The key facts

  • Classic recipe: 500 g of white fish fillet, 100 g of stale bread, 150 ml of milk, onion, 2 eggs; frying 4–5 minutes per side
  • In the oven — 175–180 °C for about 30–40 minutes, in an air fryer — 200 °C for 20–25 minutes
  • Cooked cutlets can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days

Classic recipe and specifics of the minced fish

Life.ru published an article on making fish cutlets. According to the classic recipe, you will need: white fish fillet or ready-made minced fish (500 g), stale white bread (100 g), milk (150 ml), one onion (~130 g), two eggs, salt and pepper to taste. The bread is soaked in milk for a few minutes and squeezed out, the fillet and onion are passed through a meat grinder, then the bread and eggs are added, and the mixture is salted and peppered. The minced mixture is recommended to be kneaded thoroughly and beaten against the bowl — this makes it denser and better able to hold its shape. The cutlets are shaped medium-sized: large ones cook through worse and break more often. They are coated in breadcrumbs or flour and fried in heated oil over medium heat for 4–5 minutes per side under a lid until golden brown.

Choosing the fish

According to Life.ru, the choice of fish affects the texture of the minced mixture. Pollock has a mild neutral taste, but minced pollock often turns out rather runny — you need to squeeze out the moisture thoroughly and use bread or semolina. Pike is denser and holds its shape better, but is somewhat dry, so a bit of salo or butter should be added to the mixture. Cod has tender, flaky flesh that easily falls apart when fried and requires a sufficient amount of binding ingredient. For experiments with red fish, the publication refers readers to an article on pink salmon recipes.

Cooking methods

In a pan, the cutlets should be placed only on a heated surface — on a cold one the minced mixture spreads; do not flip them too early. In the oven, they are cooked at 175–180 °C: at 175 °C under foil or a lid — 30–40 minutes, at 180 °C without a lid — about 30 minutes. The time may vary depending on the size of the cutlets and the specifics of the oven. In an air fryer, the basic option is 200 °C and 20–25 minutes with flipping halfway through; the modes depend on the model. For frozen cutlets, the publication advises following the manufacturer's instructions.

Binding ingredients and additives

Binding ingredients regulate the density of the minced mixture. Bread soaked in milk makes the mixture more tender and helps retain moisture. Semolina absorbs excess liquid — it is added at 1–2 tablespoons per 500 g of minced mixture and left to stand for 10–15 minutes. Boiled rice makes the cutlets more filling and is suitable for minced canned fish or lean fish. Salo or butter restores juiciness to dry fish such as pike or pikeperch. If the minced mixture turns out runny, first squeeze out the excess moisture and only then add the binding ingredient.

Serving, storage and common problems

Classic side dishes are mashed potatoes, boiled rice or buckwheat; recommended sauces include sour cream sauce, white sauce (béchamel) and tartar. Cutlets most often fall apart because of a too-runny minced mixture, a lack of binding ingredient, or frying in a cold pan with early flipping. It is possible to cook without egg, but the mixture will be less stable — it is important to beat the mass well and let it stand. Cooked cutlets can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days; for longer storage it is better to freeze raw shaped cutlets or already cooked ones. Canned fish (for example, tuna or saury) can be used — it already contains enough moisture and fat, so bread or semolina is added in small amounts.