Turkey Cutlets with Vegetables in White Wine: Skillet Recipe
If for whatever reason you don't eat pork or beef, you'll love turkey cutlets. Surprisingly, a well-fried turkey breast steak is a lot like a pork escalope in texture and flavor. The meat is fried in oil in an ordinary skillet, without any breading, and served with vegetables as a main course.
A domestic turkey is a big bird. Where I live you rarely see a whole one in stores – turkey dishes aren't very popular here. But turkey parts are easy to buy. We usually get drumsticks for a rich soup or turkey aspic, and use the wings for broth. The breast is most often cut into pieces and frozen – it makes excellent patties.
When we break down a large breast – they always weigh more than 1 kg – we cut a few steaks from the thickest part. They're cut across the grain, about 2.5-3 cm thick. We don't freeze these pieces; they go straight into the pan. The only prep is pounding them lightly so they're an even thickness. It's also worth scoring them in a crosshatch about a third of the way through.
Given how thick and dense turkey breast is, I don't use breading. It browns too fast, while the inside of the meat stays undercooked. I sear the big breast steaks until golden brown, then braise them covered in broth or a little table wine. That makes the meat soft and tender, with a lovely flavor and aroma.
Don't freeze the meat – it loses some of its juices when it thaws. Choose a large breast, over 1 kg. Cut the steaks at a right angle to the grain, in one stroke of the knife, so the surface is smooth.
For tasty, fragrant turkey cutlets, don't overdo the spices. Just salt and pepper the meat and rub both sides with a little sweet paprika. Give it some time for the salt to dissolve and the spices to soak in. When braising with the vegetables, add 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme – it goes wonderfully well with turkey.
Ingredients
2 servings
- Turkey breast steaks (200-250 g) 2
- Frozen mixed vegetables 400 g
- Butter and olive oil 1 tbsp each
- Dry white wine 1/2 cup
- Salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, fresh thyme to taste
Step-by-step recipe
- Trim the pieces of breast of any leftover skin and fat, and remove the silverskin. Rinse the meat and pat it dry with paper towels. Put the steaks on a cutting board and pound them lightly. Don't pound them thin like beef entrecôte or veal for Wiener schnitzel – it's enough for the pieces to be flat and an even thickness.
- With a large knife, make shallow cuts on one side of each steak in a crosshatch pattern, 3-4 cm apart. This helps the meat cook through. Salt the turkey cutlets and season with freshly ground black pepper. Rub a little sweet paprika all over the meat. Leave the steaks to dry-marinate for 30 minutes.
- Melt 1 tbsp each of butter and olive oil in a skillet. When the fat is good and hot, add the prepared steaks and sear them over high heat until golden brown. Flip the cutlets and brown the other side the same way. Transfer the seared meat to a plate.
- Fry the vegetables for the side dish in the leftover fat. If you like, cut up fresh vegetables – carrots, parsnips, onions – and add green peas, beans and corn. Or, much easier, fry a ready-made frozen vegetable mix, which you can find in most stores. Fry the vegetables until lightly browned, then season them with salt and pepper, but only a little.
- Return the seared turkey to the skillet, pushing the vegetables to the side. Add 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme and pour in half a cup of dry white wine. Cover the skillet and set it over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down and braise the meat and vegetables, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove the lid and let all the liquid evaporate.
- Put the meat on a plate and add the vegetables. If there's any liquid left in the skillet, pour it over the meat. If you like, sprinkle with finely chopped dill and drizzle with lemon juice – many people enjoy that. Don't add any sauce, though: it would drown out the flavor of the turkey. Turkey cutlets with vegetables are served hot.
- Instead of vegetables, you can serve mashed potatoes or fried rice. As an alternative to the skillet, you can grill the cutlets or bake them in the oven after brushing the meat with fat.
| Serves: | 2 servings |
| Calories: | 110 |
| Prep: | 1 h |
| Cook: | 30 mins |
| Total: | 1 h 30 mins |
| Category: | Main Dishes |
| Cuisine: | American cuisine |
| Rating: |
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4.3
(11)
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