Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs are probably one of the world's most famous examples of a dish that looks deceptively simple. The meatballs themselves are soft and gently spiced with nutmeg and allspice, browned in a pan and then finished in a silky cream gravy made from all those delicious browned bits. The result is a rich, comforting dish where the savory sauce ties everything together and makes the whole plate feel complete. It is comfort food with surprisingly good engineering.
Ingredients
Meatballs
300 g ground beef
300 g ground pork
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and cut into small cubes
1 large onion, finely grated
1 egg
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp allspice powder
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¾ tsp salt
1 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
Gravy
40 g unsalted butter
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups beef or chicken stock
2 tbsp canned anchovies, optional
½ cup cream
Salt, to taste
Method
Prepare the bread mixture
Finely grate the onion using a box grater.
Transfer the grated onion along with all its juices to a large mixing bowl.
Add the cubed bread and mix well. The onion juice should soak into the bread and make it soft. If the bread still seems dry, add a small splash of milk.
Let it stand for about 1 minute.
Make the meatball mixture
Add the ground beef, ground pork, egg, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper and salt to the soaked bread.
Mix thoroughly until everything is evenly combined, but avoid aggressively kneading the mixture.
Shape the meatballs
Take roughly 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture at a time and roll it between your palms into small, smooth meatballs.
You should get approximately 25–30 meatballs.
Keep them on a plate or tray while you shape the remaining mixture.
Brown the meatballs
Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat.
Add half the meatballs, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Brown them on all sides for about 3 minutes. They do not need to be cooked through at this stage.
Transfer them to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
If there is a large amount of excess oil in the pan, carefully pour some off.
Reduce the heat to medium.
Build the roux
Add the butter to the same skillet and allow it to melt.
Add the flour and stir continuously.
Cook for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
Add the stock
While stirring constantly, add about ¼ of the stock.
The mixture will thicken very quickly.
Add the anchovies, and fry briefly.
Gradually add the remaining stock, stirring continuously. Switch to a whisk if necessary to make sure the gravy is completely smooth.
Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer.
Finish cooking the meatballs
Return the browned meatballs to the skillet along with any juices that have collected on the plate.
Increase the heat slightly and maintain a steady simmer.
Cook for 8–10 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally, until they are cooked through and the gravy has thickened to a light, spoon-coating consistency.
Add the cream and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Taste and adjust the salt.
Remove from the heat.
Serving
The classic way to serve Swedish meatballs is with:
Creamy mashed potatoes
A generous spoonful of lingonberry jam (if you can find it)
The meatballs and plenty of their creamy gravy