IKEA's Swedish Meatball Recipe (Knock-Off).....Delicious!!

I haven't quite caught the IKEA bug, yet.  I know, I'm crazy...from what I hear.  However, I've only been there one time, for about 15 minutes, and I was with the husband.  Shopping with the man is one of my least favorite things to do.  I don't know why.  Dan is totally sweet, but I clam up when I shop with him (or anyone, really.)  It offends him, but I just can't do it.  I like to shop alone, that's when magic happens, I find awesome things, and I can move super fast.  I have this nerdy method, where I walk past everything really quickly, and I won't stop until something grabs my attention.  I figure, if I have to carefully browse to find something I might like, I don't like it enough.  I'm one of those ladies at the store who speed walks, freaking people out, because I'm zooming all around them.  It's my shopping-mode, can't help it.  Watch out for the crazy-lady.

So, I should probably give IKEA another chance (alone, next time.)  If not for the ultra-cheap/cool knick-knacks, but for the food court.  I keep hearing about these amazing Swedish Meatballs, so when I saw a "perfect knock-off" recipe in the latest Food Network Magazine, I had to try them.  Although, I can't attest to their authenticity (since I've never eaten at IKEA), I can tell you that my family loved them.  Dan asked me to save this recipe in the keep-pile, because he wanted more...we all did.  Luckily, I doubled my batch of meatballs, to freeze half of them.  So, next time around, all I have to do is make the sauce!

'Get on with it', I hear ya.  So, to make the meatballs, you will need:  breadcrumbs, butter, minced onion (fresh or dry), minced garlic, ground allspice, salt, white pepper, milk, Worcestershire sauce, lean ground beef, lean ground pork, and an egg.

* Again, I doubled the meatball recipe, to have an extra batch of meatballs to freeze.  Also, I tripled the sauce recipe...not to freeze, but because I wanted plenty of sauce to serve over noodles.  I'm not sure, but I don't think IKEA serves their meatballs with noodles, just plain. Don't quote me.

Heat the butter, in a skillet, over medium heat.  Saute the onion, garlic, allspice, salt, and white pepper, for about 5 minutes, or until garlic and onions are soft.  I just used dry minced onion, so I just cooked it for about a minute.  Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce to the mixture, and bring to a simmer.

Dump the breadcrumbs in a bowl.  Pour the hot skillet mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir together.

Add the beef, pork, 1 egg and 1 egg white to the bowl, and mix until combined.  It's easiest to use your hands and squish everything together for about 5 minutes.  I'm scared of raw meat, so this is where I pull out my plastic doctor gloves.

Spray a sheet pan to grease, and roll the meat into 1 inch balls, and place on a baking sheet.  One recipe makes about 35-40 meatballs.  Make sure you don't roll them much bigger than 1 inch, or they take a lot longer to cook through...unless, you're cool with that.  Cover your sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate the meatballs for about an hour.  I didn't have an hour, so I stuck them in the freezer for about 25 minutes.  Worked for me.  Heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Next up, the gravy.  For the gravy, you will need:  butter, flour, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and parsley (optional, for garnish).

If you are going to serve this with noodles, this is about the time you get the water boiling.

To make the gravy, melt the butter in a skillet and add the flour.  Cook for a few minutes while whisking.  Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, bring to a simmer.  Finally, add the heavy cream and the cooked meatballs.  Let simmer, until the gravy thickens.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve plain, or over a bed of noodles, rice, or potatoes.  (Remember, make extra sauce if you're going to be serving on top of something...again, I tripled the sauce recipe.)

IKEA's Swedish Meatballs Recipe (Knock-Off)
Food Network Magazine

Meatballs
(Makes about 35-40 1" meatballs.  Make double to freeze a batch for later!)

1 cup breadcrumbs
2 TBS butter
1/3 cup white onion, mince (or a couple TBS. of dry minced onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp. pre-minced garlic)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3/4 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. lean ground pork
1 large egg, plus 1 egg white, beaten

Gravy
(Makes just enough to cover the meatballs, if you want extra to serve over noodles, double/triple gravy recipe.)

2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Parsley (optional - garnish)

Directions:  To make the meatballs, heat the butter, in a skillet, over medium heat.  Saute the onion, garlic, allspice, salt, and white pepper, for about 5 minutes, or until garlic and onions are soft.  (I just used dry minced onion, so I just cooked it for about a minute.)  Add the milk and Worcestershire sauce to the mixture, and bring to a simmer.  Dump the breadcrumbs in a bowl.  Pour the hot skillet mixture over the breadcrumbs and stir together.  Add the beef, pork, 1 egg and 1 egg white to the bowl, and mix until combined.  (It's easiest to use your hands and squish everything together for about 5 minutes.)  Spray a sheet pan to grease, and roll the meat into 1 inch balls, and place on a baking sheet.  One recipe makes about 35-40 meatballs.  Cover your sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate the meatballs for about an hour.  (I stuck them in the freezer for about 25 minutes.)  Heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

To make the gravy, melt the butter in a skillet and add the flour.  Cook for a few minutes while whisking.  Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, bring to a simmer.  Finally, add the heavy cream and the cooked meatballs.  Let simmer, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Serve as is, or on top of a bed of rice, noodles, or potatoes.  Garnish with parsley.

  http://www.oneshetwoshe.com/2011/11/ikeas-swedish-meatball-recipe-knock.html