Juicy tender cutlets from chicken fillet.

• 800 g chicken fillet
• 100 g loaf (preferably stale)
• 100-150 ml cream 10-20%
• 50 g butter
• salt
• pepper

Also:

• ≈200 g stale loaf
• 2 tbsp. l. butter + 2 tbsp. l. vegetable oil (for frying)

The most tender cutlets, simply a classic of Russian cuisine. Legend connects the name of Pozharsky cutlets with the name of the innkeeper Daria Pozharskaya. Initially, cutlets were prepared from young veal, but later mainly chicken meat was used. At the moment, this name usually hides any tasty chicken cutlets, fried in breadcrumbs. The only more or less general rule is that Pozharsky cutlets usually do not use eggs and onions, although this is not necessary. Since the chicken fillet itself is a bit dry, you can add butter to its composition, which is what I did, and I also used cream rather than traditional milk to soak the bread. The result was tender, juicy and very tasty Pozharsky cutlets. They are not much more difficult to prepare than regular cutlets, and I, of course, will describe all the subtleties in detail in the recipe.
I got 10 fairly large cutlets.

Preparation:

Cut off the crusts from the loaf, cut or tear the bread into pieces. Pour in cream and leave for 3-5 minutes. The amount of cream depends on the degree of staleness of the loaf.

Cut the chicken fillet into pieces and grind in a food processor, but not for too long; you don’t need to grind into a single homogeneous paste. Or grind the fillet in a meat grinder through a fine wire rack.

Add the soaked loaf, first kneading it with your hand.
Salt and pepper.

Knead the minced meat very thoroughly.
I changed the blade in the food processor to a plastic stirrer and continued kneading with it. If you used a meat grinder, thoroughly knead and beat the minced meat by hand.

Grate frozen butter (from the freezer) directly into the minced meat on a coarse grater, stirring it periodically for more even distribution (preferably not with your hands, but with a spoon, so that the butter does not melt). Place the finished minced meat in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes, more if possible. This is necessary so that the cutlets are easier to form and hold their shape better when frying.

Cut off the crusts from the dried loaf and grate the crumb on a coarse grater.

With wet hands, form the minced meat into oblong cutlets (I got 10 pieces).
Roll each one in breadcrumbs.

Melt butter and vegetable oil in a frying pan.
Add the cutlets and fry for about 5 minutes over medium heat or until golden brown.

Turn over and cook for another 5 minutes. Then close the lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Pozharskie cutlets... Juicy, crispy, always served under the knife and resistant to reheating... The dish is thorough and does not allow for neglect. A rarity and historical value, and at the same time - a very relevant dish, which is prepared with pleasure both at home and in restaurants.

The recipe for Pozharsky cutlets was invented at the beginning of the 19th century by Evdokim Pozharsky, the owner of a tavern in the city of Torzhok. Chopped veal cutlets prepared in his establishment have rightfully gained popularity among numerous travelers from St. Petersburg to Moscow. His daughter Daria, who ran the tavern after her father’s death, became famous for “refining” this dish. Obviously, influenced by the French tradition of cutlets, she begins to make them from chopped chicken. And Emperor Nicholas I, who stayed at the hotel for the occasion, highly appreciated this dish, which laid the foundation for its all-Russian and even European fame.

Since 1826, many historical figures, passing through Torzhok, mention the Pozharsky hotel and the cutlets of the same name. At that time they were one of the most famous tavern dishes on the road between St. Petersburg and Moscow. Undoubtedly, the most important popularizer of cutlets was Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin:

"Dine at your leisure
at Pozharsky's in Torzhok,
try the fried cutlets
and go light.”

One of the earliest recipes is this one - a recipe from the “Gastronomy Almanac” for 1853 by Ignatius Radetzky, a professional chef.

Pozharsky cutlets from chickens naturally

Remove the required number of fillets from the chickens, remove the veins, chop finely, put butter in half the fillets, stir, add salt and a little pepper to taste, and make moderate-sized cutlets, breaded in grated bread, then in egg and bread, and fold on melted butter in a saucepan, and before leaving, fry on both sides until browned, and place in a dish, add juice...

