Boulets à la Liégeoise are a traditional Belgium meatball recipe made with a mixture of pork and beef mince cooked in a delicious sauce.
A Belgian holiday
It feels like an absolute age since I have cooked anything properly. It’s been nearly a month since I blogged a recipe, as I’ve been that busy travelling.
I had just returned from a two-week bike-packing trip through the highlands of Scotland (part one can be read here. Before I had finished unpacking from the bike-packing trip, my family and I were off on another holiday, this time to Brussels for a weekend’s Belgian Chocolate Experience courtesy of P&O Ferries.
A trio of Belgian specialities
The first evening, we had dinner at Chutney’s in the city centre. We chose this restaurant over the others because it had a handwritten sign outside boasting traditional Belgian cuisine.
I tried a trio of Belgian specialities. This included vol au vent, beef carbonade and the Liège meatball, aka Boulets à la Liégeoise. This was served with Belgian fries and a bottle of Le Fort craft ale to wash it down.
I’m not really a beer drinker, but this ale was really rather lovely, dark and rich with an excellent flavour.
Recreating Belgian meatballs at home
The whole meal tasted amazing, and I vowed when I returned home, I would look up the recipe for the meatballs. Also, the fries were the best fries I have ever eaten.
It turns out that Belgian frites are fried in beef dripping instead of the vegetable oil I have grown accustomed to in the UK. Genius! How can I ever go back to oven fries again?!
We arrived back from our weekend trip abroad yesterday, and so with Belgium fever still upon us, I picked up a few Belgian beers at the wine shop in Lerwick and set about recreating the classic meatball recipe I’d tried in Brussels.
Traditionally, these meatballs are baked in the oven, and the sauce is prepared separately.
I originally made this recipe for a multicooker brand I used to create sponsored content for. I’ve since updated the recipe.
It’s a really rather simple recipe. Blend the meatball ingredients, combining beef and pork mince, form into large meatballs and bake.
The gravy involves sauteeing some onions with fresh thyme. You then add a good quality beef stock and some Belgian brown beer.
The special ingredient is sirop de Liège, an apple-butter-like spread made with evaporated apple and pear concentrate. I couldn’t obtain this in Shetland, so I replaced it with pear and apple spread.
The gravy is thick and fruity, ideal for dipping fries into. Although this recipe is a classic Belgian dish, there are as many different ways to make it as there are families. Everyone has their own style. I adapted two recipes from here and here to prepare mine.
Recipe Difficulty Levels
Easy
Requires basic cooking skills and ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.
Moderate
Requires more experience, preparation and/or cooking time. You may have to source special ingredients.
Challenging
Recipes requiring more advanced skills and experience and maybe some special equipment.
Boulets à la Liégeoise – Belgium Meatballs
Ingredients
for the meatballs
- beef dripping
- 300 grams lean beef mince
- 700 grams pork mince
- 4 thick slices of bread crusts removed, soaked in milk
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 large handful fresh parsley finely chopped
- 2 free-range eggs
- 35 grams dried bread crumbs
- Shetland sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- freshly grated nutmeg to taste
for the sauce
- 2 tbsp Scottish rapeseed oil or drippings from the meatball pan
- 3 onions halved and sliced
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 3 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 330 ml dark Belgium beer
- 670 ml good quality beef stock I
- 2 tbsp Sirop de Liège I used pear & apple spread by Sunwheel
- 4 whole cloves
- 6 juniper berries
- 2 bay leaves
- Shetland sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 20 grams cornflour dissolved in a bit of cold water
Affiliate Links
This recipe card may contain affiliate ingredient and equipment links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200 C and lightly grease a roasting tray with beef dripping.
- Put 300 grams lean beef mince, 700 grams pork mince, 4 thick slices of bread (soaked in milk), 1 onion, chopped, 1 large handful fresh parsley, chopped, 2 free-range eggs, 35 grams dried bread crumbs into a large bowl. Season well with Shetland sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Using your hands, combine well.
- Measure out 10-12 meatballs weighing approximately 120 grams each and place into the roasting tray.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp Scottish rapeseed oil in your saute pan.
- Cook 3 onions, chopped, with 4 fresh thyme sprigs for a few minutes until they begin to change colour. Add 3 tbsp dark muscovado sugar, stirring to caramelise the onions.
- Deglaze the pan with 1 tsp red wine vinegar and then add 330 ml dark Belgium beer and 670 ml good quality beef stock.
