Half a teaspoon of allspice and a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg go into the meat, not the sauce. That is where the Swedish character lives, and it is why these taste different from the moment you bite into one.
The gravy is finished on Warm, after the thickening is already done. Sour cream added to a simmering pot splits; added to a cooker on Warm it turns the sauce the pale tan the dish is known for.
Why This Recipe Works
- A mix of beef and pork gives meatballs that stay tender over three hours where all-beef would tighten.
- Mixing gently and browning first means the meatballs hold their round shape in the cooker.
- Thickening with cornstarch before the dairy goes in means the starch is fully cooked out.
- Sour cream and heavy cream together give both the tang and the pale colour — neither alone would.
Ingredient Notes
- Allspice and nutmeg
- Half a teaspoon and a quarter teaspoon, both into the meat mixture. This is the Swedish signature.
- Beef and pork
- A pound of beef to half a pound of pork. The pork is what keeps the meatballs tender.
- Sour cream and heavy cream
- Three-quarters of a cup and a quarter cup, both added on Warm at the very end.
How to Make It
Mix and shape
Mix the beef, pork, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper gently and shape into about 24 meatballs.
Brown them
Brown the meatballs in a lightly oiled skillet, then transfer them to the slow cooker.
Cook to 160F
Add the beef broth and Worcestershire. Cover and cook on Low for about 3 hours, until the meatballs reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thicken on High
Stir the cornstarch and cold water together, add to the cooker, and cook on High for 10 minutes until lightly thickened.
Cream on Warm
Turn to Warm and stir in the sour cream and heavy cream to make a tan cream gravy. Finish heavily with parsley.
The Meatball, Then the Gravy
The recipe is really two recipes with a three-hour gap between them, and the second one happens across three different heat settings in twenty minutes.
Stage 1 of 3
The meatballs
Steps 1–2 of 5
1 lb beef and 1/2 lb pork mixed gently with breadcrumbs, egg, milk, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, salt and pepper, shaped into about 24 and browned in a lightly oiled skillet. The spices go here, not in the sauce.
- Mix and shapeMix the beef, pork, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, allspice, nutmeg, salt and pepper gently and shape into about 24 meatballs.
- Brown themBrown the meatballs in a lightly oiled skillet, then transfer them to the slow cooker.
Stage 2 of 3
The LOW braise
Steps 3–3 of 5
Meatballs into the cooker with 2 cups of beef broth and a tablespoon of Worcestershire, about 3 hours on LOW until they reach 160F. The broth takes on the meat and the spices without anything being added to it.
- Cook to 160FAdd the beef broth and Worcestershire. Cover and cook on Low for about 3 hours, until the meatballs reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Stage 3 of 3
The gravy, across three settings
Steps 4–5 of 5
HIGH for 10 minutes with 2 tbsp cornstarch slaked in cold water, then WARM for 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup heavy cream stirred through. Thicken first, dairy second, and never the other way round. A heavy hand with the parsley last.
- Thicken on HighStir the cornstarch and cold water together, add to the cooker, and cook on High for 10 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Cream on WarmTurn to Warm and stir in the sour cream and heavy cream to make a tan cream gravy. Finish heavily with parsley.
Success Tips
- Mix gently. Overworked meat gives dense meatballs that stay dense however long they cook.
- Take the sour cream out of the fridge before the thickening step so it is not fridge-cold going in.
- Be generous with the parsley — the finish is meant to be heavy.
Serving Ideas
Six servings of round meatballs in the tan cream gravy, finished heavily with chopped parsley.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my gravy split?
The sour cream goes in on Warm, not Low or High, and after the cornstarch has already thickened the sauce.
Should the gravy be brown?
No. It stays a creamy tan. A dark brown onion gravy is a different dish.
Can I use all beef?
The recipe is written with half a pound of pork alongside the beef, which is what keeps the texture soft.
