About this Dish
The Netherlands' most beloved bar snack — small, spherical croquettes of slow-braised beef ragout in béchamel, breaded and deep fried, served with mustard. The interior must be almost liquid — a cold, set interior is a failure. Eaten standing at the bar (bittergarnituur) with Dutch beer. The ritual of bitterballen and beer is the Dutch equivalent of tapas and wine.
IngredientsServes 4
🥩Beef shin or chuck, 500g whole piece
🧅White onion, 1 large, roughly chopped
🥕Carrot, 1 medium, roughly chopped
🌿Fresh thyme, 3 sprigs, plus 2 bay leaves
🧈Unsalted butter, 80g
🌾Plain flour, 80g, plus extra for breading
🥛Whole milk, 300ml, warmed
🥚Eggs, 2, beaten for breading
🍞Fine dry breadcrumbs, 150g
🌻Sunflower oil, 1.5 litres for deep frying
Method
1
Place the beef, onion, carrot, thyme and bay leaves in a pot, cover generously with cold water, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook covered for 2.5 to 3 hours until the beef is completely fall-apart tender, then lift the beef out and strain and reserve 300ml of the braising stock.2
Shred the beef very finely with two forks — you want almost a paste-like texture with no large chunks, as this helps give bitterballen their famously smooth, molten interior. Set aside.3
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the warm milk and then the reserved beef stock, switching to a wooden spoon and stirring vigorously until you have a very thick, smooth, glossy ragout sauce.4
Fold the shredded beef into the sauce until fully combined, season generously with salt, white pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish or tray, press clingfilm directly onto the surface, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely firm and set.5
Using wet hands or two spoons, roll portions of the set mixture into balls roughly the size of a golf ball — about 30g each. Work quickly as the mixture softens fast; if it gets too soft, return it to the fridge for 15 minutes.6
Set up a breading station: flour in one bowl, beaten egg in a second, and breadcrumbs in a third. Roll each ball in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, then dip back in the egg and breadcrumbs a second time for a thick, secure coating that won't burst during frying. Place on a tray and freeze for 20 minutes before frying.7
Heat the oil in a deep pot to 180°C. Fry the bitterballen in small batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden brown all over. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and serve immediately with Dutch mustard — the interior should be dangerously, gloriously molten.User Reviews
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