Danish Meatballs

Steps

1. Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater into a small bowl, saving all the juice. You should have about 3/4 cup.
2. Put the meat, salt, pepper and allspice in a large bowl and mix with a sturdy spoon for about 1 minute, until the meat turns a little sticky. Stir in the flour and oats, then the onion with its juice, then the egg.
3. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring hard, until the mixture is soft but still holds its shape on a spoon. You may not need it all.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 1 day. Chilling firms the mixture so it is easier to shape.
5. Heat the oven to 200°F and set a rimmed baking sheet in it. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until the butter foams. Fry a teaspoon of the mixture until cooked through, taste it and add more salt or pepper to the bowl if it needs it.
6. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of the mixture with a large spoon and shape it into an oval against your wet palm. Slide it into the pan and press it lightly to flatten the top. Repeat, leaving room between them, about 9 to a batch.
7. Fry until deep golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn them and fry until browned on the other side and a thermometer in the center reads 160°F, 5 to 7 minutes more. Turn the heat down if they brown too fast.
8. Move them to the pan in the oven to keep warm. Wipe out the skillet if the butter looks burnt, add the rest of the butter and oil and fry the second batch. Serve hot with potatoes and red cabbage or pickled cucumbers.

Good to know

• Make ahead: cooked meatballs keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer. Warm them on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until the center reads 165°F, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Swap: all pork works, or half pork and half beef. Fine dry breadcrumbs can replace the oats.
• Simple pan gravy: pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat, whisk in 2 tablespoons flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups beef or chicken broth and 1/4 cup heavy cream, then simmer until it coats a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cold leftovers are a Danish lunch favorite. Slice them and lay them on buttered rye with pickled beets or red cabbage.