Easy Swedish Meatballs on the Grill or Smoker

By Christie Vanover | Published November 3, 2022 | Last Updated November 3, 2022

Disclosure: I am a paid ambassador for Cowboy Charcoal.

What are Swedish meatballs?

One of the most popular dishes in Sweden, due in large part to the store Ikea, is Swedish meatballs.

Swedish meatballs are traditionally made with ground beef and pork and seasoned simply with breadcrumbs, milk and warms spices like allspice and nutmeg. Sometimes an egg is also added.

They’re served with velvety creamy sauce made with beef stock and heavy cream and a spoonful of lingonberry jam.

• Ground Beef: For the best meatballs, use beef with a higher fat content. I prefer 70/30 beef, which is 70% meat and 30% fat.
• Panko Breadcrumbs: These Japanese breadcrumbs provide a little texture to the meatballs and help keep them moist.
• Milk: For the best flavor, use whole milk or 2%.
• Seasoning: I highly recommend using a combo of my Brisket Rub and Girl Carnivore Ooomami. They are the perfect combination for beef and are both available on Amazon.

Creamy Sauce Ingredients

• Butter: Use real butter, not the stuff in a crock.
• Shallots and Garlic: Both of these are option and not found in traditional Swedish meatball sauce, but I like the aromatics they provide to the sauce.
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour to thicken the sauce.
• Beef Broth: You can use either broth or stock.
• Heavy Cream: Don’t skimp on the cream. This helps give the sauce the luxurious texture.
• Soy Sauce: This will provide ooomami and saltiness and will darken the sauce just a bit.
• Seasoning: I recommend using more Girl Carnivore Ooomami. It is AMAZING in cream sauces. You can also use salt and pepper as a substitute.

1. STEP ONE: Place the breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl. Let it soak for 5 minutes.

2. STEP TWO: Add the ground beef and seasonings to the bowl. Mix with a spoon or your hands, until everything is well combined. If your hands stick to the meat, wear gloves or moisten them with cold water.

3. STEP THREE: Shape the meat into 1-inch balls by rolling it around in your hands, and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until your grill is ready.

4. STEP FOUR: Once your grill is ready, place the meatballs on the grill grate over direct heat and close the lid. Keep an eye on them, watching for flareups. Grill for about 20 minutes, flipping once.

Cook meatballs to an internal temperature of around 160F degrees. They’ll cook a little more in the sauce.

5. STEP FIVE: Remove the cooked meatballs from the grill and add a large skillet on top of the grate. (You can also do this on the stovetop over medium heat.) Add butter to the skillet. Once melted, stir in the shallots and sauté, until tender. Then, add in the garlic.

6. STEP SIX: Stir in the flour and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. This will create the roux that will help thicken the sauce.

7. STEP SEVEN: Pour in the beef broth, cream, soy sauce and seasonings. Let it continue cooking on the grill or stove, stirring often, until thickened. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon.

8. STEP EIGHT: Add the grilled meatballs to the pan of sauce. Stir gently to coat. Close the grill lid and reduce the temperature to low. Just let it simmer for a few minutes to reheat the meatballs.

How to serve Swedish meatballs

The traditional way to serve Swedish meatballs is over a pile of mashed potatoes or pureed potatoes. But they’re also delicious over a bed of egg noodles.

Another authentic touch is adding in a spoonful of lingonberry jam. If you’ve been to Ikea and had their meatballs, you know exactly what I mean.

Lingonberries are tart and kind of taste like cranberry sauce, which we all know goes great with turkey.

Well, lingonberry jam taste great with meatballs and creamy gravy sauce. If you have trouble finding it, I like cherry jam as an easy substitute.

Storage

I recommend storing the potatoes or noodles separate from the meatballs and gravy. Otherwise, the noodles will absorb all of the gravy and you won’t have much sauce.

You can store these in the refrigerator for up to five days in an airtight container. You can also freeze them separately for up to 6 months.

As an alternative, you can form the meatballs in advance, keep them refrigerated for 3 days or freeze them in a freezer bag for a few months. When you’re ready to make this star-studded meal, thaw them and grill them and make the sauce when it’s convenient for you.