So many recipes begin with “cooking minced meat” - cutlets, meatballs, lula kebab, kololak, dumplings, manti and... Minced pork, beef, lamb, chicken, mixed minced meat. Add onions, garlic, herbs and spices to the minced meat and get many options. But besides all these factors influencing the final result, i.e. The taste of the finished dish depends on the method of preparing the minced meat. For different dishes, in the traditions of different national cuisines, minced meat is prepared in different ways.
A meat grinder, the simplest and most common (at least in the recent past) kitchen appliance, has made the preparation of minced meat an everyday activity for millions of housewives. The Archimedes screw feeds the meat onto the knife and presses the minced meat through the grill. The meat is not only chopped, probably everyone has noticed how meat juice flows out of the mouth - the meat is also choked.
Still, this is an excellent choice if the minced meat is being prepared for cutlets or dumplings. It is very convenient to throw onions, garlic, potatoes and soaked bread into the same meat grinder. And if you scroll the minced meat twice, the result will only improve. To make the work easier, you need to prepare the meat - freeze it slightly and cut it into small pieces.
There is no need to be afraid to cook minced meat with a hatchet (chopper, knives) - minced meat chopped with a hatchet has a completely different consistency, properties, and dishes made with it have a different taste. Cooking manti with minced meat from a meat grinder? I won’t, the meat for good manti, lula-kebabs and samsa is chopped only with a hatchet. After all, with this method, the meat is not crushed, it is only cut and chopped, the meat juice does not flow out, remaining in the finished product. Even in this photo you can see that the minced meat has a different structure.
Another technological technique is used when preparing minced meat for Armenian kololak. No meat grinders or hatchets, knives only for preparing meat - carefully cut off all films, cut into small pieces (1-2 cm). And beat the meat in a stone mortar with a heavy pestle. Beat for a long time, flattening and breaking it, preparing the airy delicate structure of the soufflé.
Something similar can be obtained by processing minced meat in a modern food processor (a container with horizontally arranged knives).
Not only the type of meat is important for preparing the “correct” dish (Pozharsky cutlets cannot be made from beef - only from chicken). Not only the correct choice of cut (you should not choose sinewy pieces for minced meat) will determine the result. The ratio of meat and fat in minced meat (usually about 20% fat), the ratio of different types of meat - beef, pork, lamb (4: 3: 3) is selected depending on the dish that will be prepared. The way in which the minced meat is prepared (four options are described here) will have no less influence than the correct choice of additives, herbs and spices.
Chopped meat- this is almost any type of minced meat (see photo) of poultry or even-toed ungulates. This product is obtained by grinding meat products to which salt, pepper and other components are added. Excellent zrazy, cutlets, pies and many other culinary masterpieces are prepared from minced meat.
In times when there were no meat grinders in our lives, women had to make minced meat using a knife with two handles and a semicircular shape. With such a device it was necessary to cut meat into pieces, from side to side. Such minced meat turned out to be chopped.
In the production of sausages, for example, in the 19th century they used a special combine, which consisted of many knives that automatically rose, up and down, above a wooden block. The deck on which the meat was located, with each lifting of the knives upward, moved several degrees in a circle. Within 45 minutes, the combine, which was powered by horses or an electric motor, processed about 30 kg of meat.
How to choose the right minced meat?
Minced meat prepared with your own hands will be of the highest quality and healthiest. When you grind it through a meat grinder, you will not add harmful food additives to the minced meat, as well as meat waste, like many minced meat producers. If suddenly there is no meat at home for homemade minced meat, you will have to go to the store for this product, but then you need to take into account several rules in choosing minced meat:
- You need to pay attention to the color of the products offered to you. The red color of the minced meat indicates that it contains mostly beef. Pinkish tint, which is the advantage of pork. In any case, the minced meat should have a bright color and a slimy surface. And the minced meat is gray in color, with a matte surface, screaming that the product is spoiled.
