Swedish meatballs, a rather simple dish of meatballs and a brown cream sauce, lend themselves to being made in large quantities. They easily freeze and maintain good quality, although the sauce may lose some of its texture over time in the freezer.
Tip
For best results, freeze the meatballs without sauce. Make the sauce later when you reheat the meatballs.
Freezing
Freeze Swedish meatballs in a freezer-safe container. Use a container that has just enough room for the meatballs. Extra room allows extra air, which can cause moisture and freezer burn. Freezer burn isn't unsafe, but it makes frozen food taste less tasty. Fully cover the meatballs in the sauce when freezing. Frozen Swedish meatballs keep for four to six months, although the sooner you eat them, the better they taste.
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Warning
Test the temperature of the meatballs before freezing. Ground beef should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit to be safe for consumption. Use a meat thermometer to check the meatballs once they're done cooking.
Milk and cream sauces such as the one used with Swedish meatballs have a tendency to separate and become watery when frozen, which can negatively impact the quality of the dish.
Reheating
As Swedish meatballs are already cooked, the thawing process simply is one of reheating the food. If you have the time, put the Swedish meatballs in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. You can reheat them straight from the frozen state as well. Use a deep skillet or similar cookware to reheat frozen meatballs and sauce until they're hot and ready to serve. The meatballs should reach a temperature of 165 degrees after reheating. If necessary, add a little flour to the sauce to improve the taste as it may be watery when it is thawed and reheated. Stir the dish constantly while it's reheating to ensure the best quality and taste as possible.