Dutch Bitterballen
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 4 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr
- Yield: about 60 balls
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- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 60 servings
- Calories
- 149
- Total Fat
- 12 g
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Protein
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 22 mg
- Sodium
- 143 mg
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 4 hr 30 min
- Active: 1 hr
- Yield: about 60 balls
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 60 servings
- Calories
- 149
- Total Fat
- 12 g
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Protein
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 22 mg
- Sodium
- 143 mg
Ingredients
Beef and Stock:
Filling:
Breading:
To Serve:
Directions
Special equipment:
a deep-fry thermometer- For the beef and stock: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Season the beef all over with salt and black pepper. Sear the beef in a single layer along with the marrow bone, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beef broth, 1 cup water, bay leaves, black peppercorns and thyme. Add the beef and marrow bone. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam that rises to the top.
- Cover the pot tightly and transfer to the oven. Braise until the beef is fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the beef and let cool. Strain the braising liquid, discarding the vegetables and herbs. Skim off the fat; you should have about 3 cups of liquid total after it’s skimmed. Finely chop the beef once cooled enough to handle; make sure there are no long strands of beef. You should get about 2 cups of finely chopped meat. Set aside for the filling.
- For the filling: Melt the butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour a little at a time. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture is lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in the reserved 3 cups braising liquid and the milk. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the reserved chopped beef, parsley, mustard, Worcestershire, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few good grinds of black pepper and stir to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
- Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or other large shallow vessel and spread evenly. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
- For the breading: Set up a breading station with the flour, beaten eggs and panko in separate shallow bowls. Season each bowl with salt and pepper.
- Once chilled, roll the filling into scant tablespoon-size balls. It’s okay if they’re not perfectly round; you can roll them again once they’re coated. Dredge each ball in flour, dip in the egg and coat in the panko. Place on a sheet pan or in a baking dish and refrigerate the balls until ready to fry. At this point you can also freeze the balls and fry at a later time (see Cook’s Note).
- Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot until it registers 365 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet. Fry the bitterballen in batches until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer the balls to the prepared rack and season with kosher salt. Serve hot with a side of country Dijon mustard and a cold Dutch beer.
Cook’s Note
Marrow bones can be purchased at your local butcher. If you can, ask to have the bone split in half horizontally so that you can get more marrow and flavor out of it. To freeze the bitterballen, lay the breaded balls on a sheet pan or large plate in a single layer and freeze until hardened, then transfer the balls to a resealable freezer bag. When ready to cook, deep-fry the frozen bitterballen at a lower temperature (350 degrees F) for about 4 minutes so that the inside becomes molten as the outside slowly gets golden brown.
