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IKEA Swedish Meatballs, But Michelin Star

Fallow

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Swedish meatballs, done properly. We went to IKEA, ate the original, then rebuilt it using the methods of Aquavit, the two-Michelin-star Scandinavian restaurant in New York.
Short rib and pork belly mince, emulsified cold like a sausage farce. Panko, allspice, Dijon and cream. Rolled, rested, then seared in stainless steel and basted in foaming butter like a steak. Served with potato-skin-infused mash, a cream pan sauce, quick dill pickles and a sharp cranberry jam standing in for lingonberry.
It's a Michelin approach to a dish most people know from a blue and yellow tray. Every step is achievable in a home kitchen.

20 Comments

@FallowChefs Creator 1 month ago Pinned

Full written recipe for free here: https://fallowchefs.substack.com/p/michelin-swedish-meatballs

@Grodstark 1 month ago

Swede here,

I am by Swedish law, obligated to say that my grandma makes the best Swedish meatballs.

I also say it because its true.

@debauchery715 1 month ago

This looks excellent, as usual, but as a Swede, switching Lingonberry for Cranberry is sacrilegious.

@nicklasmllernielsen2132 1 month ago

Switching Lingonberry for Cranberry? Even I, as a Dane, wouldn't treat my worst enemy this way.

@harrywoollard 1 month ago

Sat in IKEA with his chef jacket on hahaha

@brookelewis4102 1 month ago

It’s like a parallel universe where people go into Fallow for meatballs and accidentally come out with a billy bookcase.

@christofferthiel4532 1 month ago

Swede here. I always have some brunoise of onion that you caramelise before putting it in the mince. Makes the meatballs even juicier and sweeter. Otherwise no comments.

@captaincutoff 1 month ago

swedes in the comment section are approaching italian level food anger looks like, excellent job

@wickywills 1 month ago (edited)

"Lingonberries are almost impossible to find in this country" - there's a store about 5 mins down the road from Fallow that sells jars of the stuff, as well as frozern berries 🤣

@Dimrim1 1 month ago (edited)

Swedish chef here, caramelize some brunoised onions and add, it's a big part of the classic recepie here and it does make a huge difference and makes it alot better and let the panko soak the milk and wets first

@andrewhelmus 1 month ago

Jack wearing his chefs jacket at Ikea 😂 I love it

@TheTorqueMusic 1 month ago

Usualy there is lightly caramelized onions in swedish meatballs and breadcrumbs are soaked in the milk for a few minutes, also often nutmeg is used
;-)

@hatzer3780 1 month ago

reviewing meatballs at ikea in a chef apron is so funny

@pickleroo253 1 month ago

In 2018, a user on Sweden's official Twitter account claimed that Swedish meatballs originated in a Turkish recipe brought to Sweden by King Charles XII in 1714 after his exile in the Ottoman Empire.The claim garnered international attention but was later refuted. Leading food historian Richard Tellström stated there was no evidence behind the claim.

@apefu 1 month ago

There are actually recipes of meatballs that predate King Charles XII "little escapade" to Turkey. There are a lot of technicalities that might make you call them frikadelles instead, but they are pan fried.
Something Sweden DID get from Turkey though was Dolma, or rather Kåldolmar (cabbage dolma). At first grape leafs were used, but as grapes are not commonly grown in Sweden they started to use boiled cabbage as a wrapper instead.

@keefbartkus 1 month ago

Came for the meatballs. Left with a new potato recipe. Thank you, chefs!

@ianallen738 1 month ago

A trick you can use if making a lot for parties, which is also borrowed from restaurants, is to sear the meatballs on the pan but don't cook them through, them get them into a baking tray (with the butter!!) and finish them low and slow in a reasonably hot oven. Gives you time to put together the rest of the table in the meantime, and the meatballs will finish up so nice and evenly, easy to control.

@matslindeberg 1 month ago

Agree with my fellow Swedes in these comments: YES to adding caramelized onions to the meat mixture, YES to mixing the breadcrumbs with the milk and letting it sit for a minute before adding it to the bowl, and NO to the cranberry substitution. Most of us are lingonberry purists :) Also, a pinch of nutmeg wouldn't hurt. Otherwise great stuff as always!

@Raindusher 1 month ago (edited)

One thing you gotta remember with scandi homemade dishes, its all about the perfect bite, little bit of salty meat, filling potato, umami sauce, sour pickeld cucumber and sweet red berry - all of it together! That is what makes it great.

@Sniperboy5551 1 month ago

8:10 The whole milk/cream infusion with the potato skins really does make a HUGE difference. I’m far too lazy to do it most times I make mash, but it’s worth trying.