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Really Good Meatballs

Source of Recipe

From "To the Last Bite" by Alexis Deboschnek


Recipe Introduction

"A few years ago, I wrote a piece for one of my favorite recipe sites, The Kitchn, comparing meatball recipes to find out which one was the best. After a week of making nothing but meatballs, I discovered that the best ones all followed the same philosophy: more is more. This recipe amps up the flavor in every way. Shallots get cooked in bacon fat along with garlic and red pepper flakes, which is so good, frankly you could just eat it slathered on crusty bread. But then shallots get mixed with beef and pork, cornmeal, and plenty of Parm, for what I believe are the best of the best meatballs. Oh, and they happen to be gluten-free! And they keep your kitchen clean, as I recommend you bake these—the meatball stays moist this way—rather than frying them."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 6 strips bacon, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
â—¦ 1 large shallot, minced
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
â—¦ 1 cup cornmeal
â—¦ ¼ cup water
â—¦ 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
â—¦ 1 pound 80% lean ground pork
â—¦ 1 cup grated Parmesan
â—¦ 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
â—¦ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ¾ cup finely chopped parsley


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon begins to crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the shallot and cook until it begins to soften and the bacon is really crispy, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute, or until aromatic. Transfer the bacon and shallot mixture to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Let cool for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir the cornmeal and water until combined. In a large bowl, add the ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, parsley, cornmeal, and bacon mixture, and use your hands to mix until well combined, without overworking it too much.

Roll the meat into 1 ½-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Alternatively, the meatballs can be frozen. To freeze, place the meatballs on the baking sheet and transfer to the freezer until frozen. Once frozen, the meatballs can be placed in a sealed container and stored for up to 3 months.

Bake the meatballs until just cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160° F, about 16 minutes, or 20 to 25 minutes if previously frozen. The meatballs can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serve with pasta and sauce.

Makes about 24 meatballs