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Stack of Danish meatballs garnished with cut green onion.
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4.5 from 2 votes

Ulla's Danish Meatballs - Frikadeller

These little orbs of meat and onion are delicious on their own or use them in your next Smørrebrød!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Pork
Cuisine: Danish
Keyword: Danish Meatballs, Frikedeller, Meatballs
Servings: 4 main course servings
Author: Anna

Special Equipment

  • Grater
  • 10" or 12" frying pan or air fryer

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • cup flour
  • ¾ cup grated onion, use the large side of the box grater and include the liquid from the onion in the mix.
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ to ½ cup water or milk, I've always used water with Gr8 results.
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons oil for frying, or use half oil and half butter. You may need more if your pan is larger.

Instructions

  • Thoroughly mix together the pork, flour, onion, salt and pepper. I do this with my hands and really mix and squeeze it all together to ensure it's very well combined.
  • Add ¼ cup of the water. If necessary, add more water, up to ½ cup. To determine if more water is needed, make a meatball using about a rounded tablespoon, the frikadeller should be tender and sticky (it will feel very sticky and soft). If it isn't soft enough, add the remaining water. The amount of water will vary depending on how much liquid comes from the onion and the particular pork you are able to get.
  • Scoop the meatballs into a rounded tablespoon. Flatten each meatball a bit, this makes them easier to cook and eat.

Fry on the Stove

  • Heat a thin layer of oil or butter or a combo in the bottom of your frying pan. Then fry each meatball on both sides until cooked through. Try not to crowd the meatballs in the pan, leave about an inch between each. You may need to cook these in a couple of batches.
  • The internal temperature of cooked ground pork should be 160°F.
  • Drain on paper towels.

Cook in an Air Fryer

  • Place in a single layer in your air fryer basket and cook on 400° for 6 to 8 minutes until browned. Then flip over and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes until browned and cooked through. Every air fryer is different, so you may need to adjust the temp or time.
  • The internal temperature of cooked ground pork should be 160°F.
  • Serve with pickled beets and/or pickled cucumber salad. See below for cucumber salad recipe.

Notes

Gr8 Do Ahead Tip:
The meatballs can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. Remove from fridge about 20 minutes before placing in the oven so some of the chill is off. Heat oven to 350°F and heat the meatballs. 
You can also steam them which will be less apt to dry them out. Put about an inch of water in the bottom of a covered pot, place the steamer basket in then stack the meatballs in the basket. Cover and steam for about 8 to 10 minutes until heated through.
Pickled Cucumber Salad
What you need: water, white vinegar, granulated sugar, 1 English cucumber, 15 peppercorns, one sprig of fresh dill (I have made this without the dill and it's still delicious!)
Thinly slice the cucumber (I use a Kyocera ceramic hand-held slicer. Affiliate Link) and place in a heat-resistant bowl. (Pyrex or metal) Add the peppercorns and dill to the cucumber.
Heat 1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar, and ½ cup sugar in a small pan over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved. Don't let it boil.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the cucumbers and peppercorns. Let it sit for 3 hours. Once it's cooled, cover and place in the refrigerator. 
As you eat the salad, you can add more cucumbers to the liquid. The salad should last about a week in the refrigerator.
Tried this recipe?Mention @Great8Friends or tag #gr8food!