Dutch bitterballen occupies an odd niche in the world of snacks and appetizers. They’re a meatball of sorts, but they’re also a croquette. What you call them doesn’t matter as much because they’re delicious under any name. They’re made of beef in a thick, flavorful gravy that’s chilled and then breaded and deep-fried.
They have an interesting history. They were created initially as a bar snack, something to eat along with gin or other herb-infused spirits. The Dutch refer to those spirits collectively as “bitters,” hence the name (the “ballen” part isn’t hard to figure out). The similarity to Spanish tapas is no accident: centuries back, the Netherlands was a Spanish possession, and bitterballen resulted from a mashup of Spanish tapas culture and Dutch ingredients.
Bitterballen Recipe Ingredients
- Butter: A crucial ingredient to bitterballen is a really stiff gravy that will hold everything together once it’s chilled. Cooking butter with flour coats the flour’s starch molecules with fat so they won’t clump, making a thickening paste called a roux to thicken the gravy.
- Flour: While butter adds flavor and fat, flour gives the roux its thickening power.
- Beef broth: A gravy needs some flavorful liquid and a thickener, and beef broth provides both that liquid component and a complementary shot of beef flavor.
- Sirloin steak: Beef is the most traditional filling for bitterballen. Sirloin is tender enough to be enjoyable but still relatively budget-friendly.
- Parsley: Parsley’s low-key flavor is hidden, but it elevates the flavors around it. It also brings a little pop of color to the finished meatballs.
- Nutmeg: The tiny amount used here isn’t enough to be identifiable, but it elevates the flavors of the beef and gravy more than you’d expect.
- Bread crumbs: Bread crumbs provide the golden crust that makes bitterballen appealing.
- Eggs: Eggs provide the protein and much of the moisture that helps the breadcrumbs stick to the meatballs, providing that golden shell.
- Milk: The spoonful of milk in the recipe helps thin the eggs so they cling properly to the meatballs and do not simply slide off.
- Oil: The spoonful of oil mixed in with the eggs and milk helps emulsify the liquids slightly, improving the mixture’s ability to cling to the meatballs.
Directions
Step 1: Make the filling
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until it makes a smooth paste. Gradually add the broth, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir it for a minute or so until it thickens. Stir in the meat and parsley and simmer the mixture for two to five minutes until the beef is no longer pink. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper, and stir them into the gravy. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate it for at least three to four hours until it’s well chilled and sets to a thick, firm texture.
Step 2: Prepare the meatballs
Measure the breadcrumbs into a small, shallow bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and oil. Drop the meat mixture into the breadcrumbs by tablespoons, and shape it into balls. Dip the meatballs one at a time into the egg mixture, and then again into the crumbs. Roll them to ensure that they’re entirely coated with the crumbs. Pour an inch of oil into an electric skillet, fill a deep fryer to its recommended level, and heat it to 375°F.
Editor’s tip: If you have the time, refrigerating the meatballs after they’re coated will help the crumb coating stay in place as the meatballs are fried.
Step 3: Cook the meatballs
Fry the meatballs in small batches (so the oil stays hot) for 2 to 4 minutes or until golden brown on all sides. Drain the meatballs on paper towels, and keep them warm while you cook the remaining bitterballen. Serve hot, with your choice of good deli mustard for dipping (optional, but traditional).
Bitterballen Recipe Variations
- Switch up the meat: Beef is the traditional choice for bitterballen, but that doesn’t mean you’re obligated to use it. If you’d rather use pork, chicken or some other protein, go ahead. Use the same quantity and cook it the same way you would with beef. Change the beef broth to something that works with the meat you’ve chosen, like chicken broth. Just be careful not to choose a cut that requires long cooking times.
- Take the vegetarian option: Bitterballen is pretty flexible. If you’re not interested in using meat at all, sauteed mushrooms instead of beef turns the meatballs into a vegetarian-friendly option (you’ll need to replace the beef broth with vegetable broth). For a vegan version, make the roux with oil rather than butter, use vegan-friendly breadcrumbs, and use an egg replacer to hold the crumbs in place rather than actual eggs.
- Skip the steak and use leftovers: Bitterballen and many similar recipes were originally a way to use leftovers. Suppose you have a piece of leftover roast beef (pork, rotisserie chicken, or Thanksgiving turkey). In that case, you can change it from yesterday’s news to today’s craveable snack by dicing it and using it in your bitterballen.
How to Store Bitterballen
Leftover bitteballen can be kept on a covered plate in your fridge or packed into a food-safe storage container with a tight-fitting lid. Lining the bottom with a paper towel will help draw out any excess oil.
How long will bitterballen keep?
Like most leftovers, bitterballen is food-safe for as much as four or five days if you refrigerate them promptly. If you’ve made your bitterballen with leftovers rather than the fresh steak (see Variations), eating them within two to three days is prudent.
Can I make bitterballen ahead of time?
If you’d like to have bitterballen ready when your guests arrive, your best bet is to prepare the balls a day in advance and refrigerate them uncooked on plates or a sheet pan. Then, fry them at the last minute to serve them hot and fresh.
Can I freeze bitterballen?
Bitterballen freezes pretty well. Your best bet is to freeze them on a sheet pan in a single layer and then pack them into freezer bags or freezer-safe storage containers once they’re frozen. That way, they won’t stick together or become deformed. To serve, remove as many as you need from their bags or containers and either thaw them or cook them straight from the freezer. Fry them just a few at a time because frozen bitterballen will lower the heat of your oil more than their room temperature equivalents.
Dutch Bitterballen Recipe Tips
How should I reheat my bitterballen?
That’s a good question. Ideally, you want the breadcrumb shell to recapture the crunch that makes bitterballen so appealing. You can re-crisp them in a skillet on the stovetop, in your air fryer or in a moderate oven or toaster oven (275° to 375°F). Unlike many leftover fried foods, they won’t dry out when reheated because they’re filled with gravy.
I really love the crunch. Is there any way to make the breadcrumb shell even sturdier?
You can double down on the textural difference between the crunchy shell and the soft interior in a couple of ways. One is to switch from regular breadcrumbs to the larger panko-style breadcrumbs, which give a more distinct crunch. Another is to double-bread the bitterballen: after you’ve breaded them once, let them rest for 15 or 20 minutes and then dredge them through the egg mixture and crumbs once again. The double layer of breading will make an extra-crispy shell.
How can I keep my hands clean while breading the bitterballen?
If you don’t like the feeling of sticky, egg-y stuff on your fingers, you have a couple of options. One is to keep a box of disposable kitchen gloves around and use those for messy tasks like breading foods or handling raw meat. Professional cooks are trained to use one hand for dipping foods into the egg wash and crumbs and then to use the other only for the foods after they’re breaded. Your second hand stays clean and dry so you can use it to handle plates or utensils with minimal risk of contamination from the egg (or in other dishes, from handling raw meat, poultry or fish).
