The October Daring Cooks’ Challenge was brought to us by Andrea from 4pure. She introduced us to one of her family favorites which is soon to become one of yours, too. Welcome to the world of Dutch Bitterballen!
Bitterballen (otherwise known as Dutch Croquettes) are to the Netherlands, what fish and chips are to New Zealand. In Holland, they eat about 300 million of ’em a year. It’s something I completely understand – thanks to a Dutch father, my family’s grown up on croquettes. So coveted are they, that if any one of us were on Death Row, it’s likely they’d be our preferred last supper, with a good smear of mustard on the side. Forget the salad.
My mum, who’s actually Kiwi but with a heart of a Dutch frau, has been the sole maker of croquettes for decades. She has always jokingly stated that she would never part with her secret recipe, that is until The Daring Kitchen handed it to me on a plate! And while I hesitate to say it, these croqs were every bit as good as hers. Okay, maybe I didn’t hesitate after all…
It’s quite a simple recipe, but does take some time to prepare and it’s best made over the course of two days, as per the recipe. I hope you give them a go – they’re totally worth the effort. After all, 16.8 million people can’t be wrong!
BITTERBALLEN (DUTCH CROQUETTES)
Ingredients
For the beef filling
- 1-1/3 lbs 600 gm soup meat (cubed beef)
- 4 cups beef stock or water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 onion
- 4 oz butter
- 1 cup flour
- Pepper, salt and nutmeg (optional), to taste
For the crumbed exterior
- Flour, roughly 1-2 cups
- 3-4 eggs, slightly beaten
- Fine bread crumbs, roughly 1-2 cups
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- For the beef filling: Cook the soup meat (cubed beef) in the beef stock (or water) with 1 teaspoon salt for about 2-3 hours, until it’s fork tender. Let it cool to room temperature and finely slice the beef (cutting them with kitchen scissors makes this step a breeze). Take 2 cups (500 ml) of stock and set aside.
- Dice (or mince for a smoother texture) the onion. Make a roux by melting the butter and glazing (browning) the onion for about 2 minutes. Then add the flour all at once and stir on heat until the mixture comes together as a doughy ball. Add the stock, whisk well and let it come to a boil (keep stirring). Cook at a high simmer until the mixture combines fully and forms a smooth, thick paste. Add the cooked soup meat (cubed beef). Add the nutmeg (if using), pepper and salt to taste.
- Spoon the mixture onto a shallow dish or plate and cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool down for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator (preferably overnight).
- For the crumbed exterior: Take three regular dessert bowls and fill the first one with flour, the second one with the beaten eggs and the third one with bread crumbs. Have two forks sitting in the egg mixture, and two more forks sitting in the bread crumb mixture (these will help you avoid getting your hands in a sticky mess!).
- Take a spoon or ice cream scoop and scoop out some filling. Roll the filling in your hands to form a small ball. Place it into the bowl of flour and roll it around until the ball is completely covered. Place the floured ball on a large platter. Repeat this step until all the filling is used.
- Now, one at a time, put each floured ball into the bowl of beaten egg, using the forks to roll it around. Once covered in egg, pick up the ball with the forks and drop it into the next bowl of bread crumbs, replacing the forks back into the egg mixture. Using the second set of forks, roll each ball through the bread crumbs. Once covered in crumbs, take the ball in your hands and reshape it to ensure the bread crumbs are firmly adhering and the ball is nice and round. You can repeat the breading (crumbing) process if necessary (though I didn’t). Place the completed ball back onto the platter and repeat the steps until all the balls are breaded.
- Place the platter of breaded croquettes in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (cover with plastic wrap if you leave for longer). Heat your deep-fryer to 350°F/180°C (medium heat). Check the temperature by placing a small cube of bread in the heated oil – it should sizzle and brown in a minute or two. Deep fry the bitterballen for about 3 to 4 minutes or until golden-brown. (It pays to cut a croquette in half at this stage and check it’s heated all the way through – if not, cook the balls for a wee bit longer.)
- Serve immediately with a good dollop of your favourite mustard and a fresh salad. PS: You can eat these cold (bitterballen sandwiches are divine!), but generally they’re eaten hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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13 responses
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I love bitterballen! I never thought of making them myself, probably because I thought it would be too difficult.
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Never tried bitterballen before! They look totally delicious and I can imagine that they would have tasted even better. Definitely a recipe I need to try!
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Thanks Thalia. Yes, they have a lovely smooth and creamy texture with bits of chewy meat. Yum!
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This is great! I love Bitterballen but I only ever have them when I’m back in Holland, I can never seem to find them as good anywhere else. But these are probably ten times as health! Making things yourself is always better! Although I never knew it could be this easy (well, it does take a lot of time and effort I guess) but with a result so tasty – its worth it!
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Thanks Merel – clearly, from your name, you’re Dutch as well! Yes, I always thought bitterballen would be difficult to make, but they’re easy – just a little time consuming. Making them in a big batch means you can freeze them, which is helpful. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hi,
could I make these 1 2 or 3 days ahead and freeze/refrigerate?
thanks for the recipe, I really miss the bitterballen since we moved to america!
love
Shira (themustanggirl)-
Hi Shira. Lovely to hear from you! Yes, these are often made a day or two ahead – they can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Otherwise, they freeze really well – just let them thaw naturally in the fridge overnight. Enjoy!
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Perfect, I have also made these bitterballen from chicken meat using thigh fillets a favourite with my children, served with a dollop of sweet chilli sauce on those heat and eat bread rolls devine!!
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Hi Belinda! Glad you approve! The chicken based bitterballen sounds fabulous – must make them one day!! 🙂
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