Creating a high-quality base for homemade dishes is the key to predictable and delicious results. The right pork and chicken mince for kotlety (Russian meat patties) allows you to combine the tenderness of poultry with the richness and juiciness of pork. Using chilled ingredients and adding a small amount of pork fatback helps achieve that melt-in-your-mouth texture that is so hard to get with store-bought alternatives. A little secret of adding ice-cold water while mixing works absolute wonders: the moisture tenderizes the meat fibers, making your future patties incredibly light and airy, while the aroma of Herbes de Provence gives them an elegant touch.
Golden patties made from mixed minced meat turn out incredibly tender and juicy inside.
Ingredients
- 750 g (1.65 lbs) chicken breast
- 750 g (1.65 lbs) pork
- 170 g (6 oz) pork fatback
- 80-100 ml (3-3.5 fl oz) ice-cold water
Ingredients for the patties
- onion
- seasonings
- breadcrumbs
- salt to taste
- vegetable oil for frying
How to Make Pork and Chicken Mince for Patties
Prepare the ingredients for the mince. Remove the skin from the chicken fillet. Cut the lean pork for patties into small cubes. Finely chop the pork fatback, removing any visible membranes. The meat for the mince must be well-chilled. They say professional sausage makers even chill their meat grinder parts in the freezer.
Use chilled meat for the perfect mince: lean pork, chicken, and fatback.
Cut the chicken fillet into small cubes. Pass it through the meat grinder first.
First, pass the chicken fillet, cut into small cubes, through the meat grinder.
Next, grind the pork.
Grind the pork next. A mixture of different meats makes the flavor of the patties richer.
Run the pork fatback through the meat grinder last. I do this for practical reasons. Fatback is the cheapest ingredient in the mince, and even if a little bit remains on the blade and plate, it won’t affect the quality of the mince at all.
Add the fatback last to ensure juiciness and the correct texture of the future dish.
Pour in ice-cold water. Don’t let the addition of water intimidate you. It is just as essential for flavorful patties as the fatback. The water will tenderize the meat fibers and make mixing the mince much easier.
Ice-cold water helps to tenderize the meat fibers, making the patties lighter.
Mix the minced meat using a spatula or by hand. Doing it by hand is more convenient, and it acts as a natural hand mask – combining business with pleasure, as they say.
Knead the mixture well until smooth so that all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Divide the prepared mince into convenient family-sized portions and pack them into freezer bags. Flatten the bags thinly. First, the mince will take up less space in your freezer. Second, it will be much easier to thaw. You can store it in the freezer for several months without thawing!
Freezing in flat bags saves space and significantly speeds up the thawing process.
Now, let’s fry the kotlety (Russian meat patties). For 2 portions, you will need 250 g of our mince and 1 small onion. Grate the onion on a coarse grater and mix it with the minced meat.
Onion, grated on a coarse grater, gives the patties extra juiciness and aroma.
Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss in half a teaspoon of dried Herbes de Provence.
Herbes de Provence is an excellent addition that gives the minced meat an elegant touch.
Mix the minced meat thoroughly with the seasonings.
After adding all the spices, mix the mixture thoroughly with your hands once again.
Divide the meat mixture into four equal parts. Using wet hands, shape them into round, flat patties, resembling hockey pucks.
Using wet hands, shape neat, flat patties so they fry evenly.
Pour breadcrumbs onto a plate. Coat the patties in the breadcrumbs on all sides. A good layer of breading will lock in the juices during frying and prevent the patties from falling apart.
A good layer of breading seals the juices inside the patty while frying.
Transfer the breaded patties to the refrigerator for 30 minutes; they need to chill properly.
Before frying, let the patties rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set the breading.
Heat neutral vegetable oil or cooking fat in a skillet. Fry the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Alternatively, you can sear them quickly for a couple of minutes and finish them in the oven.
Fry in a heated skillet for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
Serve these juicy homemade meat patties with creamy mashed potatoes or pearl barley porridge.
Serve these juicy homemade patties with your favorite side dish and fresh herbs.
The prepared pork and chicken mince is best served as golden-brown kotlety (meat patties) with traditional side dishes. An ideal accompaniment would be fluffy mashed potatoes with butter or crumbly pearl barley porridge, which absorbs the meat juices perfectly. If you want to add some freshness, serve the dish with a light seasonal vegetable salad or homemade pickles - a crunchy cucumber or kvashenaya kapusta (Russian sauerkraut) will highlight the rich flavor of the meat. For those who love to experiment, this mince makes an excellent base for meatballs in tomato sauce or a filling for homemade pelmeni (Russian dumplings). To ensure your prep is always at hand, store portions in the freezer by flattening the bags into thin sheets - this not only saves drawer space but also allows the meat to thaw as quickly and evenly as possible, preserving all its nutritional qualities.
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