Bitterballen Recipe
Bitterballen are crispy Dutch meatballs filled with a rich, savory beef and gravy mixture, then breaded and deep-fried until golden brown. This Bitterballen recipe takes the time to make the filling from scratch, creating a creamy, intensely flavorful center hidden inside an irresistibly crunchy crust.
Servings 60 Bitterballen
Ingredients
Beef & Stock Ingredients
- 2.2 lb (1kg) chuck roast
- 8 cups (2L) water, or enough to cover
- 1 white onion quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
- 2 cloves
Filling Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unflavored gelatin powder
- ¼ cup (60 mL) water
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup yellow onion minced
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (700mL) reserved beef stock
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Assembly Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 6 eggs beaten
- 3 cups (450g) fine plain breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the 2.2 lb (1kg) chuck roast, 8 cups (2L) water, or enough to cover, 1 white onion, 1 bay leaf, ½ tsp black peppercorns, and 2 cloves in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, uncovered, at 212°F (100°C ), skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for about 3 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.
- Remove the beef from the stock and set it aside to cool slightly. Strain the stock and reserve it. Finely chop the beef into small pieces.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the 2 tbsp unflavored gelatin powder over the ¼ cup (60 mL) water (room temperature) and let it bloom for about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, melt the ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ½ cup yellow onion and saute until the onions start to sweat and turn translucent.
- Then add the 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to form a roux.
- Gradually whisk in 3 cups (700mL) reserved beef stock until smooth. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2-5 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened considerably.
- Add the chopped beef, 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg. Stir until evenly combined. Taste the mixture at this point, and add salt and pepper to taste as desired.
- Remove the beef mixture from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to 120–140°F (48–60°C), then stir in the bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved and evenly incorporated.
- Transfer the filling to a shallow dish (I used a 9x9 pan) and press plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours, preferably overnight, until firm.
- Once chilled completely, scoop portions of the chilled filling and roll it into balls weighing approximately 20-25g each (about 1 Tbsp in size)
- Lay out three shallow bowls with 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, 6 eggs (whisked) and 3 cups (450g) fine plain breadcrumbs in their separate bowls.
- Roll each ball in flour, dip in the beaten egg, and coat with breadcrumbs. Arrange the bitterballen on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Then remove the tray from the freezer and repeat the egg and breadcrumb coating once more to create a double-breaded crust (to save time you can omit the freezing step, but your breading will be a little thinner and less crunchy. In this case, simply bread a second time right away).
- Arrange the breaded bitterballen on a tray and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Heat about 1½-2” of vegetable oil to 350°F (180°C) in a large pot.
- Fry the bitterballen in small batches for about 3 minutes, or until deep golden brown and crisp.
- Drain on a wire rack or paper towels and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve warm with Dijon or yellow mustard and enjoy!