How to freeze chicken cutlets - step-by-step recipe with photos

The benefits of semi-finished products in our fast-paced times are difficult to overestimate. After all, they are the ones who help busy housewives quickly prepare lunch or dinner, as well as adequately greet suddenly arriving guests. Probably each of us has heard about the dangers of store-bought products. And no wonder! After all, we don’t know what quality of products were used to create this half-finished food.

To protect yourself and your loved ones from the harmful effects of purchased semi-finished products, you should learn how to prepare your own. I suggest making cutlets today and putting them in the freezer. If you want to learn how to freeze cutlets, read on!

minced meat - 800 g;
onion - 1 pc.;
chicken egg - 1 pc.;
raw potatoes - 1 pc.;
table salt - 1 tbsp. l. (without a slide) or to taste;
ground black pepper - 1 pinch.

First, take a deeper bowl so that it is convenient to mix the minced meat and other ingredients. Place pre-frozen minced meat into it and break a chicken egg. It will help achieve a consistency that is convenient for work. Thanks to the egg, the cutlets will keep their shape perfectly and will not fall apart.

Add table salt and a pinch of ground black pepper for flavor.

Now take the onion and peel it. Grind in any available way. You can use a meat grinder or blender.

If you make minced meat yourself, then for cutlets you can immediately roll it with onions.

We peel the potatoes and chop them in the same way as the onions. Mix the finished mass thoroughly.

Wet our hands with cold water. We fashion cutlets of the same size and shape from the prepared minced meat. They should not be made too large. But small ones will also be inconvenient for further use. It is important to find a middle ground.

Place the cutlets on a wooden board.

Place in the freezer for 20-25 minutes. During this time they will freeze a little. We take them out and put them in plastic bags. They definitely won’t stick together during further freezing.

To prepare them, simply remove them from the freezer and defrost them at room temperature. Roll in flour or breadcrumbs and then fry in oil. You can also steam these cutlets.

If you know for sure that you will fry the cutlets in the future and not steam them, you can roll them in flour before freezing. Then you won’t have to worry about cooking at all!

Cutlets are one of the most popular dishes, loved by both adults and children. However, their preparation takes time, and sometimes the question arises: is it possible to prepare them for future use and freeze them? In our article we will tell you whether it is possible to store cutlets in the freezer, and how to make them tasty and healthy after defrosting.

Advantages and disadvantages

Freezing food has a number of advantages:

food in the freezer lasts much longer than in the refrigerator;
products do not lose their beneficial properties;
There is always an option for a quick homemade lunch or dinner at hand.

The disadvantages of freezing semi-finished meat products include only the need for storage under strict temperature conditions - at least -18 degrees. Otherwise, frozen cutlets do not differ in their properties from freshly prepared ones.

Useful tips and tricks

Before you start frying or baking a chilled semi-finished product, you need to buy it or make it yourself, then properly freeze it and also properly prepare it.

To avoid mistakes at any of these stages, you need to consider the following useful recommendations:

the ideal option for obtaining a tasty dish is one in which the entire technological process, starting from preparing minced meat for cutlets, continuing with their formation and freezing, will be carried out on your own at home;
the best semi-finished product can be made from different types of meat with the obligatory addition of all the desired spices and herbs, right down to the breading of the products. It will no longer be possible to make up for mistakes in the recipe after cooling the cutlets;
You can use not only frozen semi-finished products for cooking, but also fried or baked products;
When purchasing refrigerated factory-made cutlets, you need to make sure that the product has not been repeatedly defrosted. To do this, you just need to shake the box: if its contents do not stick to the cardboard and mix freely inside the package, it means that the storage conditions of the product have been met;
To check its quality, you need to pay attention to the composition and quantity of ingredients indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. The proportion of meat in good cutlets will vary from 20 to 80%, and the list of components included in the product should be as short as possible. A long list of trans fats, preservatives, colors and flavors indicates low quality food;
It should be borne in mind that when frying, oil turns into a carcinogen after 10 minutes. from the beginning of the process of heat treatment of cutlets. If you complete this stage before the expiration of the specified period, no harm to health will arise from such food;
In order to avoid oil splashing when frying frozen cutlets, it is advisable to have a special screen lid for processing products in a frying pan;
The main thing that needs to be learned before preparing a dish from pre-chilled cutlets is a simple condition - semi-finished products cannot be used in a thawed state, otherwise the meat after heat treatment will remain raw and even frozen inside.

Maximum shelf life of frozen foods

For meat and semi-finished meat products, the maximum shelf life in the freezer is 2-3 months. As mentioned above, it is preferable to store frozen foods at a temperature of at least -18 degrees Celsius. It is at this temperature that the bacteria contained in the product slow down their vital processes as much as possible.

When placing food in the freezer, use the “quick freeze” function or set the temperature to minimum. This is the most gentle cooling method. With a gradual decrease in temperature, ice may form inside the products, which will worsen their taste after defrosting.

