Techniques
Flatten

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. 1

    Place the meat between plastic wrap or parchment.

  2. 2

    Start at the center and pound outward.

  3. 3

    Use even, glancing blows rather than hard smashes.

  4. 4

    Work to a uniform thickness across the whole piece.

Common uses

Chicken and veal scaloppineSchnitzelBeef or pork paillardRolled and stuffed cutletsEven-cooking quick sautésCarpaccio prep

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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Pass liquid through fine material to clarify out the smallest particles

Rice

Rice

Press cooked potatoes through small holes for fluffy, lump-free texture

Crush

Crush

Press or pound food to release oils and break it open

Roll Out

Roll Out

Flatten dough evenly with a pin to your target thickness

Shape

Shape

Form dough or mixtures by hand into their final form

Stamp

Stamp

Cut neat, repeated shapes from rolled dough with a cutter

Pleat

Pleat

Fold small tucks to seal and shape dumplings or pastry

Tenderize

Tenderize

Break down tough fibers so meat turns soft and yielding