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A traditional Dutch beef croquette made from scratch with a tender beef-in-gravy filling encased in a crispy double-breaded coating. The filling starts with slow-cooked brisket folded into a roux-based ragout, chilled until firm, then shaped and fried to golden perfection.
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Cut the onion through the root into two pieces. Make sure each half has a piece of the root attached. Remove the papery skin.
Trim any excess fat from the brisket, and remove any silver skin.
Add the brisket, water, parsley, bay leaves, and onion to your electric pressure cooker. Cook at high pressure for 1 hour. (Stovetop alternative: Put brisket, bay leaf, and water in a Dutch oven and bring to a soft boil. Once boiling, lower the flame, put the lid on, and let it simmer on a low flame for 3 hours. Make sure the water level never drops below the brisket.)
Let the pressure cooker do a natural release for at least 10 minutes, then do a quick release. (Be careful, there may still be a lot of hot steam coming out!)
Skim any impurities off the top, and remove and discard the onion, bay leaves, and parsley. Take the beef out and put it on a plate.
Set your electric pressure cooker to sauté mode and bring the broth to a boil. Once boiling, add the bouillon cubes and stir to dissolve. Keep cooking the broth for 30 minutes, or until cooked down by approximately one third. (Stovetop: If broth hasn't reduced to approximately two thirds, cook it down. If already significantly lower, add some water to reach that level.)
Optionally, strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth to remove solids. This makes for a nice clear broth.
Cut the brisket into small squares and cover with plastic wrap.
Put the bowl with the broth and the cut brisket in the fridge to cool down for at least 2 hours.
When the broth and beef are almost cooled, bloom the gelatin: mix the powdered gelatin with 120 ml room temperature water and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously to create a roux. Cook the roux for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
Gradually add the warm broth to the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Keep adding broth until you have a thick, smooth sauce (ragout).
Add the bloomed gelatin to the hot ragout and stir until completely dissolved.
Add the vinegar, mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to the ragout. Stir to combine.
Fold in the cut brisket pieces and chopped parsley into the ragout. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Pour the filling into a shallow dish or baking pan, cover with plastic wrap (pressing it directly onto the surface), and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight until firm.
Once the filling is firm, scoop out portions and shape into cylinders (about 10–12 cm long). Place on a lined baking sheet.
Set up a breading station: beat the eggs with the milk in one bowl, and put the breadcrumbs in another bowl.
Roll each kroket in breadcrumbs, then dip in the egg mixture, then roll in breadcrumbs again. Make sure each kroket is fully coated. Repeat for all kroketten.
Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F) in a deep fryer or large heavy pot.
Fry the kroketten in batches for about 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy on all sides.
Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with mustard. Warning: the inside will be very hot!
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Store cooked kroketten in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 8–10 minutes until warmed through. Uncooked breaded kroketten freeze well for up to 2 months; fry directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to cooking time.
electric pressure cooker (or Dutch oven for stovetop) · deep fryer or large heavy pot · fine-mesh strainer (optional, for clarifying broth) · meat thermometer (recommended for oil temperature)
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Yes. The filling can be refrigerated overnight before shaping. Shaped, breaded kroketten can be frozen on a baking sheet, then fried directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to fry time.
Gelatin helps the ragout set firmly so kroketten hold their shape when fried and don't burst open. It also creates a tender gel texture that contrasts with the crispy coating.
Heat oil to 180°C (350°F). Use a thermometer to maintain this temperature; too cool yields greasy kroketten, too hot burns the coating before the filling heats through.
Yes. The recipe includes both methods: pressure cooker cooks brisket in 1 hour at high pressure with natural release for at least 10 minutes, then quick release. Stovetop takes 3 hours at a gentle simmer.
Traditionally served with mustard, French fries, or on a soft bun. The crispy exterior and hot filling pair well with sharp condiments.
