Fluffy and juicy: The secret to perfect meat cutlets

Ground meat cutlets are a true Sunday dinner staple. They are often served with potatoes, beetroot, or cucumber salad.

If you dream of fluffy and juicy cutlets, try the recipe below. Just add a specific secret ingredient to the mixture, and they will come out just like grandma's.

Classic ground meat cutlets consist of ground meat, bread crumbs, an egg, and an onion. Every household prepares them a bit differently. Some of us make them exclusively with pork, while others add a bit of beef. An essential ingredient is also the onion, which gives a characteristic flavour. You can use either raw or sautéed onion. Meanwhile, the egg "binds" the mixture, ensuring the cutlets don’t fall apart after frying.

You can add cheese, vegetables, or even fruits, such as an apple, to the mixture. This unexpected ingredient will make the cutlets soft, fluffy, and extremely juicy. The apple flavour will be undetectable if you use a sour variety, such as Gray Rennet.

Ingredients:                              

• 0.5 kg ground meat (e.g., pork-beef)
• 1 onion
• 1 small apple
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves of garlic
• bread crumbs
• oil
• salt, pepper, and marjoram to taste

How to make ground meat cutlets? Take a large bowl and add the meat, egg, and spices to it. Peel the apple, grate it on a small grater, and get rid of the excess juice. Add the prepared fruit to the mixture. In the meantime, chop the onion into cubes and fry it in a pan. When it becomes golden, add it to the mixture along with the garlic pressed through a garlic press.

Mix everything thoroughly and form cutlets. Coat them in bread crumbs and fry them on both sides in a heated pan. If you want them soft, fry them lightly. Transfer the meat to an oven-proof dish and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for 20 minutes (preheat the oven by 350°F).