Polish Kotlety (Mielone) Recipe
Traditional Polish kotlety are one of the most popular simple everyday meals in Poland. They are deliciously soft and succulent on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Servings 10 patties
Calories 102kcal
Equipment
- Food processor optional
- Large non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 1.1 pounds ground pork or turkey approx. 7% fat, see *Notes below
- 1 small stale bun or ½ large, plus water for soaking, see Instructions below
- 1 small onion
- 1 medium egg
- ⅔ teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ tsp pepper
- 3-4 tablespoons breadcrumbs for coating
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Prepare bun: Place in a bowl, cover with water and set aside for 10 minutes (if the bun floats on top cover it with a small plate, or similar, to make sure it’s fully immersed in the water).Drain then squeeze excess water from the bun (do this thoroughly). Shred the bun (it will be very soft).
- Prepare onion: Either chop very finely by hand, grate or blend in a food processor (recommended).
- Make kotlety mixture: Combine the meat, shredded bun, egg, onion and seasoning. Using your hands mix the ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated, the mixture is smooth and doesn’t stick to your hands as much (do this for 3-4 minutes). It will feel very soft. Refrigerate for 10 minutes, if possible.
- Form kotlety, coat in breadcrumbs: Remove the mixture from the fridge. Form round (or oval shaped) patties, place in the breadcrumbs and coat thoroughly. They will be soft, but this is good as it means they will have a soft texture. You should get about 10 patties.
- Fry: In a large non-stick pan heat up 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the kotlety over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side until nicely browned (be careful not to brown them too quickly). Do not overcrowd the pan. Remove bits of breadcrumbs from the pan (and add more oil) before frying another batch.
- Serve immediately or briefly place on top of a paper towel sheet to remove excess oil (if necessary).
Notes
- *Use either ground pork or turkey with approx. 7% fat (or a little more, if you like, but I don’t recommend using meat with a high fat content).
- To save time prepare the onion while the bun is soaking in water.
- It is important to mix the ingredients together very thoroughly (spend 3-4 minutes doing this step) as this will give your patties a soft texture.
- Rub a little oil in your hands (or sprinkle with water) before forming the patties (to prevent the mixture sticking to your hands).
- Polish kotlety mielone should be bigger than meatballs but smaller than burgers.
- You can prepare the mixture (and keep refrigerated) for up to 4 hours in advance. It might become a little too moist if left for longer.
- Fry the kotlety over a medium heat making sure they don’t brown too quickly (adjust the heat accordingly).
- Best served hot. See serving suggestions in post.
- Keep leftovers covered, refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: arrange in a single layer on top of a tray/plate and freeze for 3 hours. Remove from the freezer and transfer into an airtight container separating each with a piece of parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and fry the next day as per Instructions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1patty | Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg