Swedish Meatballs Family Tradition (Printer-Friendly)

Juicy pork and beef meatballs in rich brown gravy, perfect for holiday meals and leftovers.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Breadcrumb Soak

01 - 2 slices day-old white bread, crumbled
02 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Meatball Mixture

03 - 1 teaspoon butter
04 - 1 small onion, minced
05 - ⅔ pound ground beef
06 - ⅓ pound finely ground pork
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
13 - ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)

→ Gravy

14 - 1 tablespoon butter
15 - ¼ cup chicken broth
16 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
17 - 2 cups beef broth
18 - ½ (8-ounce) container sour cream

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking.
02 - Place crumbled bread in a small bowl and combine with heavy cream. Let stand for about 10 minutes until the crumbs absorb the cream.
03 - Melt 1 teaspoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add minced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
04 - Add ground beef, ground pork, egg, brown sugar (if using), salt, black pepper, nutmeg, allspice, ground ginger (if using), and the soaked breadcrumbs with cream to the bowl with onions. Mix gently until combined.
05 - Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Form meat mixture into approximately 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls. Cook meatballs in batches, turning often, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Internal color may remain pink.
06 - Transfer browned meatballs to a baking dish. Pour in chicken broth and cover with foil. Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are cooked through and tender, approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer meatballs to a serving dish.
07 - Pour pan drippings from the baking dish into a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in all-purpose flour until smooth.
08 - Gradually whisk in beef broth to create about 2 ½ cups of liquid. Continue whisking until well combined.
09 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, approximately 5 minutes.
10 - Remove from heat and whisk in sour cream just before serving. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve the gravy alongside the meatballs.

# Helpful Hints:

01 - Meatballs can be kept warm in a slow cooker and taste even better the next day when the flavors have melded.

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