Swedish Christmas meatballs
Serves 4 · 50 minutes · Ergonomic frying pan
The most important dish on the Swedish Christmas table deserves a proper frying pan. In carbon steel the meatballs get a crust no non-stick pan can give.
Swedish Christmas meatballs are small meatballs of mixed beef and pork mince, seasoned with allspice and white pepper. They are juiciest made with breadcrumbs soaked in cream, and brown best when fried in butter over a medium heat in batches so the pan is not crowded.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 500 g mixed beef and pork mince
- 1 onion
- 50 ml dried breadcrumbs
- 100 ml double cream
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 ml ground white pepper (a good pinch)
- Butter, for frying
Method
- Stir together the breadcrumbs and cream and leave to soak for 10 minutes.
- Finely chop the onion and soften it in a little butter. Leave to cool.
- Mix the mince, onion, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, salt and spices. Fry a small test ball and adjust the seasoning.
- Roll into small meatballs with wet hands.
- Fry in butter over a medium heat in batches for 7–8 minutes, shaking the pan so they stay round and brown all over. Keep warm in the oven at 100 °C.
Why it works
Give the meatballs room in the pan. If it is too full they stew instead of browning.
FAQ
Can you freeze Swedish meatballs?
Yes. Fry them, let them cool and freeze in a bag. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the pan or the oven.
What makes Christmas meatballs different?
The seasoning. Allspice gives the typical Christmas flavour, and Christmas meatballs are usually rolled a little smaller.
Can I make the meatballs ahead?
Yes, fry them one or two days ahead and keep them in the fridge. Reheat in the pan with a knob of butter before serving.
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