chef john's swedish meatballs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• meatballs:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1 pound ground lamb
• gravy:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 1/4 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• cooking spray

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins Ready Time: 2 hrs 5 mins


• melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. cook and stir onion and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in butter until onion begins to turn translucent, about 6 minutes.
• transfer onion mixture to a large bowl. add milk, eggs, bread crumbs, black pepper, nutmeg, allspice, and cayenne pepper to the breadcrumb mixture; stir to combine.
• mix beef and lamb into the bread crumb mixture. cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; whisk flour into butter and cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. slowly whisk beef broth into butter mixture.
• increase heat to medium-high, whisk cream into mixture and bring to a simmer. stir sugar and worcestershire sauce into gravy. simmer until slightly thickened, 6 to 7 minutes. season with salt and black pepper. remove from heat and set aside.
• preheat oven to 425 degrees f (220 degrees c). line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat foil with cooking spray.
• roll 2 to 3 tablespoons meatball mixture into a ball using wet hands; repeat with remaining meatball mixture. place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet.
• bake in the preheated oven until browned, about 20 minutes. an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees f (70 degrees c).
• transfer meatballs to the gravy and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through, about 5 minutes.