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Memories & Milanesa: Exploring the history behind my family’s most cherished dish
Memories & Milanesa: Exploring the history behind my family’s most cherished dish
by Marcial De Sautu
Metzger’s restaurant prepares well-made schnitzels. The Austrian dish is a similar representation of the traditional Argentine dish. November 11, 2023. Photo by: Marcial De Sautu.
The best part about returning home for the holidays: the food. Not only do the Argentine dishes my family cooks taste delicious, but they are also at the heart of our family reunions and symbolize a sense of unity towards our culture. My family has always had a tradition of gathering for dinner of milanesa. Since I was a kid, I’ve had the goal of mastering the preparation of this dish so that when it is my turn to host my loved ones, they'll be able to enjoy this family tradition as much as I do.
“Milanesa is a typical food in Argentina, which consists of beef that is first soaked in crude whisked eggs and then covered with breadcrumbs” (Juárez). The beef is then fried in oil, creating a crispy delicacy. As you slice into the steak, you can hear the breaded bits crackle; once in my mouth, the rich and juicy components of the steak put me in a delighted trance.
This traditional Argentine dish was brought to South America by Italian immigrants in the 1880s who arrived as a result of a large diaspora that migrated over (“Argentina Milanesas”). Upon arrival, milanesa became one of the most popular Argentine meals, which was then adopted into their culture and altered to create their own style of the fried steak (“Argentina Milanesas”). A study by Food Science and Technology International in 2006 showed that milanesa was consumed weekly in nearly 74 percent of Argentine households. Although the study was not recently conducted, it goes to show how desired this dish became in this area with around a population of 41 million people at that time (Ferraris). The dish continued to spread rapidly throughout South America and became an important piece of the diet of surrounding countries as well.
Milanesa (sometimes spelled milanese) has spread across the globe to Mexico, Uruguay, Spain, Austria and other countries and cultures, who all put their own spin on how they prepare the meal. In Austria, the meal is commonly known by the name schnitzel (Ferraris). A popular Americanized version of the dish is known as chicken fried steak (McNamee).
Oftentimes, my family and I like to try different interpretations of the dish in restaurants to see how they compare to our version. This has become a bonding experience with my loved ones as we would spend time visiting different locations during the week and would try recreating the fried steak from the restaurant as a fun activity on Saturdays. The cooking was a family effort as we would all be in charge of a certain aspect of the plate. This is how we became exposed to the pollo milanesa, which we first tried at Graziano’s, a restaurant in my hometown of Miami. Although the dish is most popularly known for its beef component, it is also eaten with chicken as the main meat of choice (“Tortas de Milanesas”). The pollo milanesa has become a popular food amenity that has grown tremendously within my own household.
Metzger’s is a German restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan that is known for its preparation of schnitzel. This restaurant was recommended to my family and I by a friend of ours when we first arrived. November 11, 2023. Photo by: Marcial De Sautu.
I was able to enjoy a nice schnitzel at Metzger’s, while taking in the restaurant’s atmosphere. The interior design depicted aspects of German culture which provided me with the entirety of the experience. November 11, 2023. Photo by: Marcial De Sautu.
My extended family from Argentina and I gathered together at Don Julio Steakhouse to eat milanesa at one of the most notable restaurants in Buenos Aires. This restaurant is known for their preparation of this fried steak dish. July 19, 2019. Photo by: Beatriz Cunill-De Sautu.
When I wake up at home, I always know if milanesa is on the menu for the day. There’s no mistaking the irresistible aroma. The moment I get a whiff of the sizzling breaded beef that was dipped in oil, I jump out of my bed on instinct and make my way to the kitchen immediately. This smell takes me back to the kitchen of my family in Argentina, where I enjoyed watching my great grandmother making the fried steaks from scratch. My cousins and I all took turns battering the steaks in the bread crumbs as my aunt gently placed them in the heated oil. Once the meat was taken out, it possessed a golden-brown texture that made my mouth water.
When I look back on my childhood, and even still today, these family moments around the making and eating of milanesa are the ones I cherish the most. Writing this now, I look forward to returning to my home in Miami and sharing a nice milanesa with my family so that I can get a little taste of my Argentine roots.
Works Cited
“Argentina Milanesas: History & Other Info.” The Spice Chica, https://thespicechica.com/food/argentina-milanesas-history/. Accessed 1 Nov. 2023.
Cunill-De Sautu, Beatriz. Interior photograph of Don Julio Steakhouse in Buenos Aires, Argentina with extended family. 19 July 2019. Author’s personal collection.
De Sautu, Marcial. Photograph of schnitzel dish served at Metzger’s restaurant. 11 Nov. 2023. Author’s personal collection.
De Sautu, Marcial. Exterior photograph of Metzger’s restaurant. 11 Nov. 2023. Author’s personal collection.
De Sautu, Marcial. Interior photograph of Metzger’s restaurant featuring Marcial De Sautu and the served schnitzel dish. 11 Nov. 2023. Author’s personal collection.
Ferraris, Daniela C., et al. “How Thick Do Consumers’ Want Their Meat and How Thick Do They Get It? The Case of Deep-Fried Breaded Beef.” Food Science and Technology
International, vol. 19, no. 4, London, England: SAGE Publications, pp. 335–42, doi:10.1177/1082013212452586.
Juárez, M.D., et al. “Nutrient Retention Factors of Deep-Fried Milanesas. Journal ofFood Composition and Analysis, vol. 17, no. 1, New York, NY: Elsevier Inc, pp. 119–24,
doi:10.1016/S0889-1575(03)00096-6.
McNamee, Gregory Lewis. "Schnitzel." Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Nov. 2022, https://www.britannica.com/topic/schnitzel. Accessed 27 November 2023.
“Tortas de Milanesa (Chicken Cutlet Sandwiches) with Mexican-Style Limeade Recipe.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/food/recipes/tortas-de-milanesa
chicken-cutlet-sandwiches-with-mexican-style-limeade/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023.
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