- You must bring a glove for medical use. When you come to the store, ask the seller to give you a little in order to feel the consistency of the product. A good, fresh product will have a uniform structure. If there are white impurities on the minced meat, try to grind them, if they are soft, then it is just fat, and everything is fine. But if they are hard, then they are often cartilage. And it is better not to waste your money on such a product.
- Often the product in stores is in large boxes, and its quality is determined by the color and amount of liquid that drains from the minced meat. If there is no juice, then feel free to turn around and leave the store, because there is a high chance of sinew or bread crumbs. If the liquid is light red in color, this means that the minced meat is of high quality. But if the liquid is dark in color, then there is a high probability that the product is stale. It’s just that the blood has already oxidized and become cloudy.
- Minced meat must smell like meat, because this product is made from fresh meat. If it smells like spices, there is a possibility of masking a stale product.
How to store?
You should not refreeze minced meat, otherwise you risk ruining its taste. After purchasing or preparing, it must be divided into parts and placed in the freezer.
If you purchased a store-bought product consisting of several types of meat, it should be stored in a separate container and covered with cling film on top. Then the minced meat will definitely not interact with the odors of other products.
The shelf life is determined by the temperature in which the minced meat is stored. The product, which is in refrigerated display cases in stores, is chilled at a temperature range of +3 to +7 degrees, so it should be stored for about a day. So, when you get home, use it immediately to prepare your favorite meat dishes.
The method of storing minced meat by freezing increases its shelf life. A product that has been frozen at a temperature of -13 degrees can be stored for about a month. It is also possible to severely freeze minced meat, from -20 degrees, its use period is then about 3 months. In the end, the choice is always yours.
How to cook minced meat with your own hands at home?
To make high-quality minced meat at home, you must first decide what kind of meat to prepare it from. Choosing a combination for minced meat is one of the little secrets of culinary masterpieces.
If you decide to buy beef, be sure to buy tenderloin, brisket or shoulder. There is just one “but”, the product will end up dry. The best way out of the situation would be to purchase more pork or chicken, in a ratio of 70:30.
Lamb meat gives a very extraordinary taste, which is why this lamb product is often used in the preparation of oriental dishes. The best parts for preparing this mince are thighs and rumps.
When you decide to buy pork, buy loin, neck or shoulder. Due to the fat content of the meat, the product will be tender and you will get delicious minced meat.
One of the popular ways of preparing minced meat has always been and is a recipe for minced meat with onions. It is necessary to wash the meat thoroughly under running water and fry a little with the addition of fat or sunflower oil. At the end of frying, pour water into the frying pan and simmer for a short time. Then grind the meat using a meat grinder or food processor, mixing it with onions. The main thing is that all components that change the state of the minced meat are added at the right time. To make the cutlets soft, you need to “beat” the minced meat; to do this, throw the minced meat from hand to hand, or hit it on the table. The last step is to add spices, raw egg or other ingredients as desired. Such minced meat can be stored for no more than one day.
To prepare minced meat, as you know, you need to use a meat grinder or blender, and they first need to be collected, then washed and disassembled, in general, a lot of unnecessary steps. There is a way to prepare this excellent product, so to speak “for the lazy,” which will help get rid of the fuss with a meat grinder. This interesting method consists of the following steps.
First you need to remove the meat from the freezer. Fresh meat simply won't work for this method. Next, let the meat leave the freezer for about 15 minutes.
Then, we take out an ordinary grater. Take the meat and start grating it on the largest nozzle. It doesn't take much effort to grate the meat. The grater will perfectly chop the meat and make the minced meat very tender and homogeneous.
This option will save you from a lot of unwanted work. It is also worth noting that to make it convenient to grate the meat, you need to take small pieces.
Any housewife has several tricks in her arsenal that can bring minced meat to perfection. For example, if your minced meat is too liquid, mashed boiled potatoes will help you. Lard, bread or eggs can help save minced meat that is too dry.
