Alton Brown

Swedish Meatballs

A blend of pork and chuck keeps these meatballs moist, while allspice and nutmeg give the beefy bites their signature flavor. I've questioned some Swedes quite pointedly about the origins of their delicious meatballs, or kottbullar (do not ask me to pronounce this, for not even my Swedish acquaintances can pull it off without producing a great deal of airborne spittle), which have apparently been part of the standard smorgasbord for at least a couple hundred years and are traditionally served in a cream gravy with lingonberries. They were adopted by modern housewives here in the 1950s and '60s because they allowed the use of two beloved attributes of the age: chafing dishes and frilly toothpicks. This recipe first appeared in Season 9 of Good Eats. Photo by Lynne Calamia