Cocktail Meatballs
- 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.
Overcrowding the skillet prevents the ground beef from browning properly, resulting in gray meat instead of a crisp exterior. Skillet size dictates batch management, so use a 12-inch cast-iron pan to ensure adequate space for one pound of meat. Turning the heat to medium prevents the shortening from smoking prematurely while still rendering the fat efficiently.
Accompaniments and Pairing Strategies
Balancing the intense sweetness of grape jelly requires high-acid side dishes. Pickled red onions or sharp cornichons cut through the sticky chili sauce glaze. Toothpicks left in a ceramic ramekin beside the chafing dish keep fingers clean during gatherings. Maintain a low simmer for exactly 30 minutes to thicken the sauce without burning the fruit sugars.
Dietary Adjustments
Substitutions alter the texture significantly if ratios are ignored. Ground turkey replaces beef at a one-to-one ratio, though adding an extra tablespoon of milk prevents dryness due to lower fat content. Gluten-free panko functions identically to standard bread crumbs for binding the egg and onion mixture.