Minced meat is used as the main ingredient in many dishes, such as meatloaf, khinkali, egg cutlets, and salads.
Minced meat turns out great in combination with many vegetables such as blueberries, tomatoes and many others. More details about cooking in the video.
Useful properties of minced meat
Chicken and turkey mince are considered one of the healthiest. They have the most nutritional properties, and most importantly, they are low-calorie, so they can be safely consumed by people on a diet. The poultry product contains all biological nutrients. It contains a large amount of protein, a lot of vitamins and minerals.
Scientists have confirmed that the turkey meat product has hypoallergenic qualities, so it is excellent for consumption by both small children and nursing mothers. Among the beneficial elements is folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, which contributes to the production of the “happiness hormone”. Thanks to this element, girls during pregnancy will not only get a good mood, but also replenish the deficiency of vitamin B9. Minced meat also contains easily digestible protein, zinc, and iron. It is these elements that strengthen the immune system, restore psychological well-being, and help fight insomnia.
Minced lamb gives our body all the B vitamins, saturates it with iodine, potassium, and phosphorus. Dishes prepared using this product will help restore the functioning of the digestive tract.
The benefits of minced meat depend on the ingredients that were added during cooking. Often, the use of this product in food improves metabolism, restores bone tissue, tones the body, and improves intestinal function.
There is also a use for the meat product in cosmetology. To prepare a mask based on minced meat for velvety skin, you need to grind 300 grams of beef in a blender or meat grinder, then mix the minced meat with one yolk and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and apply the mask to your face. Wait 1 hour and then wash off the mask with warm water. The effect will stun you.
Still doubt that this is possible? Even in ancient times, Roman beauties regularly applied such masks to themselves and were famous for the beauty and velvety of their skin.
Harm and contraindications of minced meat
If you eat a large amount of purchased minced meat, or even homemade one, you can cause irreparable harm to your body. It is not advisable for people who are overweight to consume a lot of this product; the consequences may be additional fat deposits, or even stomach problems. There are some types of meat that are high in cholesterol, such as lamb, beef and pork. And therefore, minced meat from this meat must be consumed in small quantities and with a light side dish. People with joint, heart and cancer diseases should especially limit the use of this product.
The recipe for spaghetti with minced meat in tomato sauce is a real find for busy housewives. Spaghetti sauce is prepared from available ingredients; preparation does not take much time, and the result will undoubtedly please you. A good, hearty lunch dish for the whole family.
spaghetti, minced meat, canned tomatoes in their own juice, onions, carrots, salt, ground black pepper, vegetable oil, dill
The omelette, the recipe for which I want to offer you today, is one of my favorites - it is plump, fluffy, juicy, filling, and very tasty. In general, some advantages! Additives to the egg mixture for a classic omelette are instant noodles and minced meat. It seems like nothing original, but I assure you that you won’t be able to tear yourself away from the finished dish!
minced pork, noodles, eggs, milk, sunflower oil, salt, ground black pepper
A very aromatic, satisfying, but light soup with meatballs, cabbage and green peas is prepared very quickly, using available ingredients. A great solution for a weekday lunch.
minced pork, potatoes, white cabbage, frozen green peas, onions, parsley, salt, ground black pepper, vegetable oil, water
Such white meat with meat turns out incredibly tasty and juicy. Yes, a lot of oil. Yes, it's high in calories. But it's very tasty!
minced meat, onion, salt, ground black pepper, kefir, flour, vegetable oil, soda, vegetable oil
A lavash roll with minced meat and cheese turns out very filling and tasty. You can serve it as an independent dish.
minced pork, pita bread, onion, carrots, hard cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, ground black pepper
Meatballs with pineapple in sweet and sour sauce are simply an incredible meat dish with a bright taste. Juicy meatballs, aromatic sweet and sour sauce and pineapples... Together they create the perfect ensemble!
minced meat, canned pineapple, bell pepper, celery, onion, eggs, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil, soy sauce, sugar...
