Prep & Assembly
Flatten
Pound or press food to an even thickness for quick, uniform cooking
Flattening pounds or presses meat to an even thinness so it cooks quickly and uniformly — the move behind schnitzel, paillard, and scaloppine. It also tenderizes. Cover the meat between sheets and pound gently from the center out, so it spreads evenly without tearing.
Flattening pounds or presses meat to an even thinness so it cooks fast and uniformly — the move behind schnitzel, paillard, and scaloppine. It also tenderizes. Cover the meat and pound gently from the center out so it spreads without tearing.
- Difficulty
- Easy
How to do it
- 1
Place the meat between plastic wrap or parchment.
- 2
Start at the center and pound outward.
- 3
Use even, glancing blows rather than hard smashes.
- 4
Work to a uniform thickness across the whole piece.
Common uses
Tips & pitfalls
- The flat side of a mallet thins; the toothed side tenderizes.
- A heavy skillet works in a pinch.
- Even thickness matters more than how thin you go.
Good to know
- Tool
- Meat mallet, rolling pin, or heavy pan
- Best for
- Chicken breast, pork, veal cutlets
- Cue
- Even thinness with no torn edges
Also called
pound flat · pound out
Related
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Crush food into a coarse to fine texture, from spices to meat
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Shred food into fine bits against a sharp-toothed surface