Milanesa de Res (Beef Milanese)

Milanesa de res is a thinly sliced steak, perfectly seasoned, then coated in flour and breadcrumbs before being fried to golden perfection. Serve these fried steaks with your favourite Mexican sides or enjoy this crispy treat in a torta.

Who can resist delicious proteins fried to golden perfection? Sometimes you just have to break out the deep fryer and make yourself a treat. These Country Fried Pork Chops are everything you want them to be…crispy, crunchy, spicy, and juicy! Love shrimp and coconut? Then Crispy Coconut Panko Fried Shrimp are for you. Bet you can’t eat just one!

Milanesa de Res

Milanesa de Res or Steak Milanese has to be one of my favourite beef recipes. It uses a budget friendly cut of beef and turns it into a mouthwatering dinner with very few ingredients or kitchen tools. Imaging thin slices of well seasoned beef inside a crispy golden brown crust. Add a squirt of fresh lime juice and enjoy!

The tenderized beef stays tender and juicy inside the crispy shell. It’s delicious on its own with a side salad and a serving of chips (or fries), or with mashed potatoes, Mexican Red Rice, Cilantro Rice, sliced avocado, and salsa or pico de gallo. Leftover Milanesa de Res is delicious in tacos and tortas…my kids loved these leftover bun sandwiches for school lunches!

Best of all, there is no complaining at family dinner time. Who can resist deep fried steak?!

What is Milanesa de Res?

Have you ever heard of Milanesa de Res? You might recognize this main dish as breaded beef cutlet, Beef or Steak Milanese, or Beef Schnitzel. This is a dish that is beloved in many countries because it is so delicious and satisfying.

‘Milanesa‘ is the Mexican version of the Italian “Milanese” method of cooking. It involves coating thinly sliced meat with layers of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs and then frying it until golden. While it is common prepare other proteins (veal, beef, chicken, or pork) using this method, carne de Res means ‘beef’ so this protein is our focus today.

Let’s cook these thinly sliced beef cutlets, Mexican style! While the ingredients and process are similar for all the versions, Mexican Milanesa de Res is beef served with a slice of lime and delicious Mexican side dishes. You can also find this crispy treat as part of a Mexican sandwich, or Torta Milanesa.

Ingredients List

• Beef Steaks
• Flour
• Eggs
• Bread Crumbs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Vegetable Oil
• Lime

For this or any milanes des res recipe, the best beef cut to use is top round steaks. If you can, ask your butcher to cut them as thin as possible; 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Gently pound the meat with a mallet to ensure it is of uniform thickness and to tenderize this budget friendly cut of meat.

You can buy breadcrumbs or make your own with leftover stale bread. Smashed saltine crackers or Panko crumbs also work well, the latter will make the outer coating especially crispy.

For deep frying, a neutral tasting oil with a high smoke point (temperature at which the oil begins to burn and smoke) is best. Highly refined oils such as light olive oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, or safflower oil tend to have the highest smoke points (as impurities are removed) and a neutral or clean taste.

Dredging and Breading Methods

Dredging is a simple cooking technique where a food is coated in a dry ingredient; usually flour, bread crumbs, or cornmeal before it is fried. Dredging helps to give foods a crispy coating and adds extra flavour.

This recipe uses the dredging technique plus another technique called ‘breading’. Yes, it sounds fancy and time consuming but it really isn’t.

Breading is also a simple cooking technique that coats food in an extra layer of dry coating. Breading takes place AFTER the food has been dredged in flour, then dipped in a liquid such as milk, buttermilk, or beaten eggs. This extra breading adds another layer of protection, keeping the meat tender and juicy.

5 Great Tips for Dredging and Breading

1. Assemble the dredging/breading station ahead of frying. Use three shallow rimmed containers, such as pie plates.
2. Dry the meat with paper towels, then season it before lightly dredging it in the flour.
3. Use tongs to transfer the meat through the process.
4. Allow excess liquid to drip off before moving onto the breading step.
5. Season each step. Add salt and pepper (and other dry herbs and spices) to the flour and breadcrumbs. Similarly, add ‘wet’ seasonings (minced garlic or hot sauce) to the liquid step.

How to Make Milanesa de Res

Once the dredging stations are set up, it’s time to prepare the steaks. Start by pounding the steaks with a meat mallet until they are thin and uniform. This will ensure they cook quickly and evenly. Pat the steaks dry with paper towel, then season them with salt and pepper.

Next, dredge each steak in flour mixture, then the egg, and finish with a coating of breadcrumbs. Place the steaks on a rack and allow them dry for about 5 minutes while your oil is heating.

Heat half an inch of vegetable oil to 360 F.in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, carefully add one cutlet to the pan. Fry it for three minutes per side. If your pan is large enough, do two at a time, though it is best not to crowd the pan.

Keep the oil temperature between 360-375 F as the meat cooks. This ensures the Milanesa de Res come out crispy and golden brown but not oily. Use tongs to remove the cutlet and allow any excess oil to drain off. Place on a platter lined with paper towels while you fry the rest of the steaks.

How to Store and Reheat Milanesa de Res

To store Milanesa de Res, place plastic wrap or parchment paper between each cooled cutlet and place in an airtight container. The breaded cutlets keep in the fridge for 4-5 days and freeze very well for up to two months.

Simply thaw overnight in the fridge and place on an oven safe baking rack on top of a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake for 15 minutes.

If you make this Milanesa de Res (Beef Milanese) recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see what you guys are making! Thank you so much for reading my blog.