Polish Hamburgers (Mielone Kotlety)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 07/11/21
Polish Hamburgers (Mielone Kotlety)

 From My Point of View/Getty Images

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 patties

Mielone kotlety (pronounced myeh-LOH-neh kawt-LEH-tih) are a favorite of many Polish families. Literally "ground cutlets," they can be made with any combination of pork, veal, or beef. Typically, they are made with just pork and beef because veal is so expensive.

Frying is one common preparation method, but you can also bake these Polish hamburgers. They can be served as a Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes and gravy as the centerpiece of a family dinner. Or they can be used for a more American-style hamburger sandwich on rye bread or a hamburger bun, with sliced dill pickles or sweet pickle relish, sliced tomatoes, and lots of black pepper and onions.

These hamburgers taste great the next day as a sandwich for lunch or as a great picnic meal.

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Ingredients

  • 1 slice stale white bread

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

  • 3/4 pound ground beef

  • 1/4 to 1/2 pound ground pork

  • 1 small onion, finely chopped

  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a large bowl, soak bread in milk until soft. Add beef, pork, onion, egg, salt, and pepper, and mix thoroughly. If mixture feels too mushy, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs.

  3. Divide meat mixture into 4 to 6 portions and form each into a round or oval hamburger shape.

  4. Lightly coat a skillet with cooking spray and very slowly fry the patties thoroughly until done.

  5. Serve as you would a hamburger or Salisbury steak.

Recipe Variation

  • Alternatively, brown the patties on both sides and transfer them to a pan with 2 tablespoons water or stock. Bake uncovered at 325 F for 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
297 Calories
19g Fat
4g Carbs
27g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 297
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 117mg 39%
Sodium 167mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 45mg 3%
Iron 2mg 13%
Potassium 398mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)