Bacon Cheeseburger Balls
Originally published in Country Woman September/October 1999, my husband and kids are often fooled into thinking we're having plain meatballs until they cut into the flavorful filling inside!
Originally published in Country Woman September/October 1999, my husband and kids are often fooled into thinking we're having plain meatballs until they cut into the flavorful filling inside!
- Carbohydrate 8.42975416666667 g
- Cholesterol 87.7826833333333 mg
- Fat 14.8726821428571 g
- Fiber 0.787916672726472 g
- Protein 13.0676529761905 g
- Saturated Fat 4.02656261904762 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (82g)
- Sodium 592.417408333333 mg
- Sugar 7.6418374939402 g
- Trans Fat 3.12322952380953 g
- Calories 220 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, combine egg and soup mix.
- Crumble beef over mixture and mix well.
- Divide into 36 portions; set aside.
- In another large bowl, combine the flour and milk until smooth.
- Add cheese and bacon; mix well.
- Shape cheese mixture into 36 balls.
- Shape one beef portion around each cheese ball.
- In a shallow bowl, beat eggs.
- Place cracker crumbs in another bowl.
- Dip meatballs into egg, then coat with crumbs.
- In a large skillet, cook meatballs over medium heat in oil for 10-12 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink and coating is golden brown.
Standard recipes rarely explain the physics required to keep cheese contained inside a meat casing during high-heat pan frying. Without proper structural ratios, thermal expansion melts the internal cheddar before the exterior meat cooks through, causing blowouts. Managing this thermal barrier demands careful portion control and specific handling techniques.
- Scale the batch by maintaining a strict three-to-one ratio of meat portions to internal cheese balls, dividing the ground beef or turkey into precisely 36 equal portions of roughly 12 grams each to ensure complete coverage.
- Maintain medium heat in the skillet and cook the portions for 10 to 12 minutes, turning frequently to achieve an evenly golden-brown cracker crust without burning the dairy fat inside.
- Substitute cast iron for stainless steel skillets if sticking occurs, though any heavy-bottomed pan works provided the canola oil maintains a steady shimmer before the meat enters the oil.
Precision during the double-dip coating phase creates a barrier that locks internal moisture inside the crust. Thoroughly sealing every seam prevents cheese leakage during the ten-minute frying window.
