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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Beer meatballs with fries

Beer meatballs with fries is a simmered dish of ground beef and pork cooked in an onion and blonde beer sauce, served with fries. It serves 4, takes 55 minutes, and stays easy to make for €2.70 per serving. The key is letting the sauce simmer gently until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Meatballs simmered in a beer and onion sauce, with fries on the side, the kind of hearty northern French cooking kids devour.

Beer meatballs with fries
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.70
Calories per person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This is a dish that fills the kitchen with warmth in winter, with a brown sauce lightly sweetened by the beer and fragrant with softened onions. The meatballs stay moist thanks to the bread soaked in milk, and the sauce coats the fries the moment you dip them in. Mon Chou puts it among the simple, generous comfort dishes from northern France.

It's a solid pick for a weeknight family dinner, since kids love dunking their fries in the sauce and the meatballs are easy to eat with no fuss. You can also make a bigger batch on a Sunday, the sauce only gets better after resting a few hours before you reheat it.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground beef 300 g
  • Ground pork 300 g

Bakery

  • Sandwich bread 3 slices

Dairy

  • Milk 10 cl
  • Egg 1

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 3
  • Parsley 3 sprigs

Pantry

  • Blonde beer 33 cl
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Flouroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Frozen foods

  • Frozen fries 600 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Crumble the bread into the milk, then mix it with the ground meats, egg, one chopped onion, parsley, salt and pepper.

    Mix by hand, it's the best way to get everything evenly combined.

  2. Shape walnut sized meatballs with damp hands.

    Wet your hands first, the meat won't stick.

  3. Brown them in hot oil, then set them aside. 8 min

    Don't stir them too much, they can fall apart.

  4. Soften the two sliced onions in the pan, dust with flour, pour in the beer and mustard, then add the meatballs back in. 25 min

    Let it simmer over low heat, the sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.

  5. Bake the fries in the oven and serve them with the meatballs. 25 min

    Frozen fries crisp up better on a hot baking sheet.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a light blonde beer rather than a bitter one, the sauce keeps a mild flavor that works for kids too.
  • Shape all the meatballs before you start cooking, that way you're not running back and forth while the first batch browns.
  • If the sauce is still too thin at the end, let it simmer uncovered a few extra minutes, the flour needs time to thicken it.

The variations

  • Swap the ground pork for ground veal for meatballs with a milder flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, use lentil or soy protein balls and keep the same onion and beer sauce.
  • To save time, grab pre formed meatballs from the butcher counter and go straight to browning them in the pan.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with vinaigrette
  • Steamed seasonal vegetables
  • Sparkling water or lemonade

Storage

The meatballs and their sauce keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. They freeze well for up to 2 months, without the fries. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

What beer works best for the sauce?

A light, low bitterness blonde beer makes the best sauce, it adds character without overpowering the meatballs. Avoid heavily hopped or very strong beers.

Can you make the meatballs ahead of time?

Yes, you can shape the meatballs the day before and keep them raw in the fridge under plastic wrap. You can also cook the whole dish a day ahead, the sauce tastes even better reheated.

Can this dish be frozen?

Yes, the meatballs in their sauce freeze well for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently in a saucepan.

Can you replace the sandwich bread in the meatballs?

You can use stale breadcrumbs soaked in milk instead of sandwich bread. The important part is soaking it well so the meatballs stay tender.

How long does it take to make beer meatballs with fries?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in beer meatballs with fries?

About 690 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does beer meatballs with fries cost?

About €2.70 per serving, or €10.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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