Nothing says autumn like a pan of meatballs simmering away on the stove! While many of us reach for ground beef or turkey when it comes to meatballs, we’re digging these venison Swedish meatballs from PA-based blogger Allie Doran‘s new cookbook, “Venison Every Day.” Here’s what she has to say about them:
Many people associate Swedish meatballs with the Swedish company IKEA, but like many things (such as French fries), the name doesn’t accurately depict their origin. To be honest, all I know is that these little babies are GOOD, and I would endure countless hours of putting together IKEA furniture to have some of them. If you’ve ever had to build anything from there, then you know what a bold statement that is. Ground venison is a welcome flavor to the rich broth and perfectly flavored meatballs! Serve over egg noodles or spaghetti squash.
Venison Swedish Meatballs
| Yield |
|---|
| Serves 4 |
Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound (455 g) ground venison
- 1/2 pound (224 g) ground pork
- 1/2 onion, minced
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup (25 g) almond meal or bread crumbs
Method
- To make the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with foil or a Silpat.
- Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl and mix them together until everything is well-incorporated. I like to do this with my hands and a fork.
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop the meatball mixture and roll them between your hands to make them evenly shaped. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet so that they don’t touch each other. Bake the meatballs for 18 minutes, then remove them from the oven and set aside.
Gravy
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 1/4 cup (31 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups (720 ml) beef broth
- 3 or 4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sour cream
- Egg noodles or spaghetti squash, to serve
Method
- To make the gravy, while the meatballs bake, add the butter to a large saucepan and let it melt over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until it starts to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the flour, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Add the beef broth and whisk the gravy constantly until no clumps of flour remain. Add the Worcestershire sauce and keep whisking the gravy, scraping the edges of the pan frequently.
- Once the gravy starts to bubble and thicken to the desired consistency, add the sour cream and stir it in completely. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the meatballs. Spoon the gravy over the meatballs so they’re all covered. Serve over egg noodles or spaghetti squash.
- Photo and recipe: Allie Doran
