Go Back

Venison Swedish Meatballs with Pickled Red Cabbage

Serves 4-6 people, depending on your appetite
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time1 hour 12 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Swedish

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 600 g Venison mince
  • 220 g Pork mince
  • 1 small onion
  • 40 g butter
  • 1 Tbls sunflower oil
  • 6 Tbls Breadcrumbs, fresh
  • 100 ml Double or whipping Cream
  • 60 ml milk
  • 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • Pepper
  • ¼ tsp allspice

Pickled Red Cabbage

  • 500 g red cabbage
  • 1 medium beetroot raw
  • 1 small red onion
  • 45 g caster sugar
  • 1 ½ Tbls sea salt fine
  • 100 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 150 ml water
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cloves
  • 3 juniper berries

Instructions

Meatballs

  • Begin by chopping the onion very finely, heat 15g butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and saute until soft but with no colour. Remove from the heat and cool. Put the pork and venison mince into a bowl, add the cooled onion, salt, a good grind of pepper and the allspice. Add the breadcrumbs, milk and cream and mix with your hand, the best tool for this job, don’t over work the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Now for the shaping, Swedish meatballs are small so I use a teaspoon and a wet hand to shape and roll them into a ball slightly bigger than a hazelnut in its shell, approximately 15g each to give you an idea.
  • Preheat the oven 160C/gas 3.
  • Heat the remaining butter and oil in a large heavy based frying pan over a medium heat and fry the meatballs until golden brown all over in batches, transfer them to an oven proof dish and cook them through in the oven for 10 minutes.

Pickled Red Cabbage

  • Begin by slicing the red cabbage very finely either with a sharp knife of a mandolin. Place into a bowl and sprinkle over the salt, this may seem like a lot but you will be rinsing it off. Cover and set to one side for 2 hours.
  • Peel and cut the beetroot into fine matchsticks, slice the red onion finely. Place into a non metallic bowl and combine.
  • In the meantime pour the vinegar, sugar, water and spices into a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and set to one side.
  • Take the red cabbage and rinse under cold water in a colander thoroughly. Add the cabbage to the beetroot mixture. Remove the spices from the cooled pickling liquor and pour over the vegetables. Stir thoroughly and place in the fridge for 12 hours.
  • Check the pickled cabbage seasoning, add a good grind of pepper. Serve with the venison meatballs and creamy mashed potato.

Notes

*If you’re coeliac as an alternative to breadcrumbs you can use boiled potatoes (150g, cook with the skin on) to bind the meat, you’ll need a floury variety. Peel and then mash or grate and mix with the cream before adding to the mince.
*I prefer my meatballs without a sauce, especially if they are served as part of a smörgåsbord.  If you prefer a sauce here's the best way to prepare it.
Wipe out the pan that you have fried the meatballs in to remove some of the fat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of flour and slowly add approximately 125ml beef stock and 30ml whipping or double cream, simmer and whisk to thicken, check the seasoning and pour over the meatballs. 
*If you're coeliac you can add a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with a splash of water to the simmering sauce.