Easy Authentic German Frikadellen (Print version)

Juicy German Frikadellen made with beef, pork, soaked bread, mustard, herbs, and a crisp pan-fried crust.

# Ingredients:

For the patties

01 - 1 stale Kaiser roll or 3 slices white bread, torn into pieces
02 - 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
03 - 1 tablespoon clarified butter or neutral oil, plus more for frying
04 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
06 - 1/2 lb (225 g) ground pork
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 tablespoon German mustard or mild Dijon mustard
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
10 - 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
11 - 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
12 - 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
15 - 2-4 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs, only if needed

For serving

16 - German mustard
17 - Pickles, potato salad, or crusty rolls

# Instructions:

01 - Place the torn bread in a bowl with the milk and let it soften for 8-10 minutes. Squeeze out the excess milk so the bread is damp but not dripping.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the diced onion for about 4 minutes until softened, then cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, squeezed bread, cooked onion, egg, mustard, parsley, marjoram, paprika, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix by hand until evenly combined and slightly tacky.
04 - Shape the mixture into 10-12 oval patties about 3/4 inch thick. If the mixture is too soft, add breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon at a time.
05 - Heat a thin layer of clarified butter or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the patties in batches for 4-5 minutes on the first side until deeply browned.
06 - Flip and cook for another 4-6 minutes, lowering the heat if needed, until the centers reach 160°F. Rest for 5 minutes before serving with mustard and potato salad.

# Good to know:

01 - Best served warm, but traditional Frikadellen are also excellent cold.
02 - A small test patty lets you adjust salt and herbs before shaping the full batch.
03 - Cook ground meat to 160°F for food safety.

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