Fleischküchle (German Meatballs)

Fleischküchle is a dish that comes out of the south (and Schwäbisch) part of Germany. They are like meatballs but instead of being served over pasta they are eaten on their own with gravy and side dishes such as mashed potatoes and vegetables. They are easy and quick to make. Of course, we put in garlic and onion but if you do not like either of these things it is no problem to leave them out.

You need:
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 bulb garlic, chopped finely
1 egg
Salt and other seasonings
Bread crumbs
Oil for frying



Cut the onions and garlic and mix with the egg and add  the raw ground beef. Pour in about 1/3 cup of bread crumbs. Add a teaspoon of salt and some other spices (such as Italian mix, basil, and pepper). Mix the meat mixture (with your hands is best). Continue to add bread crumbs until the mixture is only slightly moist but still holding together well.



 

Make small balls (about 1.5 inches across), just like meatballs. At this time it is good to pour a good amount of grease into a pan and heat on high. Once the grease is very hot, place each ball into the pan and let cook for a few minutes, or until a crisp brown.









Turn and cook on the other side until completely brown and cooked through - about 6 minutes total.










It is very important to get the pan hot before putting in the Fleischküchle or they will not have a crisp brown outside.






Serve with mashed potatoes, some type of vegetable (we like green beans) and a brown gravy. The American likes ketchup with them, he says they should be eaten with only the gravy.