How to Make Beef Fritters

Many foodies, just like me, love beef because there’s a whole lot you can do with them. If you’re a beef fan or just bought some, you might be wondering what to do with the leftovers.

Well, the answer is here, dear friend! If you have leftover beef or are looking for easy supper ideas, these beef fritters are the recipe you should cook every time.

If you want to deviate a little from the classic beef and cabbage dinner, it’s also just a fantastic, original beef and potato recipe served on its own. It’s delicious on its own and you can quickly make it in half an hour.

Their versatility allows them to be served as a robust appetizer, side dish, main meal or even breakfast.

You can have them for supper with some leftover cabbage and carrots from the previous evening, and I save any remaining pork fritters for breakfast the next day, turning one original beef recipe into three.

Here’s an Instant Pot Irish stew you can try if you’re not into meat but still want to prepare something festive for a special day. It’s incredibly warming and filling.

Quick Cook Irish Stew

Ingredients

This dish makes good use of basic ingredients. Without compromising flavor or texture, I made them gluten-free and paleo by using almond flour (for true paleo, buy beef without brown sugar).

Lactose-intolerant people can also enjoy these because they are free of dairy. The ingredients for the honey mustard sauce and the fritters are stated separately.

Large eggs: these are normal, large eggs used for fritters.
Yukon gold potatoes: a good alternative to red or russet potatoes.
Yellow onions: one little yellow onion or half of a larger one would do. A red onion, a sweet onion or a white onion can be used in its place.
Cooked beef: I used leftover corned beef brisket from my Dutch oven beef dish, which I recommend using. You can use canned corned beef if you’re in a hurry. It should still taste excellent, even though the texture and flavor won’t be the same. Make sure to take off the entire jelly coating from canned meat and use just the meat itself for the recipe.
Almond flour: If desired, you can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend in place of conventional all-purpose flour.
Salt: I used Himalayan pink salt but you may use sea salt if you’d rather.
Black pepper : Ground or finely ground
Avocado oil: You can use any cooking oil in place of the avocado oil, but since we’re frying them, it needs to have a very high smoke point, so avocado oil is ideal and advised.

Mustard Sauce with Honey

This sauce is optional but using it as a dip elevates the beef fritters. These go well with this tart and sweet honey mustard sauce.

Mayonnaise: You can use yogurt or sour cream in place of mayonnaise but I love it with mayo.
Honey: You can adjust the sweetness to your taste. Similar to the honey, taste and modify with dijon brown mustard or stone ground.
Apple Cider Vinegar: If necessary, you can use lemon juice, distilled white vinegar or red wine vinegar in place of apple cider vinegar.

Recipe for the Beef Fritters

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the honey mustard sauce and leave aside.
Whisk the two eggs together in a large bowl and set them aside.
Use a knife to cut the steak into small pieces or pulse it several times in a food processor.
After peeling the potatoes, grind them along with the onion using a food processor or a box grater with large holes.
Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, squeeze as much water as possible out of the potato and onion combination with your hands.
To the bowl with the eggs, add the potato, onion, meat, almond flour (or regular flour), salt and pepper.
Mix the fritter mixture with your hands. Remember to remove your rings for safety.
Using roughly 1/4 cup of the beef mixture per patty, form 12 patties out of the mixture.
Preheat a big skillet over medium-high heat. Heat the oil after adding it until it’s hot but not smoking.
Fry the fritters in heated oil for 3–4 minutes, then turn them over and cook for a further 3–4 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown on all sides. The size of your pan will determine whether you need to cook them in batches.
Transfer the fried fritters to a platter and serve right away, either by themselves or with a dollop of sour cream, cream-style horseradish, or the optional honey mustard sauce.

Variations

This recipe for beef fritters tastes just as good as it looks. Here is an effort to maintain the recipes’ traditional feel but you’re free to experiment a little. Here are some suggestions:

Add some shredded Gruyere, Swiss or cheddar cheese.
Add chopped parsley, dill or green onions (spring onions) as fresh herbs.
Serve the cooked cabbage as a side dish or mix a small amount of it into the patties as a leftover from St. Patrick’s Day.
Serve eggs Benedict with corned beef fritters instead of English muffins.
For a delightful and nutritious addition, substitute sweet potatoes for part of the potatoes.
With cooked corn kernels added for potato-corn fritters mash-up, or with tomato sauce or ketchup added to the patties or served on the side.
Instead of using shredded potatoes, use leftover mashed potatoes or mash up the potatoes that were cooked with the corned beef.
If you want a bread texture, you can coat the patties in panko before frying.

Tips

Although this dish is quite simple to prepare, there are a few notes and suggestions to help you get it just right.

RECIPES TIPS:

Avoid using a nonstick skillet. A nonstick skillet will not produce the same level of crispiness when cooking.
Make sure to use enough oil. There isn’t much oil in the frying, even though I know you’re tempted to skip it. It’s well worth the flavor and crispiness it adds!
The patties can be prepared ahead of time, up to an hour before cooking, but preparing them more than that is not advised since the potatoes will oxidize and the patties will get soggy and lose their shape.
Be sure to extract as much liquid as you can. You have no control over which potatoes and onions are more watery than others. Removing as much water as you can will help keep your patties together.

Reheating, Freezing and Storing

The fried fritters keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days when kept in an airtight container. Although they theoretically keep longer, they can become somewhat mealy and dry in texture.

After the beef fritters are completely cold, freeze them for up to three months by placing them in an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-lock bag.

If stacking, sandwich a sheet of parchment or wax paper between the layers to prevent adhesion. Before dining, reheat them after letting them thaw in the fridge for the entire night.

Use one of the following techniques to reheat: cook in a skillet over medium heat for approximately two minutes on each side, or until the inside is heated through.

On a sheet pan in an oven, warm to 350° F (175° C) for about 8 minutes, or until the middle is heated through. In an air fryer set to 350° F (175° C) for approximately six minutes, being careful not to let them touch.

The approximate warming periods vary depending on the size, level of coldness and type of equipment you are utilizing for your fritters.

FAQs

Why are my fritters not crispy?

Your pan is probably not hot enough if your fritters aren’t browning evenly. Before you start frying for a golden brown exterior, make sure your pan is hot but the oil is not smoking.

What happens if my mixture isn’t thick enough to create patties?

This may occur if the combination rests for an extended period, if you don’t squeeze out enough moisture from the potatoes and onions or if your eggs are large.

As you create each patty, squeeze it over a bowl to remove any extra moisture, which will help the patty stick together better.