Spanish Pork Croquetas
Crispy golden croquetas filled with creamy, savory pork and ham. A classic Spanish tapa made with a simple béchamel base, fried until crunchy outside and tender within.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 185
- Protein
- 9g
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups whole milk
- 1.5 cups pork shoulder, cooked and finely minced
- ½ cup ham, finely diced
- 2 whole eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 quarts neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, watching until it foams and the foam subsides, about 2 minutes.
- 2
Add the flour to the melted butter and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, moving it around the pan so it looks like wet sand and smells nutty.
- 3
Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly with a wire whisk to prevent lumps, then continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Stir in the minced pork and diced ham with a wooden spoon until evenly combined, then remove from heat.
- 5
Spread the pork mixture onto a clean baking sheet in a thin, even layer, then place it in the freezer until completely cold and firm, about 20 minutes, so it is easy to shape.
- 6
Pour the beaten eggs into a shallow dish and spread the panko breadcrumbs in another shallow dish on your work surface.
- 7
Remove the pork mixture from the freezer and, using two small spoons, scoop a portion about the size of a ping-pong ball, pushing it from one spoon into the other to form a rough cylinder.
- 8
Dip the pork cylinder into the beaten egg so it is fully coated on all sides, then let any excess egg drip back into the dish.
- 9
Roll the egg-coated cylinder in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the crumbs stick, coating all sides evenly.
- 10
Place the breaded croqueta on a clean plate and repeat with the remaining pork mixture until all croquetas are shaped and breaded—you should have about 12 croquetas.
- 11
Fill a large, deep skillet or pot with neutral oil to a depth of 2 inches, then heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and a small piece of breadcrumb dropped into it immediately bubbles and browns, about 3 minutes.
- 12
Carefully place 3 or 4 breaded croquetas into the hot oil, keeping them at least 1 inch apart so they do not stick together.
- 13
Fry, turning once with a slotted spoon, until the coating turns deep golden brown like a cooked potato chip, about 3 to 4 minutes total, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- 14
Repeat with the remaining croquetas, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches—about 1 minute of wait time between batches.
- 15
Arrange the warm croquetas on a serving plate and serve immediately while still crispy.
Tools you’ll need
- medium saucepan
- wooden spoon
- wire whisk
- baking sheet
- shallow dishes (2)
- small spoons (2)
- large deep skillet or pot
- slotted spoon
- paper towels
- serving plate
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