If you like Swedish meatballs, you’ll be sure to enjoy Danish meatballs. While the former is round and smooth, Danish meatballs are football-shaped. They are notably full of onions and can be eaten with or without gravy, cold or hot, however you fancy. Leftover frikadeller may be sliced and served cold on a piece of toasted rye bread as an open-faced sandwich, known as smørrebrød—a Danish staple.

All frikadeller recipes are slightly different. My only departure, if you could call it that, is that I don’t put the onions in the ground meat raw. I think sweating them first helps to concentrate flavors and bring out the alliums’ sweetness.

This recipe is inspired by my dear friends Nathan and Amy Kramer of Benson, Nebraska. They introduced me to the customs and comforts of Danish food—and aquavit. Life has been richer since.

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1. Over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to a pan. Sweat minced onion and shallot, with a pinch of salt, for 5 to 7 minutes or until softened and translucent. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Do not brown—you’re only looking to soften and slightly dry out the onions. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool completely. Meanwhile, soak panko breadcrumbs with milk in a small bowl.
2. Add ground venison, pork, soaked breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground pepper, ¼ tsp. nutmeg, 2 eggs, and 3 tablespoons flour to the mixing bowl with the cooled onion. Knead with your hands until you get a well-combined mixture. Keep cold while you prepare potatoes.
3. Peel and cut potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on size. Transfer to a pot and fully cover with water. Add chicken bouillon powder. Bring to a boil, and then simmer until softened but not falling apart, about 20 to 30 minutes. Afterward, you can keep the potatoes in the water to keep warm.
4. While potatoes are boiling, shape the meat mixture into quenelles using two large spoons or use your hands to make football-shaped dumplings. Place them onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper while you work.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear frikadeller until well browned on all sides. Add more oil as needed. Place browned meat into a baking dish, cover with foil and place in the oven to cook through for another 10 minutes or so. You’re looking for an internal temperature of at least 155°.
6. While the meat is in the oven, make the gravy. First, heat the stock. Then, in the same pan you cooked the frikadeller, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Next, add 3 tablespoons of flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Then gradually whisk in hot stock, allowing the stock to reabsorb and thicken with each addition. Whisk until there are no more lumps. Add a splash of heavy cream and season to taste. Add more stock as needed. Serve frikadeller with drained boiled potatoes and gravy.