Boulets à la Liégeoise - Belgium Meatballs
Boulets à la Liégeoise are a traditional Belgium meatball recipe made with a mixture of pork and beef mince cooked in a delicious sauce.
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 616kcal
Equipment
- frying pan
- roasting tray
- mixing bowl
- measuring jug
Ingredients
for the meatballs
- beef dripping
- 300 grams lean beef mince
- 700 grams pork mince
- 4 thick slices of bread crusts removed, soaked in milk
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 large handful fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 free-range eggs
- 35 grams dried bread crumbs
- Shetland sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- freshly grated nutmeg to taste
for the sauce
- 2 tbsp Scottish rapeseed oil or drippings from the meatball pan
- 3 onions halved and sliced
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 3 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 330 ml dark Belgium beer
- 670 ml good quality beef stock I
- 2 tbsp Sirop de Liège I used pear & apple spread by Sunwheel
- 4 whole cloves
- 6 juniper berries
- 2 bay leaves
- Shetland sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 20 grams cornflour dissolved in a bit of cold water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C and lightly grease a roasting tray with beef dripping.
- Put 300 grams lean beef mince, 700 grams pork mince, 4 thick slices of bread (soaked in milk), 1 onion, chopped, 1 large handful fresh parsley, chopped, 2 free-range eggs, 35 grams dried bread crumbs into a large bowl. Season well with Shetland sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Using your hands, combine well.
- Measure out 10-12 meatballs weighing approximately 120 grams each and place into the roasting tray.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp Scottish rapeseed oil in your saute pan.
- Cook 3 onions, chopped, with 4 fresh thyme sprigs for a few minutes until they begin to change colour. Add 3 tbsp dark muscovado sugar, stirring to caramelise the onions.
- Deglaze the pan with 1 tsp red wine vinegar and then add 330 ml dark Belgium beer and 670 ml good quality beef stock.
- Bring to the boil and add 2 tbsp Sirop de Liège, 4 whole cloves, 6 juniper berries and 2 bay leaves. Season with Shetland sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Pop the lid on the frying pan and set the timer for 30 minutes.
- During the final five minutes of cooking add 20 grams cornflour dissolved in some water to thicken the sauce.
- Add the meatballs and serve with frites, salad and a good Belgium beer.
Nutrition
Calories: 616kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 488mg | Potassium: 910mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 4mg