Pearl barley is a cereal that is not only quite tasty, but also healthy. If you don’t like this cereal because it seems a little dry to you, then I recommend cooking it with minced meat, tomatoes, carrots and onions. Pearl barley porridge with minced meat and vegetables will turn out tasty and juicy.
barley, minced meat, carrots, onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, green onions, salt, sugar, vegetable oil
English shepherd's pie, despite its name, is a tasty and filling casserole made from mashed potatoes and mince.
potatoes, minced meat, hard cheese, eggs, onions, milk, butter, garlic, vegetable oil, Worcestershire (Worcestershire) sauce, tomato paste, water, salt...
Stuffed cabbage rolls in the oven turn out much tastier than cabbage rolls stewed in a pan. Due to the fact that the cabbage leaves are slightly baked and fried, the cabbage rolls acquire a more distinct taste and their aroma becomes richer. Another advantage of cooking cabbage rolls in the oven is that they cook evenly, whereas in a pan the bottom cabbage rolls may be cooked, but the top ones may still be uncooked.
white cabbage, minced pork, rice, onion, carrots, tomatoes, bay leaf, sunflower oil, salt, ground black pepper
Everyone loves homemade cutlets, zrazy, meatballs, meatballs, sausages, dumplings, meatballs and meat casseroles that melt in your mouth. Tender, juicy and aromatic dishes made from minced minced meat can be prepared every day, since they never get boring and any side dish goes well with them. Meat and fish pies, kulebyaki, rolls are served on the festive table, and everyone’s favorite navy-style pasta, which is prepared in 20 minutes, will help out any housewife if there is no time to prepare pancakes with meat or soup with meatballs. Children love dishes made from minced meat and fish, and this is another argument in favor of preparing minced meat with your own hands.
Several benefits of homemade minced meat
Many modern housewives buy ready-made minced meat in the supermarket, but meatballs, meatballs and meatballs made from it are inferior in taste to homemade meat and fish products. In addition, not all manufacturers care about the health of customers, and sometimes factory minced meat may contain preservatives and various additives. Homemade minced meat is tastier and of higher quality, and if you learn some of the secrets and subtleties of its preparation, then minced meat dishes will appear on your table more often. Take care of the healthy nutrition of your loved ones, and in order not to spend evenings at the stove, freeze the prepared minced meat and use it as needed.
The first stage of preparing homemade minced meat: choosing the meat
The most delicious dishes are those using different types of meat - beef, veal, pork, lamb, rabbit, turkey and chicken. If you are going to cook beef, buy tenderloin, shoulder and brisket, but keep in mind that such minced meat will turn out dry, so add a little pork or chicken to it in a ratio of 70 to 30%. Combining combinations of different meats for minced meat is one of the secrets of delicious dishes. By the way, lamb gives minced meat a specific taste and aroma, so it is used with caution - usually minced lamb is used for preparing Mediterranean and Oriental dishes.
When choosing pork, give preference to the shoulder, neck and shoulder. Due to the high fat content, the minced meat will be very juicy and tender, so it is suitable for any dish. The most appetizing cuts of lamb suitable for mincing are the thigh and rump, while the best pieces of poultry suitable for grinding are the breast and legs.
High-quality fresh lamb and beef are red in color, while veal and pork should be pink. The surface of good meat is usually free of foreign stains and mucus, the piece is elastic, and the fat has a pleasant white color (lamb has a creamy color). If you buy frozen meat, place your finger on it and carefully examine the thawed surface. The color should be red, the cut should be even, and when tapped, the sound should be crisp and clear.