- Bring to the boil and add 2 tbsp Sirop de Liège, 4 whole cloves, 6 juniper berries and 2 bay leaves. Season with Shetland sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Pop the lid on the frying pan and set the timer for 30 minutes.
- During the final five minutes of cooking add 20 grams cornflour dissolved in some water to thicken the sauce.
- Add the meatballs and serve with frites, salad and a good Belgium beer.
Five Things to See & Do in Orkney in a Day
Liège native here, living in Brussels now. I’m from a village nearby Aubel (Sirop de Liège is actually Sirop d’Aubel).
The word boulet is a local variation of boulettes (meatballs). And in local terms, we just call it “Boulet liégeois”. Not “à la Liégeoise”.
What you had is the turistic version of “Boulets liégeois” in a city (Brussels) where it’s not the actual speciality and where they usually call it “boulettes” (not knowing the peculiarities). With all due respect to Brussels chefs, it doesn’t even look the way it should be served in your picture. And spring onions? Never! And where are the raisins in your recipe?
Very few can replicate the “boulet” in Brussels or elsewhere I’m afraid.
It’s like asking for ragu alla bolognese in Sicily…
If you liked them, go to Liège, there are several restaurants that have made of the “boulet à la Liégeoise” an absolute art.
Hell, I go back there sometimes for one. It’s a cheap and popular dish that is delicious. 😉
I was in Liège 2 weeks ago. This recipe came very close to what I had there. I could pick up Luikse stroop in the Netherlands in my local supermarket, but maybe should have looked harder for stroop from Aubel 😉
There were no raisins in what I was served in Liège either, only jeneverbessen. Lovely little pops of flavour.
Delicious recipe!
My son married a Belgium girl and we were lucky enough to go to Belgium for their wedding. Ofcourse we had Belgium meatballs and my very fussy DH absolutely loved this dish. I prepared this recipe for our anniversary dinner and it’s pretty bang on for flavor. VERY good. I poached some pears and had an apple reduction to use as a Liégeoise sauce. Will definitely be making again!
Aw wow, thank you so much for this wonderful feedback! Love your clever pear/apple reduction substitute, I will try this!
I prepared this and it was exactly like the meatballs dish I ate in Brussels!
Does it have to have beer in it? I’m only 13.
No, it doesn’t – just replace the beer with some good quality beef or pork stock 🙂
Dear Leroy, as long as an adult pours the beer into the sauce you should be fine. All the alcohol in the beer evaporates during the cooking of the sauce, so the alcohol content of the sauce is 0.
Hi
Im making them right now, do you actually boil the sauce for 30mins with the lid on of course?
Simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the sauce is thick and glossy. I hope it turned out fine for you!
As with all of your recipes, this looks totally scrumptious:)
I grew up eating these, as my Nan is from Belgium, and they always remind me of home. Perfect with some Leffe.
Oh my, they look amazing! I loooove meatballs, and this recipe is definitely a great idea to improve mine 😀
I’ve gotta try it sometime soon!! Pictures are mouth watering!
Happy to have you on #MondayEscapes
Wow! Everything you do makes me so hungry. It looks so incredible and inventive. I’d love to try this. The sauce, the meatballs, all of it looks amazing. xx
Homemade meatballs are always better than store bought ones so I’ll have to try this out myself. I like that there’s a hearty helping of gravy with this dish!
How cute is the smurf shop? We were in Hungary recently when they qualified to go through to the next round of the Euros – Its an electric atmosphere being in a different country when they are celebrating, isn’t it?
Oh My! This does look absolute delicious, I love to cook something I think I’ll be bookmarking this page for reference!
Jordanne || Thelifeofaglasgowgirl.co.uk
These look amazing! You’re a bit of a wizz in the kitchen as well as with a camera!
I actually gasped when I saw the first photo. My husband and I love meatballs! He’ll be delighted if I’m able to replicate this, sadly I’m not a kitchen goddess like you, but might still give it a go 🙂
Woow this recipe looks amazing, I totally understand why you falled in love with the Belgian fries, they sounds very tasty! Love the idea of dipping it in beef sauce instead of vegetable oil. I might have to try this recipe xx
Those look delicious. Hercule Poirot would definitely have cooked those! I loved Brussels – particularly all the beers. Didn’t realise why Belgian Frites were different though. Now I know!
I’ve never heard of the Redmond Multicookers before, however I’ve certainly heard of Leffe beer and enjoy a bottle or two at Christmas!
