Swedish | Swedish Meatballs

Posted on September 24, 2013

Part of my Scandinavian adventure that I am working on. These were really good. Classic accompaniments include mashed potatoes, pickled cucumbers, and lingonberry preserves.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 1/3 cups low-salt beef stock, divided

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 cup minced onion

2 thick slices bacon, minced

1 pound ground beef

3/4 pound ground pork

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 tablespoon sour cream, whisked

 

Method

Mix breadcrumbs and 1/3 cup stock in a small bowl. Set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. (To save a pan, use large heavy pot that will be used later.) Add onion and sauté until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer onion to a large bowl.

Wipe out pan and return to medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to bowl with onion. Reserve bacon fat. Add next 8 ingredients (through nutmeg) to bowl with onion mixture, mixing with your hands to blend. Fold in breadcrumb mixture. Using a tablespoon measure roll meat mixture into balls; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with reserved bacon fat in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Working in 3 batches and adding 1 tablespoon butter between batches, brown meatballs on all sides, about 6-8 minutes per batch. Transfer meatballs to a plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Whisk in flour until smooth paste forms. Stir in 2 cups stock; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Return meatballs to pot. Cover; simmer until meatballs are cooked 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in sour cream, and stir to coat meatballs.

 

 

(Ref. "Swedish Meatballs" recipe, Bon Appetit magazine September 2011.)