Swedish Meatballs – Minnesota

Jayne:  I wish I could say that this recipe came from watching my Danish-American mom, but it didn’t.  The closest Cathy and I came to that was watching our mom make hamburger patties in the electric skillet and then covering them in a bath of cream of mushroom soup. I give her a lot of credit for feeding four, fine children every night, but cooking just wasn’t her thing.

So, this recipe comes from outside the clan.  My friend Jill makes the best Swedish Meatballs.  She’s married to a Swedish-American and honors his heritage with a Swedish dinner during the holidays — cured salmon, Swedish Meatballs, creamy potatoes, lingonberries…and Glögg, which is Swedish mulled wine.  The evening is a true treat. 

Lots of these meatballs are served in Minnesota, as the State has the largest Swedish community in the U.S. (followed by California).  I couldn’t find a count of how many meatballs Minnesotans eat, but I did learn that IKEA serves two million meatballs a day in its 340 worldwide stores. 

This recipe makes quite a few meatballs, but I always make 1 ½ recipes worth and freeze them.  They make tasty bites for weeks (if they last that long).  They are traditionally served with creamy potatoes and lingonberry jam — I also serve with wide noodles.  Cranberries make a great substitute, if you can’t find lingonberries.

• 1 Tbs shortening
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 Tbs salt
• 1 Tbs sugar
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated, preferred)
• 3/4 cup water or milk
• 1/4 cup melted shortening

1. Melt shortening in skillet. Add onion and saute´ until tender.
2. In bowl, combine all ingredients and shape into 1 1/2 inch balls and brown in melted shortening in hot skillet.
3. Remove meatballs.

• 3 cups beef stock
• 5 Tbs flour
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 bay leaves

1. Blend flour into remaining fat in skillet. Add beef stock and lemon juice. Stir until thickened.
2. Add bay leaves and browned meatballs.
3. Cover and cook slowly one hour.

8 servings.

Recipe from Jillian Holmquist.