Thin steaks hold a lot of appeal for diners who want a different texture than a thick T-bone will provide. One popular way of cooking up cuts of steak is known as Milanesa. Often confused for schnitzel or chicken fried steak, steak Milanesa is a dish that often includes cheese and other tasty toppings. Discover the history behind this popular way of cooking steak and get plenty of tips to adapt the recipe and find the right toppings.
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What is Milanesa?
The term Milanesa is a reference to the Italian town of Milan. The original dish with this name was a breaded veal cutlet, but today other cuts of mature beef steak are used more widely. It’s easy to confuse with a wiener schnitzel because both are thin, breaded, and deep-fried. However, pork, veal, and chicken are most commonly used for schnitzel. The term Milanesa can describe almost any kind of meat that is cut thinly and deep fried, especially in South America.
The History of Steak Milanesa
The earliest dishes referred to as Milanesa were cuts of veal breaded and fried in Italy. When Italians immigrated to Argentina and other parts of Central and South America, they brought the dish along. The steak Milanesa most people enjoy today is closer to the South American version than the original Italian. If you serve Milanesa topped with ingredients like melted cheese, ham, tomato sauce, or sliced tomatoes, you’re learning how to cook Milanesa the Argentinian way.
What to Know When Buying Milanesa Steak
Don’t confuse steak Milanesa for another breaded and fried dish as chicken fried steak. You’ll want a thin cut of beef tenderloin or top rump. Chicken fried steak is made with cubed steak instead. Cubed steak isn’t a good choice for the Milanesa method of cooking. If you choose cuts from a tenderloin, you won’t need to tenderize the meat. You may want to lightly tenderize steaks cut from the top rump or sirloin roast with a meat mallet or a sprinkling of tenderizer.
Different Methods of Cooking Milanesa Steak
The traditional way of preparing Milanesa steak is to deep fry it. You can also use a shallow pan with about half an inch of oil in it if you’re gentle when flipping the steaks. Some other methods will work well as an alternative to deep frying, while other methods are harder to adapt.
In the Oven
It’s easy to whip up a slightly healthier version of the dish by using your oven. You’ll still get a good crunchiness and nearly the same golden color you’d get from frying the steak milanesa. Use the same egg and breadcrumb breading as usual, but bake the steaks in a preheated 440-degree F oven. Cook just under the top element for five minutes per side, flipping once.
On the Grill
While you can easily cook the tenderloin or top round steaks that you’d use for steak Milanesa, you won’t want to bread them. Instead, just give them a few minutes on each side and top with your favorite gravy or sauce.
On the Stove
Frying the steak Milanesa on the stovetop is the most reliable way to get traditional results for this dish. You can use a deeper vessel like a stock pot or Dutch Oven and a few inches of your favorite high-temperature frying oil. For a simpler version, you can also pour about half an inch of oil into a deep frying pan and carefully flip the steak Milanesa while cooking. Keep a lid on hand in case the oil pops too much while cooking.
In a Crock Pot
Like with the grill, it’s hard to adapt a deep-fried steak recipe to the Crock Pot. You can still enjoy the Milanesa cut of thin steak in any slow cooker without adding breading, just pair it with a gravy or other sauce recipe that will complement the beef flavor.
In an Air Fryer
The air fryer will produce crisp steak Milanesa with only a fraction of the oil of deep frying. The key is spraying the breaded meat with a little oil and using a medium level of heat if your fryer has multiple settings. You don’t want to overcook the meat, so check it regularly and pull it out when it reaches a golden brown color. That will take around 10 to 15 minutes or even less in most air fryers.
Topping Options for Steak Milanesa
Most steak Milanesa recipes call for toppings added after frying so they warm up from the heat of the breading. Cheese is a common addition, specifically mozzarella. Slices of Havarti or gouda cheese also work well. Some people add slices of tomato, tomato sauce, or fried eggs to the top of these breaded steaks.
How to Enjoy Steak Milanesa
Steak Milanesa is commonly used as a filling in the Mexican sandwich known as a torta. Aside from making a sandwich, you may want to serve this kind of steak with classic side dishes like mashed potatoes, fried mushrooms, steamed asparagus, and a variety of sauces.
Pan Fried Steak Milanesa Recipe
- 1 pound of top round or tenderloin steaks, often labeled as Milanese steaks
- ½ cup of all-purpose flour
- 2 cups of breadcrumbs, preferably panko
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 2 cups of frying oil, such as peanut or avocado
- ½ tablespoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper
1. Let the steaks come up to room temperature. Mix the beaten eggs and milk together in one shallow dish. Mix the breadcrumbs, flour, and seasoning in another.
2. Dip each steak in the egg mixture, then coat it in the breadcrumbs. Set the coated steaks aside on a baking sheet. Heat the oil up in a deep-sided pot or use just a fraction of it in a frying pan.
3. Fry each of the steaks until they are a deep golden brown. Set them on paper towels to drain and serve with your favorite toppings or sauce.
How to Store Milanesa
Crisp steak Milanesa will lose its texture, but if you store it covered in the refrigerator, it’ll remain good for sandwiches and cutting up on salads for up to three days.
Conclusion
Spice up your usual grilling routine by turning to the deep fryer inside. Steak Milanesa is a great way to add an exciting crisp texture to affordable thin cuts of flavorful beef.
Pan Fried Milanesa Steak
Ingredients
- 1 lb top round or tenderloin steaks, often labeled as Milanesa steaks
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups breadcrumbs, preferably panko
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 cups frying oil, such as peanut or avocado
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Let the steaks come up to room temperature. Mix the beaten eggs and milk together in one shallow dish. Mix the breadcrumbs, flour, and seasoning in another.
- Dip each steak in the egg mixture, then coat it in the breadcrumbs. Set the coated steaks aside on a baking sheet. Heat the oil up in a deep-sided pot or use just a fraction of it in a frying pan.
- Fry each of the steaks until they are a deep golden brown. Set them on paper towels to drain and serve with your favorite toppings or sauce.