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Frikadelllen

10/25/2022

26 Comments

 
German Frikadellen, a flavorful meat patty that is a cross between a meatball and a burger.
Frikadellen
Frikadellen are German meat patties made from ground beef and pork, seasoned with different spices. Eggs, onions, day-old soaked bread or breadcrumbs are added too. The ingredients and spices vary from region to region, and so does the name for these tasty morsels. In Berlin, they are called Buletten, and in other parts of Germany they are called Klopse, Fleischküchel, or Fleischpflanzerl. It used to be a poor man’s delicacy that has been around for centuries. In 1790, the German author Theodor Fontane’s mother wrote a recipe for Frikadellen that is basically the same as the ones used today. There is a rumor that the Frikadellle was the inspiration for the Hamburger. Apparently, some immigrants from Hamburg made their Frikadellen in the New World and just put it between two buns.
Frikadellen
I love Frikadellen--they are the perfect comfort food. I especially like them cold on a sandwich slathered with mustard. Traditionally, they are served with potato salad, but they are great with any veggie of your liking.
Frikadellen
​When I talked to my German friends and checked recipes in cookbooks and online, everybody seems to have a different twist to the recipe. The meat and the soaked bread are the same, although in some recipes the bread is soaked in milk instead of water. Sometimes, the onions are sautéed with some parsley. I found recipes with different spices added like mace and cardamon. My girlfriend, Susanne (who is an excellent cook) adds Worcestershire sauce.
Frikadellen
Frikadellen
Tips for making a good Frikadelle:
Select a ground meat with a good ratio of fat. If you use extra lean meat, the Frikadellen will lose a lot of water and become dry. Use your hands and thoroughly knead the mixture; the more you knead the better the results. Moistening your hands with water before forming the patties will prevent the meat mixture from sticking to your hands. If you want to test for the correct seasoning, sauté a little patty and taste. Keep the patties in the fridge for at least 15 minutes before sautéing them. Traditionally the Frikadellen are fried in clarified butter. 
And they freeze well.
Print the Recipe
Recipe for Frikadelllen
 Ingredients:
This recipe makes between 5 and 7 Frikadellen depending on the size. This recipe can be easily doubled.

½ pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1 slice white bread or bun (preferably 1-2 days old)
2 tsp German or Dijon mustard
2 TBS finally chopped parsley
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tsp paprika 
1 tsp salt
½ tsp mace
a squeeze of Worcestershire  sauce
2 TBS olive oil +1TBS butter

Directions:
Soak the bun in cold water for about 15 minutes. Finely chop or grate the onion.
Finely chop the parsley. Squeeze all the water out of the bun. 
Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Mix them with your hands for a while until everything is well combined. Use wet hands to make the patties. I formed six patties, but you can make them smaller. Shape each part into a ball and flatten them with your hands. All patties should be the same size. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and sauté the patties on medium heat until they are browned on both sides (6-7) minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, check the temperature. It should read 165° F in the center of the Frikadellen. Transfer to a plate with paper towels and rest them for a few minutes before serving.


Guten Appetit!
Recipe from sunnycovechef.com
(and many cooks before me )


Are you in the mood for some more German Recipes? The Rouladen are braised meat,  flavored with mustard, pickles , prosciutto and a rich gravy. 
Königsberger Klopse are German meatballs in tangy white sauce with capers. 
Rouladen
Rouladen
Königsberger Klopse
Königsberger Klopse
26 Comments
Tory Thomas
10/27/2022 06:19:51 am

Looks amazing. Can you send the recipe for the sauce on top as seen in the first photo?

Thanks!

Reply
Gerlinde
10/29/2022 06:42:59 am

I will post a recipe for the sauce the next time I make them. I usually don’t make them with a sauce. Call me if you want the recipe right away.

Reply
David Scott Allen link
10/29/2022 09:35:37 am

I definitely knew them as Klopse, although I think I remember seeing Bulleten on the menu in Berlin. (But that was so many years ago, I can’t be sure.) When we were getting ready to go to Germany several years ago, I surprised Mark with both the trip and Konigsberger Klopse for his birthday in December.

