One indisputable fact is that kids love to get their hands dirty. And what better way to do that than by mixing together the makings of sweet, glaze-y cocktail meatballs and then portioning them into two-bite appetizers? This recipe is inspired by a friend whose fondest Shabbat memories involve these meatballs, which her Aunt Wendy, the owner of a catering company in Philadelphia, served every Friday night. The sauce was usually cooked with the brisket and then repurposed for the meatballs, but here you can skip the brisket and get the same sweet flavor.
Sweet Meatballs
Makes about 40 meatballs
For Meatballs
2½ pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 eggs
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ cup water
For Sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (12-ounce) jars Heinz Chili Sauce
¼ cup red wine
1 tablespoon A.1. Steak Sauce
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, mix together all meatball ingredients. Form into balls one inch in diameter and place one inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
3. Place in preheated oven and cook until cooked through, or until a meatball cut in half is no longer pink, about 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in Dutch oven or large pot, heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining sauce ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat until sauce is dark red and achieves a glaze-y consistency, about 15 minutes. (You can partially cover the pan if the sauce starts to sputter.)
5. Add cooked meatballs to pot with sauce and simmer for another 10 minutes. Before serving, stir in lemon juice.
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