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Swedish Meatballs by Kendall Oberto

This is a mash up of a couple recipes. The meatballs (also featured in our Meatball Stuffed Garlic Bread Sliders) are from America's Test Kitchen, Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs for a Crowd. I prefer them to the most recipes which feature warm spices like cinnamon and allspice so keep in mind that this version is likely less "authentic" than others. I make a big batch of meatballs (recipe below) which makes about 80 inch and a half meatballs that can be repurposed for multiple applications. This recipe needs about 24. The rest can be cooked and stored for a bit in the fridge or flash frozen raw, defrosted and cooked later.
The sauce was inspired but Aaron McCargo Jr's Slammin' Swedish Meatballs with some minor changes. Serve with noodles of your choice (egg or veggie).
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Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 2 1/4 cups (about 6 ounces) panko bread crumbs
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, (see note)
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 lbs 85% lean ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped fine
  • 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 6 tbsp minced fresh parsley
  • 3 medium garlic cloves minced, or pressed (about 1 tbsp)
  • Table Salt and ground Pepper
Ingredients for Sauce
  • 24 cooked meatballs (see recipe above)
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup onion minced
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon, Beef
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar (substitute white wine vinegar if necessary)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder, to taste
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 lb gruyère cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler
  • 3 tbsp chopped chives or parsley or a combination

Method
 

  1. FOR THE MEATBALLS: Place wire racks in 1-2 foil-lined rimmed baking sheets (depending on how many meatballs you opt to cook). Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions and heat oven to 450°. Combine bread crumbs and buttermilk in large bowl and let sit, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.
    Add eggs, prosciutto, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bread-crumb mixture, mix well. Add in beef and pork. Using hands, gently mix until thoroughly combined. Lightly form about into 1 1/2-inch round meatballs; repeat with remaining mixture to form approximately 80 meatballs.
    Spray wire racks with nonstick cooking spray and place meatballs, evenly spaced, on racks; roast until browned, about 24 minutes, rotating trays from front to back and top to bottom halfway through. Alternatively, you can place extra meatballs on a wire rack and flash freeze.
    FOR THE SAUCE: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in pan, add onions and cook over medium-high heat until a slight color develops, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Cook for 1 minute and then add the wine, broth and tablespoon of bouillion and whisk until smooth. Add cooked meatballs, bring to a simmer and cook until sauce thickens and meatballs are hot, 4-8 minutes depending on temp of the meatballs. Add the sherry vinegar and sour cream and whisk until smooth. Season sauce with garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Top with cheese and continue to simmer until sauce is warm and cheese is melted.
    Serve over your choice of noodles and garnish with chives or parsley.
    HAPPY EATING!!