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Paillards are thin slices of meat that are pounded to keep them tender before cooking. They can be made from various types of meat and even vegetables. Once prepared, they can be cooked as is or breaded and served with lemon.
Paillards are thin slices of meat that have been pounded to keep them tender before cooking. Because the paillards are so thin, they cook very quickly, retaining their tender texture and natural juices. Many cultures have some version of paillard in their cooking traditions and you may also hear paillards simply referred to as “schnitzel” although in reality the term “schnitzel” can be used in several ways. It is also possible to use some vegetables to make paillards. Celery root, for example, can behave much like meat when sliced thin and tender.
Virtually any type of meat can be used to make paillards. Chicken, beef, pork and veal are the most popular choices, although turkey and duck can certainly be used, along with more exotic meats, ranging from buffalo to emu. The cut is taken from various regions of the body, depending on the animal involved; many butchers recommend a cut that’s already tender to begin with.
Some bakers sell slices of meat that have already been cut, albeit not tender, for the purpose of making paillards. In other cases, people can buy cuts like breasts and loins and trim them thin at home before keeping them. For cooks who choose to do this, it’s a good idea to chill the meat first, making it easier to handle, and a very sharp knife is needed to evenly cut through the meat, creating a relatively uniform paillard.
Once the meat has been thinly sliced, it can be pounded down with a meat tenderizer or wooden mallet. For reasons of hygiene, most cooks like to sandwich meat between layers of parchment paper or clean kitchen towels, reducing the risk of contamination and keeping the kitchen tidy. During the pounding process, the meat is made even thinner and more tender, although the meat shouldn’t be pounded so hard that holes appear.
After the paillards have been prepared, they can be cooked as is in a pan or on a grill, or they can be breaded to cook. To make a very simple breading, the meat can be dredged in flour, followed by a dip in lightly beaten egg and then rolled in breadcrumbs. The sautéed and breaded paillards go very well with a wedge of lemon, by the way.
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