated onion, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix by hand until just combined.

   Overmixing makes the patties dense — combine only until the ingredients are evenly distributed.

3. 3

   Shape patties

   With wet hands, shape the mixture into 8-10 oval patties about 3/4 inch thick.

4. 4

   Dredge

   Lightly coat each patty in flour, shaking off the excess.

5. 5

   Fry

   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry patties 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden.

6. 6

   Steam through

   Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 5-6 minutes more until cooked through to 160°F internally.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve hot with mashed potatoes, buckwheat or a simple salad.

Variations

• •

  Use all beef or add ground chicken for a lighter version.

• •

  Add a pinch of nutmeg to the mixture for a subtle warmth, common in some regional versions.

• •

  Freeze uncooked patties on a tray, then bag them for quick weeknight meals — fry straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked kotlety up to 3 days, or freeze uncooked patties up to 3 months. Reheat in a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water to keep them moist.

Frequently Asked Questions