After reading the recipe, too many questions arise to follow it strictly. For example, what to do with the second half of the sirloin and how to interpret the term “grated bread”. Olga Syutkina gave her modified version of Pozharsky cutlets.

Recipe for Pozharsky cutlets from Olga Syutkina

INGREDIENTS

800 g minced chicken
200 g white stale bread without crust
200 ml chilled cream 20% fat
150 g frozen butter
half a classic frozen wheat loaf for breading
ghee for frying
salt

STEP-BY-STEP COOKING RECIPE

Step 1
Soak the bread in cream. Squeeze lightly. Scroll the chicken meat through a meat grinder twice. The first time without bread, the second with bread.

Step 2
Salt the minced meat. Grate the frozen butter in several steps, stirring the minced meat with a fork each time. Place the minced meat in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Step 3
Grate the frozen loaf on a coarse grater and brown the crumbs in the oven at 160 °C for 3-4 minutes.

Step 4
With wet hands, form oval cutlets and roll them in the prepared breading.

Step 5
Heat ghee in a frying pan and fry the cutlets for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Step 6
Transfer to a baking dish and bake in the oven at 160°C for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.

Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 hour
Number of servings: 10 pieces

BY THE WAY

To ensure that the cutlets are juicy and soft, you need to follow a few tips:

• For cutlets, it is best to use fillets from a whole chicken, including not only the breast, but also the thighs and drumsticks.
• Be sure to knead the minced meat with a fork and not with your hands.
• Do not beat the minced meat.
• The bread must be stale.
• Do not fry cutlets in vegetable oil. And don’t skimp on the ghee!

Basic rules for preparing Pozharsky cutlets:

1. Cutlets have always been chopped.

2. Chopped meat was always salted and peppered, and butter was also added to it - not in pieces, as in Kyiv cutlets, but mixed with minced meat. But bread soaked in water or cream was not added to this dish. Such an additive appeared later - in 1989 in “Practical Fundamentals of Culinary Art” by P. P. Alexandrova-Ignatieva.

3. The cutlets were “moderate in size”, as they say - under the palm of Daria Pozharskaya herself.

4. For breading, we used white (wheat) bread, grated on a sieve. But we are now accustomed to seeing Pozharsky cutlets rolled in small bread cubes. Where did this come from? Again, thanks to Alexandrova-Ignatieva. It was she who proposed the recipe, where the breading was pieces of finely chopped white buns. Apparently one of the Soviet chefs stumbled upon this recipe, who introduced the fashion for new Pozharsky cutlets in the canteens of the USSR.

Photo - photobank Lori

Fire cutlets! What is our dish associated with - a modest dinner or a restaurant evening? You can read so much about the history of Pozharsky cutlets fried in breadcrumbs. The most correct legend will remain far in the past. Although the option with Emperor Peter I, who accidentally ended up with the innkeeper Daria Pozharskaya, who knew how to cook the most delicious crispy chicken fillet cutlets, historians decided to recognize as the most plausible.

The secret cooking instructions have remained beyond the past years, but we still managed to unearth part of it in the remaining culinary archives. An almost classic recipe for Pozharsky cutlets - for you.

So let's get started. Products are taken according to the list.

First, prepare the crackers for “sprinkling.” The loaf pulp is cut into small cubes and dried in the oven until light golden brown.

The finished crackers are removed from the baking sheet and cooled.

Chicken breast is taken without skin. You can cut chicken flesh from other parts of the bird and mix it with white meat. Large pieces of chicken are chopped into small pieces.

After which they are transformed into very homogeneous minced meat. In our case, the pieces are twisted in a blender to form a pate mass.

The loaf (three slices) is soaked in cream.

Added to chicken mixture. Mix in a blender. During the beating process, the minced meat for Pozharsky cutlets needs to be salt and pepper.

