To Make Force-meat Balls is a traditional British recipe, based on Hannah Glasse's recipe of 1747, for a classic meatball made from a blend of minced (ground) veal, beef suet, spices and eggs that are either fried or boiled to cook. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: To Make Force-meat Balls.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Hannah Glasse's 1747 volume The Aft of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, the classic Georgian cookbook.
To make force-meat balls.
NOW you are to obſerve, that force-meat balls are a great addition to all made diſhes ; made thus : take half a pound of veal, and half a pound of ſuet, cut fine, and beat in a marble mortar or wooden bowl ; have a few ſuet-herbs ſhred fine, a little mace dried and beat fine, a ſmall nutmeg grated, or half a large one, a little lemon-peel cut very fine, a little pepper and ſalt, and the yolks of two eggs ; mix all theſe well together ; then roll them in little round balls, and ſome in little long balls ; roll them in flour, and fry then brown. If they are for any thing of white ſauce, put a little water on in a ſaucepan, and when the water boiles put them in and let them boil for a few minutes, but never fry them for white ſauce.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
225g minced veal
225g shredded beef suet
2 tbsp herbs (parsley, savory, thyme), finely chopped
1/4 tsp ground mace
1 small nutmeg, finely grated
2 tsp finely-grated lemon zest
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 egg yolks
flour, for dusting
butter for frying
Method:
Mix together the veal and suet in a bowl then stir in the chopped herbs, mace, nutmeg and lemon zest. Season to taste then work in the egg yolks. Mix thoroughly then take small amounts of the mixture and shape into round balls and ovals.
Roll the shapes in flour to coat. Heat the butter in a pan and when the foam has subsided add the forcemeat balls and fry until browned and cooked through.
If, however, you are going to use these forcemeat balls to accompany a white sauce, bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil, add the forcemeat balls and boil for a few minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and serve.
