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Serves
18 small meatballs, but can be easily expanded
Author Notes
This is great as an party appetizer (think Superbowl) or a casual dinner entree. In the winter, I cook them 75% on the stove and finish them in the oven so they don't get too browned on the stove top. For a big party if you're making a lot of them, I've refrigerated them after being cooked on the stove and then finish them in the oven 15 minutes before the party starts. The dipping sauce and Clementine Feta Salsa can be all made ahead. Weather permitting, I cook them on the grill. —TheWimpyVegetarian
Ingredients
- Spicy Pork Meatballs
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1 pound
ground pork
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1/3 cup
onion, finely diced
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1 1/2 tablespoons
garlic, minced
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1 tablespoon
olive oil
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1 teaspoon
cumin
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1 teaspoon
smoked paprika
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1 1/2 teaspoons
salt
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1 teaspoon
pepper
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1/3 cup
ketchup
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1/3 cup
your favorite BBQ sauce
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1/3 cup
hoisin sauce
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2 tablespoons
grated fresh ginger
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2 tablespoons
soy sauce
- Clementine Feta Salsa
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10
clementine oranges, peeled, sliced and cut into bite-sized quadrants
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1
small red onion, minced
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1/4 cup
red wine vinegar
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2
garlic cloves, minced
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1/2
serrano or jalapeño chili, seeded and minced (depending on how much heat you want)
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1/2 cup
cilantro, coarsely chopped
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2 tablespoons
mint leaves, minced
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1/2
avocado, chopped
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2-3 tablespoons
lime juice
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1/2 cup
crumbled feta cheese
Directions
- Spicy Pork Meatballs
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Saute the onions in the olive oil over medium-high heat. When they begin to soften add the garlic and sautee until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spices cook an additional minute to slightly toast the spices.
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Put the ground pork in a medium bowl and add the onion spice mixture and mix well with a large spoon.
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Make the sauce, some of which will be added to the pork mixture with the remaining sauce to be used as a dipping sauce. To make the sauce, combine the ketchup, BBQ sauce, hoisin, ginger and soy sauce in a small bowl. Measure 2 Tablespoons of the mixture and add to the pork mixture. The rest can be used as a dipping sauce for the pork meatballs as an alternative to the salsa.
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Preheat the oven to 400F. Form small meatballs that weigh one ounce, about 1 1/2" - 2" in diameter. If you're cooking them on the stove, heat a sautee pan with some olive oil and saute the meatballs until they are starting to harden up. Be careful not to burn them - the sugar in the sauce definitely increases this possibility. If using a meat thermometer, I cook them on the stove to about 125F.
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Remove the meatballs from the pan, let cool enough to handle, and skewer. Refrigerate now if you plan to finish them later. Place them on thick, rimmed cookie sheets like 'half-sheets' and bake until they reach about 170F (about 15 minutes).
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Serve with dipping sauce and salsa (recipe below).
- Clementine Feta Salsa
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Macerate the minced red onion in the red wine vinegar for at least 30 minutes.
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Combine the red onion with all the rest of the ingredients and serve with the pork meatballs.
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