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Berenklauw: Deep Fried Meatball and Onion on a Stick, with Peanut Sauce

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Learn to make Berenklauw, a Dutch snack dish consisting of meatballs and onions on a skewer. The meatballs are typically deep-fried and then served with delicious peanut sauce, which is the perfect combination to beat even the most demanding humongous hunger! You can find these under many different names at snack bars all around the Netherlands: Spoetnik, Berenhap, Gehaktbal speciaal, or Berenklauw.

Growing up, I’d visit my favorite snack bar more than I’m willing to admit. And while a Frikandel Speciaal was probably the meat dish I ordered most, the berenklauw was probably a close second. Let’s face it: what’s not to like … a delicious sliced meatball and put on a skewer with rings of onion, that is deep-fried and then served with a generous helping of peanut sauce.

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Berenklauw: Deep Fried Meatball and Onion on a Stick, with Peanut Sauce

Learn to make berenklauw, a Dutch snack dish consisting of meatballs and onions on a skewer. The meatballs are typically deep-fried and then served with delicious peanut sauce, which is the perfect combination to beat even the most demanding humongous hunger! You can find these under many different names at snack bars all around the Netherlands: Spoetnik, Berenhap, Gehaktbal speciaal, or Berenklauw.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Dutch

Keyword Beef, Dutch Food, ground meat, meatball, peanut sauce

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 351kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Meatballs

600 g Ground meat (I use all beef, but you can use a beef/pork mixture)
1 tbsp Mayonnaise
1 tbsp Yellow mustard
1 tbsp Ketjap Manis
1 tsp Sambal Oelek
1 pinch Nutmeg Freshly grated
4 tbsp Bread crumbs
1 tsp Cornstarch
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 tbsp Unsalted butter
all-purpose flour For dredging

Berenklauw

6 Onion
Peanut Sauce
4 Qt Oil For deep frying

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Instructions

Making the meatballs

In a large bowl, add the ground meat, mayonnaise, mustard, sambal oelek, ketjap manis, breadcrumbs, corn starch, salt, and pepper.
Wearing gloves, mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.
Shape them into 6 even-sized meatballs. Each ball should weigh approximately 120grams (4.25oz)
Dredge the balls through some flour; just a light coating is all you need.
Place the meatballs in the fridge for 30 minutes.
In a large Dutch oven, heat up the butter.
On high heat, brown the meat balls on all sides
When the meatballs are browned on all sides, lower the heat to low, and put the lid partially on the Dutch oven. (You want a little bit of a crack, to make sure the steam escapes. Let the meatballs simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, turning them occasionally.
Remove the meatballs from the pan, let them cool off. Put them in the fridge for 60 minutes; you want them to be completely cold when you fry them.

Shaping the berenklauw

Cut all the onions into even disks, approximately 1½ cm (⅝ inch) Peel the outer papery skin from each of the disks of onion rings. You want to use the two outer, and one center disk of each of your onions.
Cut your meatballs into four even slices. Make sure you keep them together in the right order.
Place one of the ends of the meatball on a skewer.
Add one of the outer disks of your onion. You may have to trim a few layers off, if the onion is significantly larger than your meatball; you want the diameter of the meatball and the onion ring to be approximately the same.
Add the next disk from the meatball to the skewer, then add the center disk from the onion. Again, you may have to trim a few layers off, if the onion is significantly larger than your meatball; you want the diameter of the meatball and the onion ring to be approximately the same.
Add the next slice from the meatball to the skewer, and add one of the outer disks of your onion.
Add the last slice of your meatball, and push them together a bit; you don't want there to be large gaps between the onions and meat.
Repeat for the other meatballs and onions.

Frying the berenklauwen

In a large, heavy, Dutch oven (or a deep fryer), heat your oil to 175ºC (350F)
Fry up the berenklauw for 4 minutes. Depending on the size of your pan / fryer, you may only be able to fry 1 or 2 at a time.
Let them drain on some paper towel, and serve with some peanut sauce.