Swedish Meatballs

I've seen a lot of recipes online for Swedish Meatballs.  They're all different in so many ways.  Well, here's yet another online recipe for you.  All the other miscellaneous ramblings will be at the bottom so that you can just get your recipe and go if you want.  I really hate it when I need to look up a recipe and there's the equivalent of two chapters from Moby Dick at the very beginning, with a lot of ad banners and what not.  So...  Shall We??

I'm sharing this because of my lovely cousin, Maggie, who asked me on Instagram to share my recipe.  So, shout out to my cuz, Maggie!  ALOHA!

I use a very concentrated beef stock.  To do this with store bought, simply simmer 1 quart on low heat until reduced.  Alternately, you may also use beef bouillon cubes, but I find that they are really salty, so if you plan to use those, taste taste taste taste taste throughout the whole process so that you're not killing your palate. Another thing that you can do is some butcher shops actually sell fresh demi-glace around the holidays.

Let's start with the meatballs.

I do a 2:1:1 ratio.  Ground Beef, Ground Pork and Ground Veal.  If you are seeking an alternative, you may use Ground Venison or Elk (please add the ground pork, you'll need the fat), Ground Chicken, Ground Turkey, etc...  Ground Emu or Ostrich isn't good, don't even bother.

2lb Ground Beef
1 lb Ground Pork
1 lb Ground Veal
1 1/2 cups Panko (if you are gluten free, use the gluten free Panko or Ground Pork Rinds aka, pork panko, but buying them as pork rinds is actually cheaper).
3 eggs
1/2 bundle minced parsley
Salt, white pepper, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom

Mix together BY HAND all ingredients, but don't overmix or they will be tough.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a pan with butter.  Pinch of about 1-2 ounces for each meatball and roll until they are a ball, but make them uniform in weight or they will cook unevenly.  I use a scoop and a scale.  Bake uncovered until internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Take the pan drippings and place into a large sauce pan.  Add a little olive oil.  Saute 1/2 of a white onion, diced or julienne.  I like mushrooms in mine, so about a 1/2 lb of sliced mushrooms.  Deglaze pan with Cognac (because I like Cognac, Gil...  shhh). 

When onions are softened, add nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, white pepper and 3 heaping tablespoons of Lingonberry jam, pint of heavy cream and the reduction of beef stock.   Allow this all to simmer together and reduced a little bit.  I add Mexican sour cream, because it lacks the gelatin that American sour cream often contains.  Add however much you like.  I like a lot of sour cream.  Taste and adjust with salt as needed.  

In a small sauce pan, take 4 oz butter melted and combine 4 ounces of AP flour to make a roux.  Allow it to relax a bit and then slowly add to the sauce, whisking until begins to thicken.  If you are gluten free, take beef stock and cornstarch to make a slurry.

Place the meatballs into the sauce and reduce heat.  Allow to get happy.  

Serve with egg noodles, mashed or roasted potatoes, or medley of roasted fall/winter vegetables (turnips, rutabaga, etc).

Garnish with minced chives, and keep the jar of Lingonberry jam handy, sometimes adding a little bit more at serving really adds to the flavor.

If you cannot find Lingonberry jam, I noticed that canned cranberry sauce (not jelly), or red currant jam will be an okay substitute.