Now that even the Swedish furniture giant (although unintentionally) is serving Swedish meatballs with an equestrian twist, we thought it best to give you a proper recipe for Swedish Horseballs.
By Kalle Bergman – Photo by Mads Damgaard
Swedish Horseballs Recipe – Horse Meatballs
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Now that even the Swedish furniture giant (although unwillingly) is serving Swedish meatballs with an equestrian twist, we thought it best to give you a proper recipe for Swedish Horseballs.
Ingredients
Horseballs
- 1 1/3 Ib (600 g) of ground horse meat
- 2 tbsp of breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) of heavy cream
- 2 tbsp of beef stock
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) of dark beer
- 1 Onion
- Salt
- Pepper
Cream Sauce
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) of beef stock
- 1 1/2 cup (360 ml) of heavy cream
- Salt
- White pepper
- 1 Small knob of organic butter
- A pinch of sugar
- 1 tsp of corn starch, mixed with a little cold water
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 Ib (900 g) of potatoes
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) of warm milk (you might not need it all)
- 3 tbsp of organic butter
- Salt
- Pepper
Pickled Cucumber
- Cucumber
- cup of Vinegar
- cup of Water
- tbsp of salt
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) of sugar
- 1 Bay leaf
Lingonberry Jam
- 1 1/2 cups of lingonberries
- 1 1/2 cups of sugar
Garnish
- A few sprigs of dill
Instructions
For the cucumber
- Start by preparing the pickled cucumber. Mix water, sugar, salt and vinegar in a large bowl. Whisk until sugar and salt is disolved completely. Finely slice the cucumber, and add to the bowl. Make sure they are completely covered by the fluid. Add bayleaf, and put in the refridgerator for at least one hour.
For the lingonberry jam
- Rinse the lingonberries thoroughly and put them in a bowl. Pour in the sugar, and gently stir until sugar is disolved. Store in the refridgerator until serving.
For the horseballs
- Peel and grate the onion coarsely. Then gently fry it on a medium warm pan together with a little bit of butter until golden brown.
- In a bowl, mix bread crumbs, heavy cream, beer and stock. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- Place the ground horse meat in a large bowl, add the browned onions and the beer / bread mixture . Season with salt and pepper, and mix together well. Leave for 10 minutes.
- Roll the meat into small balls with a diameter of roughly one inch. Fry them in batches together with a little butter or sunflower oil. They are ready when they are slightly crispy on the outside. Set aside while making the sauce.
For the sauce
- Deglace the frying pan with a littlewater and add the stock. Reduce by half, and then add the cream. Bring to a simmer, and thicken with butter and corn starch. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Taste and season it with salt, sugar and white pepper.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce, or serve them separately.
For the potatoes
- Peel the potatoes and boil them in salted water until soft. Pass through a sieve into a large bowl to get the finest and smoothest mash. Add the butter, and then the milk slowly as you whisk the potatoes. Do not add ALL milk at once, you might not need more than just a few drops, depending on what potato you are using. Season with salt and add more butter if you want a creamier taste.
Plating
- Garnish with dill
Notes
- If it’s completely impossible to get a hold of lingonberries, or lingonberry jam (usually found in that Swedish furniture store) – you can substitute red currant jelly.
- It’s not the same, but it works.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Scandinavian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 680
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Swedish Wallenbergare Recipe
- How to Make Swedish Meatballs
- Pytt i Panna – Swedish Hash
- Äggakaga – Swedish Eggy Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
What does horse meat taste like compared to beef?
The recipe treats ground horse meat much like beef — it is combined with breadcrumbs soaked in dark beer, heavy cream, and beef stock, then seasoned simply with salt and pepper. Horse meat is leaner and slightly sweeter than beef, which is why the recipe uses those rich binders to keep the meatballs moist.
What can I substitute for lingonberry jam if I can’t find it?
The notes say red currant jelly is the best substitute — and note it is “not the same, but it works.” The recipe also mentions lingonberry jam is usually available at Swedish furniture stores if sourcing locally proves difficult. 
How far ahead can I make the pickled cucumber?
The cucumber needs at least one hour in the refrigerator in the vinegar-sugar-salt brine (1 cup each vinegar and water, with 1 tbsp salt, 1/3 cup sugar, and a bay leaf), so it can be prepared well before the rest of the dish.
It’s been 7 years, and I’m still craving the horseballs.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. These horseballs are the ish. I was a little disappointed that they weren’t real horse testicles, so it’s a 3/5 for me #Instagay #MikeBrownsSecretRecipe
mmmmmmmmmm, these horseballs are delish. We make them back in sweden all the time. It’s a delicacy for us swedes. 10/10 would horseball again.