Hands are dipped into water, and only after that the cutlets are formed. First, the balls are rolled, and they, in turn, are sprinkled with crackers. You can put a piece of frozen butter in the middle of the ball.

The main thing is that the initial frying time does not drag on. 45 seconds on each side without a lid will be enough.

After which the cutlets are sent to a baking dish and into the oven at a temperature of 200 degrees until fully cooked (about 30-40 minutes).

Ruddy Pozharsky cutlets have a stunningly juicy, tender center and a very crispy crust. Served only when piping hot. Cooled Pozharsky cutlets lose this zest.

Pozharsky cutlets are ready! The imperial dinner was a success.

How tender they are inside, try them.

The article offers you several recipes for preparing juicy and tender “Pozharsky” cutlets.

INTERESTING: The cutlets got their name in honor of the owner of the hotel with the surname Pozharsky. Once, Nicholas 1 stayed in these hotel rooms and was treated to cutlets here. Original recipe The cutlet was supposed to consist of veal, but by chance there was only chicken in the kitchen. The hostess was not at a loss and quickly “figured out” chicken fillet cutlets with butter and without onions. The dish turned out to be so tasty that the emperor invited her, Daria Pozharskaya, to the court to manage the kitchen. These cutlets are strikingly different from any other golden brown crust and juicy, tender, soft fillet inside.

What you need to prepare for original cutlets:

• Chicken meat - 0.5 kg. (you can take only fillet or combine it in equal proportions with red chicken meat).
• Butter – 4-5 tbsp. (fatty, high quality, without vegetable impurities).
• Medium fat cream– 2-3 tbsp. (10-15%)
• Loaf pulp without crusts– from 2-3 slices
• Full fat milk– 60-70 ml. (homemade or store-bought)
• Egg– 1 pc. (it's better to use homemade)
• Breadcrumbs– homemade is better (twisted stale crackers).
• Salt– a few pinches

Cooking:

• The secret of the cutlets is the delicate texture of the meat, which is obtained only by turning it through a meat grinder twice.
• Stir soft butter directly into the minced meat and add a little salt.
• You can add a little pepper to taste and mix the mass again.
• Soak the bread in milk, add the crumb and cream to the meat (it would be a good idea to mince all the minced meat again).
• The cutlets should be formed by hand; they will turn out flat.
• After this, they need to be rolled well in butter and then in breadcrumbs (if necessary, do this in 2 layers).
• You need to fry them in oil and low heat so that the meat is thoroughly cooked, but not too dry.
• Each side of the cutlet should be kept on the fire for at least 8, but no more than 10 minutes (a crust will appear).

Classic “Pozharsky” cutlets

How to cook Pozharsky chicken cutlets with croutons: a delicious old recipe

Try frying cutlets in large homemade breadcrumbs. This method will keep the meat juicy inside and gain a thick, crispy crust. Preparing crackers is not difficult; cut the stale bread into small cubes and leave to dry (for several days).

What to prepare:

• Chicken fillet – 2 breasts (about 0.5 kg, can be replaced with other chicken meat or mixed two types).
• Butter - 2-3 tbsp. (fat, high quality)
• Heavy cream - 2-3 tbsp.
• Black pepper – a few pinches
• Salt - a few pinches
• Egg - 1 piece (it's better to use homemade)
• Homemade crackers – approximately 100 gr.

Cooking:

• Grind the chicken meat twice in a meat grinder
• Add butter and cream to the prepared minced meat, add spices
• Beat in the egg and mix everything thoroughly
• If the mixture is dry, you can add a little more cream.
• Form cutlets and roll them in breadcrumbs
• Fry in plenty of oil, but over low heat.
• Frying time 7-9 minutes on each side

Cutlets in large breadcrumbs "Pozharskie"

How to cook Pozharsky turkey cutlets with croutons: recipe

Turkey meat is also ideal for preparing tender and juicy cutlets. It is best to take fillet.

