Papi's Swedish Meatballs

 

A recipe from Pat's dad, that we used to make a lot, when we ate more meat, and people seemed to love:

2 pounds hamburger
1 tube Jimmy Dean Hot sausage
2 c. bread crumbs or crushed saltine crackers
1 medium onion, finely minced
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 c. whole milk or 1/2 & 1/2
***
1/2 c. butter
2/3 c. flour
2 Tbsp beef bouillon
4 1/2 c. boiling water
2 1/4 c. sour cream

Mix the meatball ingredients all together thoroughly. Use clean hands because that works best and you have to roll meatballs with your hands anyway. Pat does this because it's too cold for my hands. It hurts! After he has rolled meatballs, he puts them into a hot frying pan and browns them on all sides until the pink is gone in the middle. Don't burn! You may have to work in batches. Remove meatballs onto a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. 

In the same frying pan, make gravy. Add butter and flour to the pan and stir and cook until it is a smooth paste. Whisk in water and beef bouillon (or just beef broth/stock), until no lumps remain and sauce is thickened and bubbly. Turn off heat, and stir in the sour cream until sauce is all one color, or until fully incorporated. If sauce is too hot here, sour cream will curdle and leave white specks through the sauce. 

Serve the meatballs over white rice or noodles and top with the sauce. Very filling and delicious.