Why pound cutlets if you can cut them?

I always wondered this. Many recipes call for pounding cutlets till they are thin. Is this diferent than taking a chicken scissors and cutting the cutlets in half or whatever to thin it? Am I missing something?

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 12 2007 Posts: 20597

Chicken cutlets are pounded so they are thin. You can't get the same effect with a knife. However, if you don't feel like pounding, it's no big deal. The chicken will taste good anyway it just won't be as "elegant".
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other responses about pounding chicken

Try finding shnitzel hammers in a store. You can't. It's considered unelegant, or something. Seems like the modern way is to cut, not pound.

* I mean inelegant. Laughing

Silver Member Joined: May 01 2012 Posts: 640

I used to love pounding cutlets when I had the time! it would make holes between the fibers so the marinade could get all the way through, and you were sure the cutlets cooked all the way bc there were no very thick parts.
Ahh, memories...
But now I have less time so I just cut them.

Gold Member Joined: Jun 01 2009 Posts: 2370

Personally I think they looker neater when cut.

texture is better if its pounded because the muscle fibre doesn't toughen up as much.
For chicken/turkey the best way to pound is to use a rolling pin. Those hammer thing is for red meat.
It's not messy at all if you use clingfilm both under and on top.

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 17 2008 Posts: 5069

If you want a large flat piece like to stuff and roll, then pounding is the way to get it. If you just want small thin pieces to bread or cook, it doesn't really matter.
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Platinum Member Joined: Jan 01 2006 Posts: 48223

I just buy the extra thin cutlets.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 12 2007 Posts: 20597

I davka have a shnitzel pounder, actually two (one for Pesach) from when I lived in the U.S. Here in Israel, they are so easy to buy ready-pounded!

Gold Member Joined: Nov 11 2009 Posts: 1403

Executive Member Joined: Jan 22 2012 Posts: 354

I don't either use any pounders I love knives and cutting board I usually make tons of slices out of a single cutlets by slicing layers out of it that's the top of cutlets straight across

Silver Member Joined: Nov 15 2010 Posts: 609

Speaking of cutlets, I usually coat mine with a little bit of oil, then seasoned corn flake crumbs and bake.

I could use a new recipe! Any ideas?

Diamond Member Joined: Dec 26 2006 Posts: 4317

To pound My cutlets I have a neat and easy method. I put the cutlet in a ziploc bag. I then pound the cutlet with a small size yet heavy frying pan. It takes just a couple of wacks, then I have a nice thin cutlet. Great for releasing stress too.

Gold Member Joined: Nov 11 2009 Posts: 1403

Platinum Member Joined: Apr 12 2010 Posts: 5876

My mother used to pound shnitzel when she had patience and when I was newly wed, dh used to do it for me, to make it thinner and easier to eat/tastier.

After cleaning the wall every week after making cutlets from raw meat splatters, or having to wrap in bags, pound, dip, fry etc I just buy thinned cutlets, perhaps a $1 or so more expensive but SO worth it!
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Silver Member Joined: Oct 09 2010 Posts: 711