Making IKEA Swedish Meatballs at Home | But Better

We've gone after the fast-food places, snacks, and movie theaters. Today, we're going after the furniture store....yes, the furniture store. Why does IKEA make meatballs? Have no idea, but we're making the coveted Swedish meatballs, a sentence I can't believe actually came from my mouth. All that to say, we have this in the bag.

FOLLOW ME:
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[usmankashif]

Swedish person here with some constructive criticism:
-I can accept that you used whatever berry is closest to the lingon berry. However the "jam" is not supposed to have a smooth consistency. Either you make a slightly chunky jam or you make "rårörda lingon" which is just lingon berries and sugar mixed together and left. This results in softer berries, juicier and sweeter berries.
-Potato mash is just good potato mash, no critique here.
-The breadcrumbs are often mixed with milk(or cream) and left to sit for some time to swell. Not sure if there is something inherently wrong with throwing everything together like you did tho...
-Many, but not all, fry of their onions before they put them in. Brings out some sweetness and the softer onions "merge" better with the mince.
-The mince is mixed THOROUGHLY, to the point where it becomes more homogenous and like a thick batter more than mince, this is a poor description but for clarification, look up a traditional video. Also traditionally always use a wooden spatula, although your hand also works.
- The balls are sauteed and not baked. You want a nice crisp on the outside, and soft meat on the inside. Do be sure to use a pan that has a somewhat high edge. Doesn't have to be anything extra, most pans work fine, just don't use a super "low edge" pan. The sauteing is also crucial for the gravy.
-For the gravy, use the same pan as the one used for the meatballs and DO NOT clean it out. In the "dirty"pan, add some oil and throw in some diced onions and sautee them till golden and soft. The onions will also clean up the remnants of the meatballs. Then add in some melted butter+flour, cream, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Let everything cook on medium-ish heat for like 10-15 minutes and you should be done. The onions should "melt" into the sauce but if you want that silky smooth sauce (which is definetly not required), then just immersion blend the sauce a tad.
-Dunno where IKEA got the broccolis from but they are definetly not neccessary. The Swedish classic is lingon, Meatballs and mashed potatoes (plain boiled works as well but that's boring).

Hopefully this clears up some things around the Swedish classic. I would also like to point out that I respect Joshua and am by no means implying I know more than him or anything of the sort. This is merely something I know quite well and would like to clear up the traditional way of making.

Edit: Wow thanks for all the likes! I would like to add a few points that I missed and some kind people reminded me of:
-Thinly sliced, quickly pickled cucumbers are very common and so are peas.
-The meat is usually a mix of pork and beef, as that gives the best texture(supposedly, I make them with lamb and beef because Im muslim)

I would also like to once again point out that I am by no means trying to belittle Joshuas recipe or inflate my ego. I merely pointed out some points of improvement that are used in the traditional swedish cooking, feel free to use or not use these tips.
The reason I wrote alot of this is because Joshua usually pays attention to every little detail and makes things the best possible way he can. I also feel that he pays alot of homage/attention to traditional methods and often provides reasons why or why not he used them.

[TBendez]

Ingvar Kamprad, the founder, realized his warehouses emptied out right around an hour before lunch and the same with dinner. Having a restaurant that serves good Swedish husmanskost will keep shoppers around for longer. That is the reason any IKEA is equipped with a restaurant.

However, the balls are too big and should always be done in a cast iron pan, with butter. They really need the crust a proper pan gives.

[olszewskin]

Next on But Better: Josh's homemade furniture vs actual IKEA furniture.

[Cauthon]

Every Swede here seems to be reacting to the jam, while I started to internally scream at his gravy.

You're supposed to use the same pan you fried the balls in for the gravy!

[marxx]

this is such an amazing plot twist, he wasn't able to make the Italian angry but now he's doing it with the Swedish

[alex_enman]

Joshua: *Uses cranberries instead of lingonberries
Swedes: "So you have chosen... death"

[Dotmw]

Making these at home doesn't give you the authentic IKEA experience of having a bored five year old hurl meatballs at your face from across the food court while his parents ignore him.

[PirrePuder]

Not gonna lie, the cranberry jam looks really delicious but "rårörda lingon" is a complete must when eating meatballs for me. Honestly I can use it for anything really... ITS AWESOME!!! :D

[Arcticun]

As a Swede, the jam should be chunky. Also actually lingonberry. I also don't know why US IKEA decided to include broccoli.
Overall I have so many questions.

[jimmyspitsuptheworld]

Can't believe a meatball restaurant sells furniture

[arvidstider]

Yeah, your dish probably tastes better, Weissman. Though you did strip the “Swedish Meatball with Mashed Potatoes and Lingonberries” from its soul. A Swedish meatball has sides (i.e. they should be sautéed), the sauce should then be made from the fond and rendered fats in the pan, and lastly, the only acceptable substitution for lingonberries are pickles (slightly sweet, with notes of dill and juniper berries). I’ll give you the mash though. IKEA’s are probably made from potato powder. Watch Alex French Guy Cooking’s video on Swedish meatballs, it’s fantastic!

[torkelsvenson]

I was with you on the cranberries as substitute for lingonberries until you blended them, then I died a bit inside. I've never seen anything like that, I feel like an Italian watching someone pan fry gnocchi.

Meatballs get a pass though!

[andreasnygaard]

The thing that will finally unify scandinavia is our outrage over Josh's use of cranberry instead of lingonberry.

[pontushaggblad]

as a swedish person you are steppin into dangerous territory

[rovenamtab]

Josh: It's not a God complex
Also Josh: *Challenges the entire country of Sweden*

[RunarLindseth]

You should try making Surströmming (fermented herring) at home. Also try eating it from the tin! Swedes back me up here :))))

[regha]

Im from sweden and i can say for sure that my ancestors are crying when you made the jam. It’s supposed to be chunky and not totally smooth. Also the meatballs are supposed to be cooked in a pan so you can use the stuff stuck to the bottom to make your gravy. Also the onions are supposed to be cooked just a little before you put them in the meat. Otherwise great video and it looks delicious!

[tastheslaking]

Alternate title: today josh got bored and chose violence against Ikea

[flyflip]

There were times we would go to ikea just for these meatballs!😆

[bazookapop]

I’m not Swedish but I’ve lived in Scandinavia long enough to know what’s wrong here. 1) The gravy usually has cream. 2) Cranberry is not the same as lingonberry (lingonberry tastes a bit sweeter to me) and the jam should not be smooth, it should have whole pieces of fruit. 3) Dill and not Italian parsley should be used as a garnish.