Entree: Russia – Bashkir & Ural Region – Уральская пожарская котлета ➤ Uralskaya Pozharskaya kotleta (Butter-enriched breaded minced-meat cutlet fried until golden)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 15 min

Additional 30 min

Total 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) ground veal or ground chicken
- 2 slices (2 oz / 60 g) white sandwich bread, crusts removed
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
- 6 tbsp (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 small onion, finely grated (about 4 oz / 115 g)
- 1 large egg, approx. 2 oz (50 g) (for mixture)
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 cup (100 g) fine fresh breadcrumbs (for mixture)
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 1 large egg, approx. 2 oz (50 g), beaten (for coating)
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) coarse breadcrumbs (for coating)
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) vegetable oil or neutral oil for frying
- 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter (for frying finish)
- Lemon wedges or sour cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak the bread: tear the bread into pieces, place in a small bowl, pour milk over it and let soak 5 minutes; squeeze out excess milk and mash into a paste.
2. Combine filling: in a bowl mix the ground meat, mashed soaked bread, grated onion, 1 large egg, cold butter cubes, 1 cup (100 g) fine breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and nutmeg until homogeneous but do not overwork; small visible butter pieces are desirable.
3. Portion and shape: divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape each into an oval cutlet about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick; press and smooth surfaces. Chill the shaped cutlets in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to firm.
4. Prepare coating: set up three shallow dishes: flour, beaten egg, and coarse breadcrumbs. Dredge each chilled cutlet first in flour, then in beaten egg, then press into coarse breadcrumbs to fully coat. Shake off excess.
5. Fry: heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter and swirl. Fry cutlets in batches 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply golden; reduce heat as needed to avoid burning.
6. Finish: if using thicker cutlets or chicken, transfer the skillet to a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake 6–10 minutes until internal temperature reaches 160–165°F (71–74°C). For veal, shorter oven time may be sufficient.
7. Rest and serve: remove cutlets, rest 3 minutes. Serve hot with lemon wedges or a dollop of sour cream and boiled potatoes or buckwheat groats as preferred.