How exactly to fry frozen cutlets?

First of all, we must definitely heat the oil in a frying pan. We wait until light smoke comes from the oil (important!). There is even a certain classification of oils that are better suited to this or that type of cutlet.

Rendered lard - suitable for lamb and pork cutlets.
Sunflower, olive oil – fish cutlets, chicken. This particular oil can perfectly kill all harmful parasites, if any.
There is only one exception - chicken Kiev. They just need to be cooked in butter, and preferably deep-fried. But you can also cook it in a frying pan.

Next, we need to place our cutlets on a hot frying pan and start frying. Fry on each side for about 10 minutes until a crust forms.

By the way, a very important point. The bottom of the pan should be thick enough.

This is necessary to ensure that your cutlets do not burn. During frying, do not add spices or salt (important!).

As for the cooking time for semi-finished products, the maximum frying time is 20 minutes. And then, this only applies to pork cutlets. Chicken cutlets. The fish are fried in 10 - 12 minutes. It's time to move on to the most important thing, how to specifically cook cutlets. What recipes are there?

Ways to save

Raw

This option is the fastest, since you do not need to waste time on frying semi-finished products. You prepare minced meat according to your favorite recipe, form cutlets and store them in the freezer.

One convenient way to freeze raw cutlets is to place them in silicone muffin tins. There is no need to grease the mold, but it is better to bread the pieces in flour or breadcrumbs - then they will not stick to the packaging. Place the mold in the freezer for several hours, and when the cutlets harden, take them out and put them in a bag or container in which they will be stored without taking up much space.
If there are no muffin tins, there is another convenient option - place the cutlet blanks on a flat cutting board. The cutlets should not be placed too close to each other so that they do not stick together. They should be covered with cling film on top - this way the semi-finished products will not dry out. When the blanks become sufficiently hard, they can be placed in any convenient container or bag.

When placing the preparations for storage, it is worth sticking or putting a note in the bag with the date when the freezing was done. The shelf life of frozen foods is limited, and such stickers will help you use the necessary semi-finished products in a timely manner.

We invite you to watch a visual video about freezing meat cutlets:

Lightly fried

This is another quick and convenient way to prepare semi-finished products.

The cutlets need to be fried over high heat for a few minutes on each side until a crust appears. It will “seal” all the juice inside, and after defrosting the cutlets will definitely not be dry.
After frying, you can place the pieces on a napkin to absorb excess fat - this will make them less caloric.
Then, when the cutlets have cooled, all that remains is to put them in a convenient package and put them in the freezer.

Only completely cooled pieces should be placed in the freezer. If you have fried cutlets, wait until they cool down and only then put them in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze fully prepared cutlets . Just prepare them in the usual way, cool and place in the freezer in any convenient container. If necessary, it will be enough to defrost and reheat them, which will require very little time - after all, they are completely ready.

In vegetable sauce

It is advisable to cook frozen cutlets in a non-stick pan to reduce oil consumption, but add juiciness to the dish by simmering the meat products in vegetable sauce.

What ingredients will you need?

To prepare the dish you will need:

olive oil - 50 ml;
onion - 2 pcs.;
frozen cutlets - 10–12 pcs.;
bell pepper - 2 pcs.;
tomatoes - 5–6 pcs.;
carrots - 2 pcs.;
garlic cloves - 4–4 pcs.;
young eggplants - 2 pcs.;
spicy tomato sauce - 50 g;
granulated sugar - 1 tsp;
drinking water - 1 tbsp.;
salt, herbs (rosemary, basil, dill or cilantro) - optional.

Step-by-step cooking process

Sequence of cooking steps:

First you need to make an appetizing sauce. To do this, you need to wash and peel all the vegetables, then finely chop the onion and coarsely chop the carrots.
Tomatoes should be doused with boiling water, the skins removed, then the fruits should be cut into cubes.
Divide the eggplants into circles, cover them with salt, and leave the product under pressure for 20–30 minutes. to get rid of bitterness (solanine). After this, the pieces should be washed and blotted well with paper napkins.
At the next stage, you need to pour a little oil into the saucepan, then sauté the onion in it until soft.
After about 4–5 minutes. you should add carrots and tomatoes to the vegetable, continue the process for another 5-7 minutes, after which you need to pepper and salt the products, season them with sugar, pour in tomato sauce and 1 tbsp. purified water.
The resulting composition must be mixed well, bring the mixture to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat.
Next, you need to heat the oil in a thick-bottomed frying pan.
At the same time, you need to remove the cooled cutlets from the freezer, free the product from the packaging, then immediately place the products in hot oil and fry the cutlets on both sides over high heat.
When the cutlets are browned, they need to be placed in layers in a prepared bowl, topped with the prepared vegetable mixture.
On top of the meat product you need to place peppers and eggplant slices cut into strips.
After this, you need to close the container, then simmer its contents over low heat for 35–40 minutes.