The second stage of preparing minced pork, beef and chicken: grinding
Fresh or thawed meat after freezing is washed in water and the fillet is separated from the bones before further processing. The skin is removed from the chicken to reduce the fat content of the minced meat. Fat is not trimmed from beef, pork and lamb, since it is what makes the minced meat soft. The best way to grind is in a meat grinder or blender, while some housewives pass the meat through a meat grinder twice, especially when it comes to children's cuisine. The better the meat is chopped, the more tender the dish will be.
There is one more subtlety: the minced meat must be kneaded well, kneading thoroughly with your fingers, so that it is enriched with air, becomes fluffier and softer. Some chefs add chopped ice to the meat, and then beat the mass in a blender again, which gives the minced meat an airy texture.
Third stage: introduction of additional products
Dry minced beef or white meat can be made juicier by adding a little vegetable oil, melted bacon or crushed frozen butter. For piquancy, the meat is supplemented with chopped herbs, pepper, spices, onions and garlic - it all depends on the recipe for preparing minced meat and personal preferences. Onions are added to minced meat both raw and fried. Dry minced meat is slightly diluted with water, milk, cream, sour cream or tomato juice. These products not only make it more tender, but also improve its taste.
Eggs are put in not for juiciness, as many believe, but as a binding component, since they envelop grains of meat and make the mass elastic, although for tenderness and softness the whole egg is sometimes replaced with yolk. Many housewives add stale white bread without a crust or a roll soaked in milk to the minced meat for cutlets. You can add a little chopped cheese, grated raw potatoes or a little potato starch - they replace eggs in minced meat.
Resourceful housewives sometimes dilute the meat with cabbage or carrots chopped in a chopper, beating vegetables with eggs - the minced meat immediately increases in volume and becomes very fluffy. If the mass turns out to be too liquid, you can thicken it with dry bread crumbs, flour and boiled potatoes. Each housewife has her own tricks for this case. After introducing the necessary products, it is recommended to knead the minced meat again until it becomes soft and tender. If you are preparing minced meat for future use, then add salt, spices, onions, milk and other ingredients immediately before cooking, since freezing changes the taste and structure of the products, which affects the quality of the dishes.
Another important point is that products to obtain the desired minced meat consistency are introduced during the kneading process, and flavoring additives (salt, spices) are added at the very end. If you are cooking on the go and there is nothing to add to the minced meat except water, you can make it juicier in a very simple way. Place the ground meat in a plastic bag and pound it thoroughly on a counter or cutting board until it releases juice. You will get very juicy cutlets! The finished minced meat is kept in the refrigerator for at least half an hour so that it is saturated with salt and spices and acquires a rich taste and aroma. Remember that you should not store the finished minced meat in the refrigerator for more than a day; it is best to divide it into portions and freeze it.
The technology for preparing minced fish is similar to meat recipes, but there are some subtleties here. For minced meat, fish without small bones is taken, devoid of the characteristic fishy smell, which not everyone likes. Before processing, the fish fillet and blender are cooled so that the mass is homogeneous. Both fatty fish and lean fish, such as pike, cod, pollock, pike perch, hake and catfish, are ideal for grinding in a blender. Since their meat is quite lean, it would be a good idea to add a piece of butter or lard to the minced meat. Lard makes fish cutlets especially tasty: try it and see for yourself!
Instead of soaked white bread, grated potatoes or semolina are more suitable for minced fish, which give the finished products density and stability, and garlic will obviously be superfluous. If the most important thing in minced meat is to make it tender and airy, then in the process of working with minced fish it needs to be compacted as much as possible. Whipped heavy cream, which is added to the minced meat at the end of cooking, gives a good effect.
Tasty, satisfying and aesthetically pleasing
There are many different recipes with tips on how to cook dishes in a frying pan, in the oven, in a slow cooker, in an air fryer and even in the microwave, and their preparation is always simple and inexpensive. Products made from minced meat and fish are an ideal option for everyday food, and now every schoolchild knows how to cook pasta with minced meat in a navy style or fry cutlets. Dishes made from minced meat are tasty, nutritious, healthy and do not require large material costs. Cooking them is a pleasure, because they fry or bake much faster than regular meat, and they always look very appetizing. How not to pamper your beloved family with tender meatballs, crumbly meatballs or savory terrines? Learn new recipes and share your finds!
