Pan-Fry

Blackberry Glazed Swedish Meatballs

August 26, 2024
0
0 Ratings
Photo by Elvin Abril
  • Prep time 20 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 18 meatballs
Author Notes

A sweet and tangy blackberry glaze gives these Swedish meatballs a fresh twist. The combination of ground beef and pork creates a tender and flavorful meatball, while the blackberry glaze adds a fruity and slightly sweet element, perfect for a special occasion or a cozy dinner party. Serve these as an appetizer with toothpicks or alongside steamed or mashed potatoes. —Nea Arentzen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup (12 grams) panko bread crumbs
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups (12 ounces) blackberries, halved
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup (56 grams) water, more as needed
  • microgreens, for garnish
Directions
  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and add the chopped onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, 8-10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  2. Meanwhile, in a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, stir to combine the cream and bread crumbs.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, egg, sautéed onions, bread crumb mixture, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, and a generous amount of black pepper. Use a wooden spoon or your hands to mix together (it might be slightly wetter than you’re used to). Take a heaping tablespoon and roll the mixture into 18 equal-sized meatballs; place them on a parchment-lined plate or baking sheet. (It’s okay if they don’t stay perfectly round.)
  4. In the same skillet over medium, melt the remaining butter. Add all the meatballs and cook, turning over as needed, until brown on all sides and cooked through, 7-8 minutes. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
  5. Reduce the heat to low, then in the same skillet with the charred bits and fat, combine the blackberries, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently and mashing the blackberries with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the blackberries are completely broken down and you reach a compote-like consistency, 10-12 minutes. Thin with ¼ cup of water and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. It should be the consistency of a thick berry sauce or glaze, not a jam (you may have to add more water).
  6. Add the meatballs and stir until fully coated in blackberry glaze. Serve immediately garnished with microgreens.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Nea Arentzen
    Nea Arentzen
  • jamie
    jamie
  • Hayzel Brathwaite
    Hayzel Brathwaite
Nea Arentzen

Recipe by: Nea Arentzen

Test Kitchen Content Creator & Recipe Developer at Food52

3 Reviews

jamie September 3, 2024
I don’t love blackberries, can I use another berry?
 
Nea A. September 3, 2024
Hmmm usually I'm a big fan of swapping out ingredients for others but because this was specifically developed for blackberries I'm not sure how it would taste with another berry. You could just make the meatballs as-is though without the glaze! You could also add a little heavy cream and soy sauce to the butter/onions in the pan and make a quick swedish meatball gravy.
 
Hayzel B. September 3, 2024
I was actually thinking of trying it with blueberries. I have only ever seen blackberries once in the Caribbean where I live.