Swedish Meatballs
In a perfect world, I’d spend every day playing in the kitchen, experimenting with new ingredients and cuisines, making stuff and posting it here. OK, there would likely be a few other things involved in my perfect world, but wouldn’t that be swell? In the real world, as in other peoples’ worlds (and the opposite of so many others’ worlds), some days I find myself at IKEA looking for a new desk chair, because the stuffing on my old one has somehow worked its way to the outside of the upholstery. And on this particular day, having tried to reel in my appetite, I was starving at said IKEA visit, and thus cranky, and impatient in the as-is section, and then in line, and by the end of it there was no time to go get Swedish meatballs. But it occurred to me that IKEA doesn’t actually have a monopoly on Swedish meatballs.
And if I put my mind to it, I might be able to make them my very own self.
This is the kind of revelation I’d love to dedicate my working life to. Making meatballs, and passing them on. That’s a worthy pursuit, isn’t it?
So here’s the Secret of the Swedish Meatball: you don’t really need a formula. Whether you start with frozen meatballs or make them yourself. (I generally don’t bother with unnecessary binders – like egg – or ingredients like breadcrumbs that were initially added to stretch pricey beef – but it doesn’t matter at all what you add – just do what you like.) Adding a pinch of allspice and/or nutmeg will give them that distinctive Swedish flavour. And if you cook them in a heavy skillet on the stovetop, you’ll create lovely crispy dark bits in the bottom of pan, exactly the kind that make for wonderful gravy.
To recap, you make gravy by shaking flour into fat in a pan – fat + flour won’t get lumpy – then whisking in liquid, like stock or wine. It will bubble and thicken, and turn into gravy. You can add more stock if it’s too thick, or a big glop of sour cream to creamify – spellcheck says that’s not a word, but I contend that it is – the gravy into something like what you get on those deliriously good Swedish meatballs. (If you use low fat sour cream, turn down the heat. Be gentle, or it could separate.) You can totally do this, and wing it even.
If you need a recipe, here you go:
Swedish Meatballs
AuthorJulieIn a medium bowl, gently combine the beef, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, spices and salt and pepper with your hands, and shape it into 1-inch balls.
In a drizzle of oil in a heavy (cast iron is great) skillet set over medium-high heat, cook the meatballs, rolling them around as you need to, until deep golden and crusty and cooked through. With a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
Drain the excess fat from the pan, leaving about a tablespoon. Add the butter (if you like, or just leave the drippings in the pan) and the flour, and whisk to combine. Add the stock and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the mixture boils and thickens. Whisk in the sour cream and stir until it has the texture of creamy gravy. This whole process will only take a few minutes.
Return the meatballs to the pan and roll them around to coat. Serve with cranberry or lingonberry sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium bowl, gently combine the beef, onion, breadcrumbs, egg, spices and salt and pepper with your hands, and shape it into 1-inch balls.
In a drizzle of oil in a heavy (cast iron is great) skillet set over medium-high heat, cook the meatballs, rolling them around as you need to, until deep golden and crusty and cooked through. With a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
Drain the excess fat from the pan, leaving about a tablespoon. Add the butter (if you like, or just leave the drippings in the pan) and the flour, and whisk to combine. Add the stock and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the mixture boils and thickens. Whisk in the sour cream and stir until it has the texture of creamy gravy. This whole process will only take a few minutes.
Return the meatballs to the pan and roll them around to coat. Serve with cranberry or lingonberry sauce.
I did that, too, when the line ups at IKEA were too long. I added some spices to ground beef and turkey to get the Swedish taste. They turn out even better than the frozen ones.
These sound like a great idea for tonight! Mine may even find a few mushrooms in the sauce.
A tip from a real Swede: Use 50% ground pork and 50% lean ground beef and you have the true Swedish meatball.
Oh my, I can practically smell them – lovely pics!
They look fabulous. Yum and yum!
So good! Makes me think of the holidays!
These sound amazing! I can’t wait to try them.
I’m thinking they wouldn’t really be swedish if there nutmeg/allspice was optional? Of course, I’m soley basing this opinion on IKEA meatballs because I haven’t had any others! They look so good Julie! Super affordable too!
Ha ha–did you notice those bags of Swedish meatballs at IKEA are made in the USA? Yours look so good!
These sound great. I’ve always made meatballs with both an egg and breadcrumbs, so thanks for the tip.
My MIL has a great recipe for swedish meatballs that has a teaspoon of instant coffee (I use instant expresso) and paprika added to the sauce. Makes them crazy good!
it made a tuck sound then plopped on the floor…ocher liquid dripping
it has undone me forever
thanks 4 sharing with us
Winnipeg is finally getting an IKEA at the end of this year and my kids were so happy at the news, mainly because of the meatballs! This recipe will make them very, very happy. Thanks Julie.
Thank you for the recipe, made these yesterday and must say the gravy was the BEST. I will definetly do this one again.
This recipe has my mouth watering! I wonder if using ground turkey would be a passable substitution. Looks great!
Good recipe but omit the allspice and the cranberry sauce.
Nice.. i will try this at my home. thanks for sharing.
Very good recipes.
thank you for sharing.
Hey Julie,
after reading your recipe I feel hungry.
nice recipe.
ufffffffff… I literally smell your images…
Mouth Watering Recipe