Cocktail Meatballs

Cocktail Meatballs

You’ll love that the meatballs are baked, not fried, and the sweet and tangy sauce is ready in under 15 minutes.  Once Upon a Chef
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef, Meatballs, Pork, Super Bowl
Servings: 25
Author: Jennifer Segal - onceuponachef.com

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
  • 3/4 cup cubed white sandwich bread, crusts removed
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 pound ground beef (85% lean)

For the Sauce

  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp finely grated shallot, from one shallot
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up and place an ovenproof baking/cooling rack over top; spray rack generously with nonstick cooking spray.
    Whisk the egg and cream together in a medium bowl. Stir in the bread and mash until no large bread chunks remain. Set aside.
    In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the pork, garlic, allspice, pepper, salt, and baking powder on high speed until smooth and pale, about 2 minutes, scraping bowl as necessary. Add the bread mixture to the mixing bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and homogeneous, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as necessary. Add the beef and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated, about 20 seconds, scraping the bowl as necessary.
    Using moistened hands (it's sticky and wet hands help; keep wetting them as you go), form the meat mixture into tablespoon-size round meatballs and place on the prepared rack. Bake for about 20 minutes, until just done.
    Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until thickened, about 10 minutes.
    Add the baked meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat evenly. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter, spear with toothpicks and spoon the sauce over top. Garnish with parsley if desired. Serve warm with finely chopped parsley, if desired

Notes

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The meatballs and sauce can be frozen in separate containers for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, reheat the meatballs in their sauce on the stove-top over medium heat until hot in the center.