German Classics

Königsberger Klopse

Name: Königsberger Klopse
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 1 bread roll (about 50 g), preferably day-old; 250 ml cold water, for soaking; 500 g mixed ground meat (beef and pork); 50 g fatty bacon or pork fat; 4 anchovy fillets (from a tin), drained; 1 onion (about 40 g); 1 egg; Salt and white pepper; 1.5 litres water; Salt; 1 bay leaf; 1 small onion, peeled; 3 peppercorns and a few allspice/whole spice corns; 30 g butter (or margarine); 30 g plain flour; 2 tablespoons capers (about 40 g); Juice of half a lemon; ½ teaspoon mustard; 1 egg yolk; 1 pinch of sugar; Salt and white pepper

German Meatballs in Creamy Caper Sauce

Tender poached meatballs in a silky, tangy caper-lemon sauce — a classic German comfort dinner served with parsley potatoes.

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the meatballs (Klopse)

1 bread roll (about 50 g), preferably day-old
250 ml cold water, for soaking
500 g mixed ground meat (beef and pork)
50 g fatty bacon or pork fat
4 anchovy fillets (from a tin), drained
1 onion (about 40 g)
1 egg
Salt and white pepper

For poaching

1.5 litres water
Salt
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, peeled
3 peppercorns and a few allspice/whole spice corns

For the sauce

30 g butter (or margarine)
30 g plain flour
2 tablespoons capers (about 40 g)
Juice of half a lemon
½ teaspoon mustard
1 egg yolk
1 pinch of sugar
Salt and white pepper

Instructions

1
Soak the bread roll in cold water for 10 minutes. Squeeze it out well, pull it apart, and put it in a large bowl with the ground meat.
2
Finely chop the bacon, the drained anchovy fillets, and the peeled onion. Add to the meat. Mix in the egg, season with salt and white pepper, and mix everything thoroughly.
3
Bring the poaching water to a boil with salt, the bay leaf, the peeled small onion, the peppercorns and spice corns.
4
Shape the meat mixture into balls about 4 cm across. Lower them into the gently simmering liquid and let them poach (not boil) for about 20 minutes.
5
Lift the meatballs out with a slotted spoon and keep them warm in a pre-warmed bowl. Strain the broth through a sieve and keep it warm too.
6
For the sauce, heat the butter in a pot. Sprinkle in the flour and cook gently, stirring, for 3 minutes without letting it brown.
7
Gradually stir in about 500 ml of the strained broth. Add the capers, lemon juice and mustard, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
8
Whisk the egg yolk with a little of the hot sauce in a cup, then stir it back into the pot — do not let it boil again. Season with sugar, salt and pepper, and adjust with a little more lemon juice if needed.
9
Return the meatballs to the sauce and heat through once more. Serve right away in a pre-warmed bowl.

Notes & serving ideas

Menu idea: start with a light vegetable broth, then serve the Klopse as the main with beetroot salad and parsley potatoes.
For dessert, a blackberry cream rounds it off nicely. Traditionally served with a cold beer.
No anchovies on hand? A small splash of fish sauce or a little extra salt gives a similar savoury depth.