2008-03-15 - By Steve Graves, Ask-A-Butcher.com
“Hello Steve, what cut of meat does Pork Cutlets come from? I thought it was probably from the loin because they look like Pork Chops that have been run through a tenderizer. Thanks, Dave”
Dave, actually Cutlets can come from a number of meat cuts on the pig. They can be cut out of the Pork Shoulder Picnic (the lean side, also known as the "Cushion" meat), cut from the Loin and also from the hind leg (fresh ham). Which ever cut they come from, they should be cut thin, sometimes even butterflied or cubed, which will make them fork tender? Another method is to cut them a little thicker and pound them thin between a couple pieces of wax paper.
The grocery store/meat market is required (but never enforced) to list the primal cut where the meat comes from....for example, Pork 'Loin' Cutlets, Pork Cutlets-pork shoulder, etc.
While on the subject of Cutlets, there are many types: chicken, pork, veal, lamb and to an extent, beef. They are also marketed under a myriad of different names, other than just ‘cutlet’, i.e., ‘Medallions’, ‘Scallopini’, ‘Scallops’, ‘Escallop’, ‘Rouladen’, etc.
a) Chicken: cutlets are cut mostly from the breast and these will include ‘tenders’ and ‘tenderloin’. They can also be cut from the thigh meat.
b) Turkey: same as Chicken
c) Pork: described above
d) Lamb: mostly from the hind leg that has been boned out. Occasionally you will find some that have been made out of the loin, but not very often.
e) Veal: small, thin pieces from the Loin, Sirloin and Eye Round are usually pounded thin to make the surface larger and are referred to as ‘Scallopini’ and ‘Medallions’. Cuts from the Bottom Round and Top Round are sliced then, but very rarely pounded, unless the recipe calls for them to be rolled and stuffed.
f) Beef: beef cuts are too large to be called ‘cutlets’, although there are many cuts that do resemble a larger version of the veal cutlets. One that comes to mind is the Top Round that is sliced very, very thin and butterflied for a German dish called “Rouladen”. Others than can be cut thin for recipes are the Boneless Loin Strip, Sirloin, Eye Round and on occasion the Rib Eye. Also, along with the above mentioned cuts, Boneless Beef Shoulder can be sliced wafer thin and used for Beef Jerky.
Since I published the article on Grinding Beef At Home , I’ve been asked to provide a few more tips on making hamburger and grinding your own sausage. So consider the following as an addendum.
I use the 'medium' plate for grinding hamburger and will grind the meat only twice, as this is sufficient. If I were making 'chili meat', I would only use the 'large' plate and grind just one time.
For sausage, I prefer the 'large' plate for the first grind and then will switch to the 'medium' plate for the second grind. If you prefer the coarser grind, then please feel free to leave the 'large' plate in without switching it out.
Before you start grinding any type of meat, make sure the ring (above) is screwed onto the head TIGHT, otherwise the hamburger meat will come out all squiggly shaped and the head will clog up. I usually use a knife steel or a wrench to tighten and loosen it with.
I like to cut the meat into strips first, about 1x1x6 inches and place it in the freezer until it's almost frozen. Keep the meat in the hopper so you don't waste time getting it to the feeder tube. This applies to the sausage meat, as well.
After the first grind, put a good amount of meat in the hopper for the second grind. When you run low, shut the grinder off and refill the hopper. DO NOT RUN THE GRINDER EMPTY!! This will burn what meat is in the head, plus metal against metal will result in a burning smell and add to early deterioration of the parts.
After the last grind and when you take the grinder apart, you will notice a few ounces of ground meat still in the head, near the plate and the knife. This meat is perfectly fine to use, just make sure there are no pieces of bone or gristle stuck in there.
When stuffing sausage.....this is important.....after the second grind, REMOVE the plate and knife from the head of the grinder. Place your stuffing tube in the head and replace the ring, making sure it's tight. It may feel loose, but once you start pushing sausage through it, it will tighten up.
Wash the grinder in hot, soapy water and then rinse in hot water to rinse. Do not let the grinding plate, knife or the ends of the screw air dry, or else they will rust. Hand dry all parts as quick as you can. Take a food grade Mineral Oil, found in the medical supply section of your drug or grocery store, and rub it lightly on all parts of the grinder that will be stored away, including the threads on the inside of the ring. This inhibits rust from forming and also to keep the parts lubed for best use.
The above tips are specifically for the $89-99 grinder available from Northern Tool, but some of the information does apply to all grinders.
To see the pictures that accompany these tips, please click here
‘Cutlets’ can also be cut from meat that has already been cooked. For instance, in the following recipe I used thin cut meat from a previously cooked Pork Loin that I had smoked on the grill. Most Italian “Saltimbocca” recipes call for Veal, but I wanted to make my own version using Pork. I know my buddy, Richie, and a few of his ancestors will have a fit when they see what I did to their wonderful dish, but please indulge my whim and check this out The BBQ Butcher's "Pork Saltimbocca" It was delicious and I plan on doing it again.
