RECIPE: Porcupine Meatballs

My husband loves Porcupine Meatballs and this dish is sure to please any “meat and potatoes” man.

Originally found in my mother’s ancient Better Homes & Garden cookbook – please note that the cookbook is ancient and NOT my mother – I grew up eating these meatballs regularly and when I married Bill and received the newest version of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, I flipped through to search for this recipe first. The unfortunate part is that the newest cookbook doesn’t have Porcupine Meatballs in it.

GASP.

So, I worked from memory and created my own version. Since, Porcupine Meatballs have become a staple on our family’s menu.

Place 2 pounds lean ground beef in a mixing bowl with garlic, chopped onion, 1/2 can of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon worcheshire sauce, 2 eggs, 1 cup white rice, salt, and black pepper. (Don’t worry! The printable recipe is available below.)

Turn the mixer to low speed until well blended. You could do this by hand… but WHY? Oh, and note that this is not a firm mixture. It is kind of loose but it makes for a tender, tasty meatball.

I use a medium-size scoop to make the meatballs and place then in a skillet over medium-high heat with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Brown the meatballs on both sides. Yes, I realize that meatballs are round and have more than two sides but I have found that turning the meatballs once works. Be gentle. Remember that these little guys are tender. A slotted spoon works great.

while those are browning on the second side, put the remaining tomato sauce in a measuring cup and add 2 tablespoons of worcheshire sauce. Top it off with some water until the mixture measures 2 cups.

Pour it over the meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed by the meatballs.

You will need to give these a nudge every once in a while to make sure they are not burning on the under-side.

Yeah, this is how we roll around here. Buffet style, straight from the pot.

The meatballs will reheat well in the microwave if you are using them to cook once a week. You could reheat them in the oven too but make sure you cover it with foil so they do not dry out.

Eating gluten-free? Check out this list of gluten-free Worcestershire sauces. 

This recipe is linked with love at The Gooseberry Patch and Life As Mom.