TURKEY AND VEAL CUTLETS

ALTHOUGH YOU MAY BE TEMPTED TO COOK turkey cutlets the same way you cook chicken cutlets—don't. Turkey cutlets are much leaner and, more important, much thinner. In our tests, we found that they present the same challenges as veal cutlets.

The biggest risk when preparing ultralean, superthin turkey or veal cutlets is overcooking. Misjudge the timing by a minute or two and this delicate meat can resemble shoe leather. The other major issue is browning. We wondered if turkey and veal cutlets could be cooked in such a way as to promote the development of a crust, one of our favorite things about sautéed chicken cutlets. Could we get these thin cutlets to brown before they overcooked?

On the plus side, there are some factors that make turkey and veal cutlets remarkably easy to prepare. Unlike chicken breasts, these cutlets come in an even thickness, usually about one-quarter inch. There are no tendons or floppy tenderloins to contend with (turkey cutlets are breast slices, not the entire breast half, as is the case with chicken cutlets), and there's no chance that part of the cutlet will overcook while part remains bloody. Also, because the cutlets are so thin, they are a lot less messy to prepare. The fat does not have time to smoke and splatter.

We decided to start our testing with turkey and then see how the final results would work with veal. We began by testing the role of flour. We sautéed two batches of cutlets—one seasoned with just salt and pepper, the other seasoned and then lightly coated on both sides with flour. Although the internal texture of both batches was similar, the exterior was quite different. The floured cutlets developed a light brown crust in places, making a pleasing contrast with the tender, white interior meat. The unfloured cutlets were less flavorful (browning adds flavor), and we missed the crunch added by a nicely browned exterior.

The timing proved remarkably simple—two minutes on the first side and another minute or two on the second. Once the meat feels firm, take the turkey out of the pan. Use tongs to turn the meat and remove it from the pan. Pricking the meat with a fork can cause juices to escape.

Although most poultry companies put four 4-ounce cutlets in a package and claim that this amount serves four, we find it a bit skimpy. Six cutlets is a more realistic amount for four people. (Serve each person a whole cutlet and cut the remaining two cutlets in half after cooking to yield four more smaller pieces.)

We discovered that veal cutlets can be cooked exactly the same way as turkey cutlets. However, we did encounter some bumps along the road. Most supermarket veal cutlets are improperly butchered, and, as a result, they buckle in the pan and will not brown.

Veal cutlets should be cut from the top round (a cut from the upper portion of the leg). A veal cutlet is a single piece of meat without any muscle separations. When butchered properly, it is cut against the grain so that the surface is perfectly smooth. Butchering the meat against the grain makes the veal especially tender, and its smooth surface permits even browning.

We found that many markets sell cutlets from the shoulder or other parts of the leg. These cutlets are cut with the grain (the surface appears bumpy, indicating the cutlet contains a cross-section of several muscles). This irregular surface buckles when the cutlet is placed in a hot skillet and thus the cutlet will not brown or cook evenly. If you are going to spend the money on veal, we suggest going to a butcher and getting the right cutlets (see figure 9) or slicing the cutlets from the top round yourself (see figures 10 and 11).