Foreign style meatballs are always the best! (Like Ikea’s) I’ve never actually tried making any myself though so I’d love to try these!
This looks absolutely lovely and Leffe is also my favourite beer, so I spotted that in the background there x
I love meatballs and was looking for something new to cook this week so I will defo be making these next week thank you x
They look really delicious . I should really try them!
Oh yum what a delicious looking meal! I can just imagine tucking into this this evening for dinner. x
Oh my, I love how delicious these meatballs look. I want me some of these, thanks for the recipe
What a busy time you’ve had! Belgium looks amazing and I love that you’ve recreated a recipe at home in your multicooker. Yum!
This recipe looks amazing! I have never thought of cooking meatballs in beer, so I am intrigued on the final taste. Thank you for sharing x
I think I need to visit Belgium just for these meatballs or make your recipe, yum!
These boulets would be great as a veggie option too, its nice to get some recipe inspiration for you and not to worry we know cycling has been hectic for you xx
I do love meatballs and I love using beer in cooking too. These look really comforting and delicious!
Oh my goodness, these sound exceptional! Love visiting Belgium.
ooh yum, this looks so tasty. I went to Belgium a few years ago and loved it xxx
I’d love to make some meatballs like these. They sound so good and it would be a change from my normal recipe.
These look delicious and I love the sound of the fruity gravy! 🙂
One word…yum!!! These look great! I will need to try out the recipe
Ooh I love that these are cooked in beer. That sauce sounds SO flavourful! Looks like you had a good time in Belgium 🙂
ive never tried a belgium meatball before. this looks so delicious right now
I adore meatballs. The ones I make is from a Jamie Oliver recipe and uses cream crackers crushed instead of breadcrumbs! The gravy on your meatballs looks amazing too. I need to get one of these multicookers, as my oven isn’t working
This looks SO tasty, oh wow! I loved the food when I went to Belgium – and your photography is gorgeous!
That looks delicious! Any idea on the nutritional info?
I also need to check that multicooker; might make my life a tad easier…
Brussels looks great and so do those meatballs, I want to try them making them..
Oh these look so good Elizabeth. Lovely recipe and I cannot wait to hear about your trip to Brussels.
I loved belgium! Especially the frites and the sauces that came with every meal. Your meatball sauce sounds heavenly! Pinned for future cooking!
Oh wow those meatballs look gorgeous. I really love the chips too – when I went to Brugge I went to the frites museum there!!! Mmmmmm, delicious – definitely going to give the meatballs a go.
Brussels looks fantastic, what a great weekend you had. Off to read your post about Scotland now as I am going there myself in a few weeks.
Belgium is on my bucket list for someday. These meatballs looks fantastic. I love discovering new family favorites from other countries and this looks like a recipe that would serve up great for a party. Looks wonderful.
Wow a belgian chocolate experience sounds amazing! This recipe looks so good as well x
So aside from waffles and chocolates, this is something I need to try. looks very delicious as how each of your photo documented it.
I have never been to Belgium but I would be interested in going, especially for the chocolate. Your meatballs look incredible too, my bf would love to find those for dinner 🙂
My mouth is watering..I need to make this! Your photos are amazing too xx
Delicious! I’ll be adding this recipe to my menu rotation for this fall!
jealous that you went tromping in Scotland.
hysterical that even Smurfs are football fans!
envious of the multicooker
can I just follow you everywhere and share in all you do? ! LOL
I can imagine that sauce….just give me a straw!
I love meatballs and the idea of chips in the beef dripping sounds so amazing.
These look delectable Elizabeth! So tasty! I will have to have a go at making them, we like meatballs in this house!
So glad you had a good time Elizabeth! I made meatballs this past weekend although mine were inspired by Italy rather than Belgium. Love the look of your gravy/sauce, it does look perfect for dunking chips in 🙂
Janie x
I don’t want to sound crude when I say I love a good meatball!! I will need to try out your recipe and the competition sounds like one I might have to have a look at!!
Jealous of all your travel!! Looks like you are having a blast!! Can’t wait to read more about it!!
This meatballs recipe looks yummy. I am going to try this over the weekend.
Those meatballs look totally delicious. I’m more used to Italain meatballs served with pasta. I never would have thought about having chips with them instead – clever. That combination would go down very well with my kids! Tx
Wow, sounds great! Gorgeous photography as usual xo