Danish Frikadeller (Pork and Veal Meatballs)

About This Recipe

Frikadeller are Denmark's most iconic meatball, distinct in shape and texture from round meatballs found elsewhere — they're gently flattened into an oval patty shape and fried in butter until deeply golden on the outside while staying tender within. Made from a mix of ground pork and veal (or pork alone in many home versions), the mixture is bound with a soaked bread or flour-and-milk mixture and beaten vigorously before shaping, a step that develops just enough structure to hold the patties together without making them dense. The technique that separates good frikadeller from mediocre ones is the vigorous beating of the meat mixture before shaping, which some Danish cooks do by hand for several minutes until the mixture turns slightly sticky and cohesive — this develops the proteins enough to hold the patty's shape in the hot pan without needing excessive filler. Frying in butter, rather than a neutral oil, is what gives frikadeller their distinctly golden-brown, slightly nutty crust. Served with boiled or roasted potatoes, brown gravy and pickled beetroot or cucumber, frikadeller are so central to Danish home cooking that surveys have repeatedly named them the country's most beloved traditional dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gground pork
• 200 gground veal(or additional ground pork)
• 1 smallonion(finely grated)
• 1egg
• 0.33 cupall-purpose flour
• 0.75 cupmilk
• 1.5 tspfine sea salt
• 0.25 tspwhite pepper
• 0.25 tspground allspice
• 4 tbspbutter(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the base

   Combine ground pork, ground veal, grated onion, egg, flour, salt, pepper and allspice.

2. 2

   Beat the mixture

   Gradually beat in the milk, then continue beating the mixture vigorously with a spoon for 2-3 minutes until it turns slightly sticky and cohesive.

   This vigorous beating step develops the proteins enough to hold the patties together in the pan without dense fillers.

3. 3

   Chill

   Chill the mixture for 20-30 minutes to firm up, making it easier to shape.

4. 4

   Shape the patties

   Using two spoons dipped in water, shape the mixture into oval patties about 7-8cm long.

5. 5

   Fry

   Melt butter in a wide pan over medium heat. Fry the patties 5-6 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve hot with boiled potatoes, brown gravy and pickled beetroot or cucumber salad.

Variations

• •

  Use all pork if veal isn't available or affordable, a very common home variation.

• •

  Add finely chopped fresh parsley to the mixture for a herbaceous note.

• •

  Serve cold the next day on rye bread as an open-faced sandwich, a popular way to use leftovers.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat, or eat cold on rye bread. Freezes well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions