Minced meat patties
Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, these Polish meat patties are incredibly easy to make. Some people make them large, while others prefer smaller patties. My mom always used to make a whole baking dish full of them, and they would disappear in no time. For breakfast, in a sandwich; for lunch, with potatoes; for dinner, with ketchup… and two days later, there were no patties left. After all, who doesn’t love a good meat patty?
These meat patties are also a great option if you want to prepare lunch or dinner in advance. You can fry them first and then put them in the oven to finish cooking before serving, or fry them in the morning or evening and simply put them in the oven for about 20 minutes the next day to warm them up. They are also perfect for parties served as mini pork burgers. Just get some small buns, add your favorite vegetables and sauce, and you’re done.
What spices to use for meat patties?
I like my meat patties well seasoned, so I add plenty of herbs and paprika. I most often use dried parsley and lovage, but if you have access to fresh herbs, you can chop them finely and add them to the meat. Marjoram is also a must, along with its Italian cousin – oregano. If you don’t have that many herbs in your kitchen, you can use a ready-made herb blend, such as a Polish herb mix. I don’t recommend ready-made meat seasoning mixes because they are usually mostly salt. It’s always worth checking the ingredients before buying a seasoning mix. Herb blends and ready-made meat seasonings are not the same thing.
What is the best meat for meat patties?
You can make these meat patties with any type of ground pork. However, the fattier the meat, the juicier the patties will be. I make these patties using different cuts of pork. Sometimes I use pork shoulder, sometimes ham, and sometimes I simply use ground pork without specifying a particular cut. Of course, you can also use a mixture of meats, such as pork and beef, or use poultry, such as ground turkey.
What to serve with meat patties?
These meat patties taste great with potatoes (mashed potatoes are my favorite) and a salad or slaw, such as young cabbage slaw, carrot salad or beets, or cucumber salad (Polish mizeria). You can also serve them with a salad dressed with vinaigrette. You can make a sauce to go with them, such as mustard sauce or Thousand Island dressing, or simply serve them with ketchup. You can also add a patty to a sandwich or make a pork burger in a bun. These patties are great for lunch, dinner or as a snack.
Why do meat patties fall apart?
- This often happens when the mixture is too loose. Some people add bun soaked in milk to their ground meat to make the patties more tender and juicy. However, if you add too much milk, the mixture can become too loose. Instead, I recommend adding a little breadcrumbs. It’s quicker, and it also makes the mixture firmer.
- Frying them for too short a time. If you flip the patties too soon (before the protein has set), they can fall apart when you turn them over. Fry the patties over medium heat and let them cook for a few minutes without moving them. Then turn them over and fry briefly until browned. If the temperature is too high, the patties will burn before they are cooked through.
- Place the patties on a well-heated frying pan. This helps the meat sear properly, keeping the patties juicy and preventing them from releasing too much liquid. They are supposed to be fried not boiled, and the whole process will take less time.
- The patties are too large. A patty that is too large is harder to turn than smaller ones. The thicker the patty, the longer it needs to cook, so it’s best to make them relatively small and slightly flattened. When forming the patties, take a piece of meat about the size of a large walnut or a plum. Shape it into a ball and flatten it. These patties will be much easier to turn and remove from the pan.
- If the patties still fall apart, you can add a little more egg to the mixture. This will help the patties set more quickly in the pan. Be careful, though, because too much egg can make the patties tough.
Can you prepare the meat mixture the day before?
In my opinion, it’s better to fry the patties the day before and simply reheat them than to prepare the raw meat mixture a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Especially if you buy packaged meat, it’s better to keep its contact with oxygen to a minimum. However, if you have no other option, seal the raw meat mixture tightly, for example, in an airtight container, or cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and fry the patties as soon as possible. Don’t wait several days, as the meat can spoil quickly. I also think a better option is to sauté the onion the day before and mix it with the meat mixture just before frying, as sautéing the onion takes the most time when preparing the mixture for the patties.
The quantities listed below make approximately 8 large meat patties weighing about 100 g each.
Follow the step-by-step recipe to learn how to make the best Polish meat patties, and watch the video below for extra guidance.
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Polish Minced Meat Patties
Video
Minced Meat Patties Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g ground pork (e.g., from the shoulder)
- 1-2 eggs
- 2 large onions
- 3 clove garlic
- 8 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp hot paprika
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried parsley (or a bunch of fresh parsley)
- 1 tsp lovage
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp marjoram
- salt
- black pepper
- oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and sauté it in a pan. Transfer the sautéed onion to a bowl. Add the meat, 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, the eggs, the pressed garlic, and the seasonings. Knead the mixture thoroughly by hand—be careful not to burn yourself on the hot onion at first. Continue kneading until the mixture is uniform. Shape the meat into patties and coat each one in breadcrumbs.400 g ground pork, 1-2 eggs, 2 large onions, 3 clove garlic, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp hot paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp lovage, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp marjoram, salt, black pepper, 8 tbsp breadcrumbs
- Fry the cutlets in the same pan used for the onions. (Remember to remove all the onion pieces from the pan first, or they will burn.) Fry the cutlets for about 5 minutes. Transfer the hot, fried cutlets to an ovenproof dish and cover. Place the cutlets in an oven preheated to 220°C (
428 °F) and bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy!oil
Nutrition
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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