Wednesday

Swedish Meatballs ~ Alton Brown's Version



Although I've made Swedish Meatballs many times, I cannot attest that the recipes I've used produce true Swedish Meatballs. However, this recipe from Alton Brown is very good, so I thought I would share it.

I served the meatballs over wide egg noodles, with a mix of steamed vegetables on the side, however these make terrific party food as well, served from a chafing dish with cocktail picks.



I suggest getting the leanest ground chuck you can find as the ground pork usually has plenty of fat in it. Traditionally Swedish meatballs are served with Lingonberry jam, so you may want to offer some at the table.


Swedish Meatballs
About 4 to 6 servings, or 30 meatballs

2 slices fresh white bread
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck
3/4 pound ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
[My addition; 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional]
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, approximately 1 ounce each. (The size of large walnuts in the shell.)

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown







18 comments:

  1. Looks wonderful and showcased beautifully in those dishes!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! I just love your blog with all these yummy recipes! I will be making something good to eat real soon!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yummy! That looks delicious.... and it's so well presented! I love that blue and white dish too. And thanks for including the recipe... ;)

    Todo precioso!

    Have a lovely day....

    cielo

    ReplyDelete
  4. As always - looks fantastic, beautiful plating! Sounds great for a Christmas buffet..

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh My! What an incredible blog you have. Your photos are so gorgeous they make me drool. The recipes sound wonderful and how I love those cookies below gift wrapped in the tea cups! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  6. They do look tasty, Mari, and beautifully presented as well (as always).

    ReplyDelete
  7. These look delicious! Although I won't lie, I can't decide if I'm an Alton fan or not!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Excellent photos! It looks so good I could EAT it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. They look amazing, Mari! and I love those dishes. Have you posted about those dishes before? I'd love to know the name. They are beautiful, I love the blues :) You know that!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've never had a swedish meatball before, but it looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mari- I LOVE swedish meatballs and I've never had a recipe-- thanks so much!
    joan

    ReplyDelete
  12. This looks very good - and very authentic.
    For an even more authentic version, simply replace the black pepper with white pepper. You may not need as much, but white pepper has a distinctive aroma and it is more commonly used in meatballs in Sweden.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you!

    And thank you ste-pha-nie ~

    I adore white pepper. I'll use that next time.

    Thank you for the great suggestion.

    xo~m.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm sooo glad i found your homepage, it's full of fantastic recipies, I'm so inspired.

    As Ste-pha-nie said, we use white pepper in our meatballs in Sweden.

    You could also try to add some ground ginger to your mixture it will add a nice touch, that's what my sister does and her meatballs are legendary!

    Thank you for a great webpage, i look forward to trying your recipies.

    xo-Girl from Sweden

    ReplyDelete
  15. I ADORE Alton Brown...I quote him all the time when I am telling my friends how to cook. He is my unofficial culinary professor. Great choice!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments, friends ~ they make my day!

A Sampling of my food . . .

Subscribe:

 Subscribe in a reader...or

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner