Try this Cocktail Meatballs recipe.
- Carbohydrate 27.7000478653963 g
- Cholesterol 41.6970300786815 mg
- Fat 13.2391259014869 g
- Fiber 0.668143240786038 g
- Protein 11.4606133752245 g
- Saturated Fat 5.23617966106786 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (114g)
- Sodium 81.2257246944281 mg
- Sugar 27.0319046246102 g
- Trans Fat 1.47902727533582 g
- Calories 279 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and ground black pepper. Mix together, and shape into meatballs.
- In a large skillet, heat shortening over medium heat. Add meatballs, and cook until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels.
- Add chili sauce and jelly to skillet; heat, stirring, until jelly is melted. Return meatballs to skillet, and stir until coated. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Grape jelly performs the heavy lifting in this glaze, providing the high sugar content necessary to caramelize and thicken when combined with acidic tomato chili sauce. When shaping the raw mixture, handle the ground beef gently to avoid compacting the protein fibers, which yields a tender bite rather than a dense one. If a heavy-bottomed skillet is unavailable, a wide Dutch oven functions adequately for both browning the portions and simmering the final sauce.
Freezing and Make-Ahead Storage
Prepared portions tolerate freezing exceptionally well for up to three months when sealed in airtight containers. Cool the finished dish completely before transferring it to storage vessels to prevent ice crystal formation from altering the sauce viscosity. Thaw frozen batches overnight in the refrigerator prior to reheating on the stovetop over low heat.
Reheating Technique
Restore leftover portions gently by warming them in a covered pan over medium-low heat for roughly 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching the sugary glaze at the bottom of the pan. Adding a tablespoon of water helps thin sauces that have thickened too much during refrigeration.