This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to cook frozen cutlets.
In 3–5 minutes. Before the food is ready, sprinkle it with chopped garlic and chopped herbs.

What can I add?

Additional components of the dish can be vegetables selected according to personal preferences - zucchini, cabbage, broccoli and even potato slices. If desired, the composition of the sauce can be thickened a little with 1-2 tbsp. l. sifted flour.

How to use?

The method of preparing cutlets after freezing directly depends on what kind of cutlets you froze - raw minced meat, lightly fried or fully prepared.

If you placed minced meat in the freezer, you can cook them in a frying pan, in the oven or in a double boiler. Before frying, it is better to roll in breading so that the cutlets have an appetizing crust. They are prepared in the same way as fresh ones, they are simply defrosted in a frying pan during cooking. You can stew these cutlets in sauce or bake them in the oven. Cooking time may be slightly longer than for fresh cutlets. Here is a detailed article about frying frozen cutlets.

Lightly fried cutlets are prepared in the same way - in a frying pan, in the oven or in a slow cooker. There is no need to defrost such preparations beforehand; they will defrost during the cooking process.

If you froze the finished cutlets, then in addition to the cooking methods described, you can reheat them in the microwave using the defrost function. This is a completely finished product and does not require a long time for its preparation. It’s also delicious to bake these cutlets in the oven or stew them in sauce.

Whether to freeze minced meat or a ready-made dish, a lot or a little, is up to you. The main thing is to remember the basic rules of freezing and storage - and of course, monitor the expiration date of such products.

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Sunday, March 23, 2014 09:24 + to quote book

For several years now, my mother has been making very tasty minced chicken cutlets , which absolutely everyone who has had the chance to try them likes. And one neighbor from time to time asks me to make these cutlets for her too. She has practically no time to cook, and these cutlets help her out a lot, especially since all her family eats them with pleasure.

In a slow cooker

Many housewives prefer to cook frozen cutlets in a slow cooker, because the technological process in such a device is simple and reduces the time it takes to create food.

What ingredients will you need?

To obtain a deliciously designed treat, you will need the products indicated in the table.

List of components	Number of dish components
Sunflower oil or butter	for frying
Frozen cutlets	500 g
Ghee	For frying

Step-by-step cooking process

Order of execution of the recipe:

First you need to turn on the multicooker and wait for the device to heat up.
Then you should remove the cooled cutlets from the freezer and free the semi-finished product from the packaging material.
Now you have to grease the bowl of the electrical appliance with oil, then you have to carefully place the cutlets on the bottom of the container, and set the device to the “Baking” or “Frying” mode.
The product should be cooked until golden brown on both sides of the cutlets.
After obtaining an appetizing crust, you need to pour a little water into the container, after which you need to continue the process on the “Stew” program for 35–40 minutes.

The finished dish must be kept for approximately 5–7 minutes. in the container of a closed device, then start preparing the hot food.

What are the cutlets served with?

You can present meat products made from lamb, beef, pork or chicken with almost any side dish, fresh salad or pre-made sauce.

Two types of frying frozen cutlets

The last thing we will tell you about is what types of roasting there are. There are only 2 types of them.

The first option is this. Initially, place the cutlets on hot oil and fry on both sides until golden brown. After this, we add literally half a glass of water to the frying pan. Reduce the heat, close the lid and leave to simmer until the cutlets are ready.
The second option is very similar. The process is initially the same. Place semi-finished products on a hot frying pan. We are waiting for a crust to form on both sides. After that, we put the fire on the lowest setting and close the lid. Now let’s let our cutlets finish cooking on their own.

Is it possible to freeze cutlets?

Is it possible to freeze cutlets already with onions and other things or is it better to fry them first?

How long can you store ready-made cutlets in the freezer?

You can even freeze it and then use it as a semi-finished product. By the way, it is very convenient for those who do not have time to twist and prepare minced cutlets.

You then take it out of the freezer and immediately into a preheated frying pan over low heat. If you think about it, dumplings are no different from cutlets, but they are everywhere in stores.

In principle, you can freeze any semi-finished products - both home-made and purchased. As a matter of fact, cutlets are no exception, including those with the addition of onions and other seasonings. Most often I make minced meat myself and make cutlets for future use in large batches, since it is then very convenient to immediately send them for frying, even without additional defrosting. The time savings are excellent, and the dishes come out no worse than from freshly twisted minced meat.

But it is not recommended to store semi-finished meat products for a long time. Try to keep your cutlets in the freezer for no more than a month or two, otherwise they will completely lose their taste and nutritional qualities. For example, our family with 4-5 kg. There is enough minced meat for cutlets and lazy cabbage rolls for exactly a month, and then we buy meat again and prepare semi-finished products.

It must be taken into account that the temperature in the freezer at the time of initial freezing should be as low as possible. Once the cutlets are frozen, the freezer temperature can be set back to medium.