Reply
Gerlinde
10/31/2022 08:42:44 pm

What a nice surprise for Mark. Once a year I make Königsberger Klopse for my German group. They always ask for it.

Reply
Chef Mimi link
10/30/2022 07:09:03 am

These sound wonderful. Love the flavors in them.

Reply
Gerlinde
10/31/2022 08:43:15 pm

The flavors are great.

Reply
Liz link
10/31/2022 03:42:28 am

Mmmmm....these sound terrific! Thanks for the yummy recipe to shake up our menu.

Reply
Gerlinde
10/31/2022 08:44:23 pm

Liz, I hope you and your family will enjoy them,

Reply
Ron link
11/1/2022 01:16:56 am

Frikadellen is likely what my mother used to make when I was a youngster. She called them German meat paddies and they were good cold as a snack as well. I'll have to try these so I can revisit that food memory. Thanks for sharing...

Reply
Gerlinde
11/2/2022 03:08:23 pm

Ron, thank you for your nice comment. Food can bring back so many memories. If you make them, let me know how they turned out .

Reply
Healthy World Cuisine link
11/1/2022 05:23:51 pm

Love the addition of mustard in your frikadelllen patties. They sound hearty and delicious. Hope your week is off to a great start.

Reply
Gerlinde
11/2/2022 03:09:29 pm

These Frikadellen have a wonderful flavor. I hope all is well with you and your family.

Reply
sherry link
11/2/2022 02:51:09 am

I love these. yes i like to add Worcestershire sauce too.

Reply
Gerlinde
11/2/2022 03:12:10 pm

The Worcestershire sauce adds quite a bit of flavor .

Reply
The-FoodTrotter link
11/3/2022 03:33:30 pm

I love frikadellen! They taste so fragrant it's amazing with a good creamy gravy :)

Reply
Gerlinde
11/11/2022 11:41:10 am

The gravy adds another layer. I need to post the recipe when I get home.

Reply
sonia link
11/11/2022 11:11:48 am

Great recipe. Thanks for sharing.

Reply
Gerlinde
11/11/2022 11:41:48 am

Thank you Sonja for visiting my blog.

Reply
Frank | Memorie di Angelina link
11/14/2022 05:51:23 am

Sounds delicious!

You know, Italians make a very similar dish traditionally called "svizzere" (or Swiss patties, not sure why..) although these days many people just call them hamburgers. Also with soaked bread, eggs, sautéed onion, etc. though the flavorings are a bit different. Small world!

Reply
Gerlinde
11/21/2022 09:58:22 pm

It is a small world Frank , Germany now has some fantastic Italian restaurants run by Italians of course.

Reply
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com link
11/15/2022 07:58:20 am

Gerlinde, this sounds so good. I plan to make it very soon. Looking forward to the sauce recipe.

Reply
Gerlinde
11/21/2022 10:00:26 pm

I am sorry Jean, I have been gone most of the time. I will post the sauce recipe the next time I make the Frikadellen.

Reply
Jeff the Chef link
11/19/2022 07:51:14 pm

This looks so intriguing. I've never cooked with mace.

Reply
Gerlinde
11/21/2022 10:03:14 pm

Mace is the sister of nutmeg, both grow on the same tree. It gives savory dishes a nice flavor.

Reply
Karen (Back Road Journal) link
11/21/2022 07:03:36 am

Both of your photos make this dish very appealing, one for cool weather and the other for summer dining.

Reply
Gerlinde
11/21/2022 10:06:03 pm

That's right Karen, the Frikallen can be eaten cold with a salad or with mashed potatoes.

Reply



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    WELCOME TO SUNNY COVE CHEF

    Thank you for visiting my blog.  My two passions are cooking and traveling. Traveling exposes me to a wide variety of food and experiences. I walk around cities looking for markets, restaurants, bakeries, shops, you name it, and if it is related to food you will find me there, tasting, smelling, talking to vendors, and having a great time.

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