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Frikadellen, aka German Meatballs

Simple beer hall meat patties, perfect with mashed potatoes or french fries. A German staple in every home, as small meatballs they make a great appetizer or snack.
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine German
Keyword beer hall, caraway seeds, marjoram, meatballs
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of sourdough or white bread, 1-2 days old, remove the crust if especially thick or hard
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 8 oz ground pork
  • 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp German or spicy mustard
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried marjoram
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce, or Maggi
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, crushed
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 6 to 8 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Whiz the bread in a food processor until they are rough bread crumbs and place them in a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat the the oil in a medium to large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions and garlic till softened and just turning golden. Set them aside to cool down. Keep the skillet.
  2. Add the beef, pork, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, paprika, marjoram, and caraway seeds to the bread in the large bowl. Add the cooled onions.
  3. Beat the egg roughly and add it to the bowl, and give everything a gentle mix using your fingertips.
  4. Pour 3 tbsp cup milk over everything and mix gently with your fingers. If necessary add a bit more milk, you want them to be moist and hold together, not dry.
  5. Remove a small piece about the size of a quarter and sauté in the reserved skillet until cooked through. Taste and see if you like the flavour. If not, adjust it now to your liking.
  6. Now you can form your meatballs. Flatten the mixture in the bowl, and divide it into four equal quadrants. Create 6 meatballs from each section. Push down on them gently to create a patty shape. Place them on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Either use all after chilling in the fridge, or place half on the sheet into the freezer. After they are frozen transfer them to a freezer bag for future meatballs.

To cook

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Warm the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, sauté the meatballs on both sides, till browned, but not scorched. This should take about 6 minutes in total.
  3. Transfer the browned meatballs to a baking sheet and bake in the oven till cooked through, about 7-9 minutes. If using a thermometer inserted sideways into the centre, it should read 160 to 165F. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

  4. See blog post for more details.