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Klopse (Meatballs)

Served at many upscale restaurants, klopse are actually nothing fancy. These delicious German meatballs are typically served with a rich, velvety sauce, a combination that epitomizes German comfort food. Bacon and anchovies add an extra salty and savory dimension to klopse, meaning they disappear off the table quickly, and it is very difficult for cooks to save any for leftovers.

Recipe Servings: 10

Prep Time
1 hour
Cook Time
45 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

Meatballs:
  • 1 hard bread roll, broken into pieces
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) water
  • 1 lb (455 g) ground beef
  • 1 strip bacon, diced
  • 4 anchovies, diced
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 egg
  • ½ tsp (3 g) salt
  • ¼ tsp (1.5 g) ground black pepper
Broth:
  • 6 cups (1.4 l) water
  • ½ tsp (3 g) salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 small onion, peeled and halved
  • 6 peppercorns
Gravy:
  • 1½ Tbsp (23 g) butter
  • 1½ Tbsp (12 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp (18 g) capers
  • Juice of 1 small lemon
  • ½ tsp (2.5 ml) brown mustard
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Salt, to taste
  • Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

    For Meatballs:
  1. Soak bread in water for 10 minutes. When it is softened, squeeze out excess water.
  2. Place bread, ground beef, bacon, anchovies, onion, egg, and black pepper in a large bowl.
  3. Mix ingredients together using your hands until well combined.
  4. Divide meat mixture and shape into balls about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter. 
  5. For Broth:
  6. Place water, salt, bay leaf, onion, and peppercorns in a large saucepan and bring mixture to a boil.
  7. Reduce heat to a simmer, add meatballs, and cook for about 20 minutes.
  8. Remove meatballs using a slotted spoon and keep warm while preparing gravy.
  9. Reserve broth.
  10. For Gravy:
  11. Melt butter in a skillet set over medium heat and then stir in flour.
  12. Stir in 2 cups (480 ml) of reserved broth slowly.
  13. Add capers, lemon juice, and brown mustard, stirring to combine.
  14. Simmer gravy for about 5 minutes.
  15. Stir egg yolk into simmering gravy.
  16. Season gravy with salt and black pepper.
  17. Pour gravy over the meatballs to serve.