Alma's Swedish Meatballs
One of my best friends is a great cook. And all of the women in her family were as well and they left a legacy of fabulous food and nurturing. This recipe is called Alma's Swedish Meatballs because Cindy's Swedish great-grandma shared it through the generations and I've now gotten permission to share it with you. This is what good food is all about ... sharing.
Ingredients
- 1 pound hamburger meat
- ½ pound bulk sausage See notes
- ½ cup minced onion I use my hand grater.
- ¾ cup stale bread crumbs (or store-bought dry bread crumbs)
- ½ cup milk
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
FOR THE GRAVY
- pan drippings if you don't have at least ¼ cup, add some butter. Bacon or duck fat works well, too!
- ¼ cup flour I use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
- 1½ cups milk and more if needed to keep the gravy a good consistency
TO SERVE
- rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles
- steamed green peas
- Lingonberry Jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Put the bread crumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over. Stir to combine and let it rest while you mix the rest of the ingredients.
- Put the meats, minced onion, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and nutmeg in a large bowl, then add the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix together with a large spoon if you can manage it, but I find it easiest to do with my hands.
- Form small meatballs and working in batches, brown them in a large skillet. Transfer them to a baking dish and make a gravy using the pan drippings.
TO MAKE THE GRAVY
- With the skillet at a medium to medium-high heat, use the pan drippings and/or added fat. Sprinkle the flour over the fat, then whisk it together. Continuing to whisk, add the milk gradually. Allow it to thicken, but not by too much. It will thicken more in the oven.
- Pour the gravy over the meatballs and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
TO SERVE
- Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles. I like to serve green peas as a side as well as some Lingonberry Jam.
Notes
Traditionally, Swedish meatballs are a mixture of beef and pork. Alma takes it a bit further and suggests using sausage for the pork. I buy the housemade breakfast sausage at my local grocery store, but feel free to use plain ground pork or even to use all beef if you don't like pork. Of course, then it's not ALMA'S Swedish Meatballs, but they will still be good.
SERVING:
I asked my friend, Cindy, if she serves mashed potatoes, egg noodles (mine are gluten-free), or rice with her great grandma's Swedish Meatballs. They all seem to be acceptable options. She said she prefers mashed potatoes or egg noodles, but that her great grandma liked rice. So I think you are safely authentic with any of the three!
I also usually serve steamed green peas on the side as well as some Lingonberry Jam. That is something you should definitely have ... Lingonberry Jam.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!