A. Meat selection.
Minced meat dishes emerged as a method of preparing second-rate cuts.
Agree that it is stupid to grind a good piece of meat suitable for roast beef or steak for cutlets.
But attempts to use various kinds of waste and trimmings of various types of beef for cutlets, “to mold from what was”, can turn out to be very unsuccessful.
For cutlets, I usually buy meat from the neck (this is number 10).
The neck is a budget cut, with a small amount of fat and waste (bones, connective tissue, veins, from which an excellent broth is cooked).
How to determine that a piece of meat is from the neck if the meat on the counter is not sorted by grade?
Look at the shape of the bone - it is quite characteristic, star-shaped (more precisely, it is a “half-star”, since half-carcasses are cut).
The piece itself consists of many round, relatively small muscles, separated by connective tissue, interspersed with islands of fat. The top of the piece is covered with a longitudinal muscle - a strip (it is also clearly visible in the picture).
The second sign is the presence of white or yellowish opaque and dense cartilage at the edge of the piece. Usually it is very clearly visible, but this time the butcher cut off the cartilage, leaving only a small piece.
B. How to properly prepare minced meat.
You, of course, have read more than once that meat should be chopped and not ground using a meat grinder.
I believe that the difference between ground meat and minced meat is so insignificant that you can safely prepare minced meat using a meat grinder, if you do it correctly.
A meat grinder has a reputation for grinding meat and squeezing juice out of it.
This statement was once true.
But look at mine: do you see the juice flowing?
No, the minced meat is dry and not paste-like. Almost the same as what comes out from under a knife.
The first meat grinder was invented in the 19th century.
And since then, this device has been improved several times.
Pick up your meat grinder, disassemble it, look at the auger and look into the body, where you will see spiral ribs inside.
The auger and ribs, working in pairs, push the meat towards the knife, which shreds it and then presses it through the holes in the grate. Without internal ribs, the meat will not move along the auger and will scroll.
Spiral fins are one of the latest engineering achievements!
Just 20 - 25 years ago these ribs were straight and ran along the body.
Therefore, the energy affecting meat was divided into two parts: beneficial and harmful.
Useful energy pushed the meat towards the knife, and harmful energy pressed the meat into the ribs and squeezed out the juice.
Spiral ribs of complex configuration, which all modern meat grinders have, eliminated this drawback of meat grinders.
Today, to minimize juice loss, it is enough to:
1. Make sure that the knife and the edges of the grille holes are sharp.
2. Before grinding, clean the meat from all veins and films so that they do not wrap around the knife and clog the holes in the grate - this prevents normal grinding of the meat. If you see that the minced meat has begun to come out in the form of a paste-like mass rather than small pieces, stop immediately and clean the veins from the knife and grid!
3. Before grinding, cut the meat into small pieces so that they fit in height between the ridges of the auger and do not wrap around it.
4. Do not push the meat into the meat grinder with a pusher, applying force, but allow the meat to fall freely onto the auger under its own weight. Do not “hammer” many pieces of meat into the meat grinder at once, so that they do not stick together into a monolithic mass.
5. If you need finely ground minced meat, do this in two stages: first pass the meat through a grid with large holes, then again through a grid with smaller ones (all meat grinders are equipped with two grids).
B. Storage of finished minced meat.
The shelf life of ready-made minced meat is very limited, so try to use ready-made minced meat as soon as possible.
The best place to store minced meat is the “zero zone” in the refrigerator or a place on the bottom shelf near the refrigerator wall, where the temperature is lowest. But even in this case, the shelf life of the finished minced meat does not exceed one day!
Points B and C are valid for any raw material - both meat, poultry and fish!
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