What you need to prepare:

• Turkey fillet – 0.5-0.6 kg. (can be mixed in equal proportions with red turkey meat).
• Butter – 4-5 tbsp. (only high quality oil).
• Heavy cream - 100-150 ml. (25-30%)
• Loaf crumb - 3-4 slices (only without crusts)
• Seasonings to taste
• Homemade breadcrumbs

Cooking:

• The meat should be passed through a meat grinder twice or three times.
• After this, soak the loaf crumb in cream
• The cream should not be squeezed out; add the crumb to the meat and grind again with a meat grinder.
• Add soft butter to the minced meat
• Place the mixture in the refrigerator for half an hour (the oil will “set” and make it easier to form the cutlets).
• Place the molded cutlets in breading and sprinkle
• Fry in plenty of oil for 7-8 minutes on each side.

Turkey “Pozharsky” cutlets

What side dish is suitable for Pozharsky chicken and turkey cutlets?

Pozharsky cutlets are a real “festival of the stomach.” This meat treat is ideal for a festive or everyday table. You can serve the cutlets with melted butter, and the side dish will ideally complement their rich and delicate taste.

Suitable as a side dish:

• Stewed vegetables
• Fried vegetables
• Boiled vegetables
• Green peas
• Mashed potatoes
• Fried mushrooms
• Pasta
• Cereals
• Bakery

Video: “Pozharsky chicken cutlets”

The one who decides to cook Pozharsky cutlets for the first time, probably looking for the right and tasty classic recipe with step by step photos. Under the right recipe As a rule, they mean the first and authentic pre-revolutionary and classic Pozharsky recipe that has survived to this day.

Today, there is still disagreement in the culinary community about which of the recipes for Pozharsky cutlets is the most correct and correct. Be that as it may, to find out it you need to take an excursion into the past and remember the history of Pozharsky cutlets.

It is not known exactly who and when invented Pozharsky cutlets, and there are different versions about this, many of which are shrouded in mystery and legends. One of the legends says that once during a trip, the carriage of Tsar Alexander the First broke down in the city of Ostashkov. Deciding to refresh himself, he visited a local tavern and asked to bring him the veal cutlets that he loved so much. But, as luck would have it, there was no veal in the tavern, but the resourceful hostess served surprisingly juicy cutlets, generously sprinkled with breadcrumbs, to the king’s table. The Tsar liked them so much that he named them Pozharsky, in honor of the innkeeper and his wife.

The cutlets themselves were included in the royal menu under the name “cutlets ala Pozharsky”. According to another version, the cutlets were named after Prince Pozharsky, who loved to cook them, but this version subsequently suffered a lot of criticism.

Now let's look at how to prepare Pozharsky cutlets - classic recipe with step-by-step photos.

Ingredients:

• Loaf - 350 gr., (3-4 slices for minced meat, the rest for breading),
• Minced chicken - 700-800 gr.,
• Onion - 1 pc.,
• Milk or cream - 100 ml.,
• Butter - 50 gr. for minced meat and about 100 gr. for frying.
• Egg - 1 pc.,
• Salt - to taste
• Ground black pepper - a pinch

Pozharsky cutlets - a classic recipe

Literally immediately, before the cutlets begin to burn, add a little vegetable oil. Fry Pozharsky cutlets on both sides over low heat.

Approximately 3 minutes on each side. Next, place the Pozharsky cutlets on a baking sheet covered with parchment and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, the temperature of which is 180C. Pozharsky cutlets breaded with crackers are prepared (or rather fried) in the same way. Formed cutlet from minced chicken roll in breadcrumbs.

In the photo you see what Pozharsky cutlets look like in the first and second cooking options. Like other types of cutlets, fire cutlets, step by step recipe with photo which we reviewed are served hot as an addition to the main side dish. Considered a classic of the genre mashed potatoes with butter and milk. I also recommend preparing it. Bon appetit. I will be glad if this recipe for Pozharsky cutlets is useful to you.

Fire cutlets. Photo