Swedish Meatballs

A pound and a quarter of ground chuck and what to do with it? I wasn't in the mood for Italian. Chad suggested meatloaf, but I wasn't in the mood for that either. So I started to browse th FN website and found what we were having for dinner.

I absolutely love Alton Brown. He is so knowledgeable, and every recipe I've made from him has been spot on. These meatballs were so moist, and very simple to make. Next time I think I will saute some fresh mushroom to go along with.

I followed the recipe pretty closely, but my adaptations are in orange.

Swedish Meatballs

• 2 slices fresh white bread I used 1 1/2 hamburger bun since I never have white bread on hand.
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided Very easy to do. Check out the joy of baking to find out how.
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 pound ground chuck
• 3/4 pound ground pork Omitted because I only had 1 1/4 lb chuck on hand.
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
  

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.
In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.
Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds.
Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. I saute for a minute in the skillet then transferred to a sheet pan and baked in the 250 oven for 15 minutes or so. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.
Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve. I had to add a slurry to get the right consistency for the sauce. I like it a bit thicker. I served over egg noodles and garnished with fresh italian parsley.