Meatballs

[2Beers]

This our family Norwegian Meatball Recipe


2 1/2lbs. ground beef
1/2lb. ground pork
1 tsp. salt, pepper, powdered ginger+
1 tsp. fresh ground nutmeg *+
1 to 2 tsp. fresh ground cardamon seed(white pod type)*+
1 sleeve of Saltine crackers -crushed extra fine
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup onion- chopped fine
1/2 to 1 cup cream
* I use a nutmeg grater and then mortal and pestle for the cardamon
flour
butter--1 lb or more/less
shortening-- 1 cup or maybe more/less
jelly roll sheet pan
large deep fry pan
Nesco roaster (or other deep roaster pan)http://www.nesco.com/products/Roaster-Ov...657bf578a/
beef broth--32 oz or more

In a large bowl mix the ingredients from the beef thru the cream (for the cream start with just the 1/2 cup, should the mixture be still a bit dry then add in the remaining cream a little at time) until all is well incorporated. Cover the meat mixture and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready take out the meat and portion it into about walnut(or a tad smaller)size pieces. Roll into ball shapes and then into the flour until well coated, shake off extra flour and place on the jelly roll pan.
Keep going until the pan is full, and until all the meat is gone( you may need another sheet pan).
In the large deep fry pan melt a 2 to 1 ratio of butter to shortening over medium heat.
When it's hot and bubbly slowly add in the meatballs being sure to not over crowd them.
Brown them on all sides and then remove and place into the Nesco Roaster inner pan.
Place the Nesco roaster pan into the oven and heat on low about 275-300 degrees.
Keep repeating the processes until all the meat is gone and made into browned balls.

---This is where it is a trial and error part----

In the remaining melted fat( if there isn't any or not enough add more in the pan to melt) add flour into it and make a lightly browned roux.
It's hard to say just how much-- it will depend on how many meatballs were made, how much leftover melted fat and then flour needed to make the roux.
Generally a 2 to 1 ratio of flour to fat.

Slowly add in some of the beef broth and stir until smooth to make the gravy. Take the roaster of meat balls out of the oven and pour over them the gravy and then the rest of the broth unless it was all used up then add more. Gently stir the meatballs with the gravy--it should be a liquid/loose sauce and place back into the oven and bake until the meatballs are throughly cooked(no pink inside).

You may need to add in a bit more of the beef broth as they keep baking.
Once they are done serve with mashed potatoes.

They are better the next day and when I make them for my family I generally do 3X the recipe, my family always wants leftovers.
They freeze well, and don't take too much effort to re-thaw/ cook. Just place them into a roaster and cook on low in a 300 degree oven, you might have to add some extra beef broth to make the gravy loose.

+ this is where I get my spices and herbs http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html

[NWoBHM]

This sounds and interesting recipe - although I think probably we would call these Faggots (yes it is meal over here - another peculiarity with our shared language )

[LiveToCook]

Thanks for the recipe 2 Beers. I am looking forward to trying this one, looks delicious. Is this similar to Swedish meatballs? Also, I appreciate the spice stores link. Here in the Montreal QC area we have these guys; http://www.epicesdecru.com/ , they are somewhat pricy, but the types of spices and the quality you get there is unbelieveable.

[burma.girl]

(06-17-2012 02:48 PM)NWoBHM Wrote:  This sounds and interesting recipe - although I think probably we would call these Faggots (yes it is meal over here - another peculiarity with our shared language )

I remember the first time I set foot in a grocer's in the UK (a Tesco, natch...) Scanning the frozen food section, my eyes fell upon a package that read, "6 Faggots in Gravy."
Farkin' HILARIOUS.

[NWoBHM]

(07-09-2012 10:31 PM)burma.girl Wrote:  

(06-17-2012 02:48 PM)NWoBHM Wrote:  This sounds and interesting recipe - although I think probably we would call these Faggots (yes it is meal over here - another peculiarity with our shared language )

I remember the first time I set foot in a grocer's in the UK (a Tesco, natch...) Scanning the frozen food section, my eyes fell upon a package that read, "6 Faggots in Gravy."
Farkin' HILARIOUS.

Hahaha - They are very nice though. My Dad had faggots the day he keeled over and died from a massive MI. He liked them a lot, so his last meal was pretty good.

[Scythe Matters]

(07-10-2012 02:56 AM)NWoBHM Wrote:  

(07-09-2012 10:31 PM)burma.girl Wrote:  

(06-17-2012 02:48 PM)NWoBHM Wrote:  This sounds and interesting recipe - although I think probably we would call these Faggots (yes it is meal over here - another peculiarity with our shared language )

I remember the first time I set foot in a grocer's in the UK (a Tesco, natch...) Scanning the frozen food section, my eyes fell upon a package that read, "6 Faggots in Gravy."
Farkin' HILARIOUS.

Hahaha - They are very nice though. My Dad had faggots the day he keeled over and died from a massive MI. He liked them a lot, so his last meal was pretty good.

Now that's a great way to remember him! It's a good thing the folks who read here are foodies, otherwise this would raise some eyebrows

[LiveToCook]

(07-10-2012 07:51 PM)Scythe Matters Wrote:  

(07-10-2012 02:56 AM)NWoBHM Wrote:  

(07-09-2012 10:31 PM)burma.girl Wrote:  

(06-17-2012 02:48 PM)NWoBHM Wrote:  This sounds and interesting recipe - although I think probably we would call these Faggots (yes it is meal over here - another peculiarity with our shared language )

I remember the first time I set foot in a grocer's in the UK (a Tesco, natch...) Scanning the frozen food section, my eyes fell upon a package that read, "6 Faggots in Gravy."
Farkin' HILARIOUS.

Hahaha - They are very nice though. My Dad had faggots the day he keeled over and died from a massive MI. He liked them a lot, so his last meal was pretty good.

Now that's a great way to remember him! It's a good thing the folks who read here are foodies, otherwise this would raise some eyebrows

Well I am a ''foodie'' no questions about this and this is almost funny considering it could happen to me at anytime... Just like the name of this product "6 Faggots in Gravy''... Some of the culinary experiences I create or reproduce could possibly be called ''Playing Russian Roulette with 6 in the Barrel''... I think that I need to review my cooking ingredients....

[Gungawoman]

Well, I s'pose it's better than spotted dick.....

And yes, I've had that at my crazy Irish neighbor's house

[2Beers]

I really do enjoy how we can start a thread off on one topic and go totally in a opposite direction and subject. LOL

[knitterbookbinder]

LOL Me too.