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These basic Porcupine Meatballs characteristic juicy floor beef and completely cooked rice that poke out like charming porcupine quills, this recipe is each visually interesting and mouthwateringly scrumptious. Excellent for busy weeknights or cozy gatherings, this recipe is bound to turn out to be a beloved favourite in your culinary repertoire.
What Are Porcupine Meatballs?
Ah, porcupine meatballs—a pleasant dish that brings consolation and a contact of caprice to the dinner desk. I first shared this recipe again in 2017, due to a beautiful reader named Laura who graciously handed it alongside. Since then, it’s turn out to be a beloved favourite in lots of households, together with mine.
However why “porcupine” meatballs, you ask? The identify is as charming because the dish itself. As these meatballs prepare dinner, bits of rice protrude from the edges, giving them a spiky look harking back to a porcupine’s quills. It’s a playful nod to their distinctive look that by no means fails to amuse company.
There’s additionally a little bit of culinary historical past wrapped up on this identify. Some say porcupine meatballs originated as a intelligent means to make use of up leftover meat combination from making stuffed peppers. By mixing in rice, cooks might stretch their substances additional whereas including texture and taste. Whether or not this origin story holds true or not, it provides one other layer of nostalgia to every chew.
Earlier than You Begin
- Select Further Lean Floor Beef: Select further lean floor beef and recent herbs. High quality substances make all of the distinction, including depth and richness to your meatballs.
- Rinse the Rice: Rinsing long-grain rice removes extra starch, serving to these charming rice spikes maintain their form superbly as they bake.
- Prep with Love: Finely chop your onions and measure your spices precisely. Taking the time to arrange thoughtfully ensures each chew is flavorful and well-balanced.
- Put together Forward: Assemble and measure all substances earlier than you begin to streamline the cooking course of and guarantee every little thing is prepared when wanted.
- Deal with Gently: Combine your substances gently and moist your palms to type the meatballs. This care prevents them from turning into dense and retains them tender and juicy.
Elements You’ll Want
- Beef – I used further lean in order that I wouldn’t have to fret about draining the meat. In case you desire, you’ll be able to substitute with floor turkey or hen for a lighter choice.
- Onion – This recipe requires white onion however yellow will work too. We would like one thing that mellows out and cooks effectively.
- Herbs and Spices: A mix of poultry seasoning, floor cloves, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper enhances the general taste with fragrant and earthy notes. In case you don’t have poultry seasoning, a mixture of sage, thyme, and rosemary serves as an ideal substitute. For a special twist, strive including a splash of cayenne for a bit of warmth.
- Baking powder – Do you know you should use baking powder outdoors of, effectively, baking? This ingredient will assist tenderize the meat and make the meatballs lighter.
- Rice – Lengthy grain rice is the important thing to making sure that you simply get the lovable little quills we’re going for. Be sure you add it in raw because the sauce will puff up the rice because it cooks, guaranteeing it absorbs all that scrumptious taste.
- Milk: Moistens the rice and helps bind the meat combination, guaranteeing every chew is juicy. For a dairy-free choice, substitute with almond milk or one other plant-based milk.
- Condensed Tomato Soup: Varieties the wealthy and creamy sauce that envelops the meatballs. In case you’d like a do-it-yourself contact, you should use a thick tomato sauce or marinara as an alternative.
Start by setting your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a big bowl, mix 1¾ kilos of additional lean floor beef, 1 finely chopped medium onion, ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 pinch of floor cloves, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ cup raw long-grain rice, and 1 cup milk. Utilizing your clear palms, combine every little thing gently till effectively mixed.
Calmly moist your palms with water to forestall sticking, then form the combination into medium-sized meatballs. I discover it simpler to make use of a small cookie scoop to get uniform dimension meatballs. Purpose for about 30 meatballs. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil right into a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Rigorously prepare the 30 meatballs in a single layer throughout the dish.
Tip: Uniformly sized meatballs prepare dinner extra evenly, giving every chew the proper texture. Arranging them in a single layer permits every meatball to prepare dinner uniformly.
In a separate massive bowl, whisk collectively 2 cans of condensed tomato soup and 2 cans of water (use one soup can to measure the water). Pour this sauce combination evenly over the meatballs, guaranteeing every one is generously coated. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley excessive of the meatballs and sauce. Then, cowl the casserole tightly with aluminum foil to lock in moisture throughout baking.
Tip: Masking the dish helps hold the meatballs juicy and permits the flavors to meld collectively superbly.
Place the coated casserole dish within the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes. After this time, take away the foil and proceed baking for an extra 30-35 minutes. You’ll know they’re performed when bits of rice poke via the edges, giving them that charming porcupine look.
Tip: Eradicating the foil for the ultimate bake permits the rice to rise and the sides to barely crisp.
How To Serve
Porcupine meatballs are a comforting and hearty dish that pairs splendidly with quite a lot of sides. Listed below are a few of my favourite recipes to serve alongside:
Different Methods To Prepare dinner Your Porcupine Meatballs
Whereas baking is the normal technique for making Porcupine Meatballs, there are different handy and scrumptious methods to arrange them. Whether or not you favor the hands-off strategy of a gradual cooker or the velocity of an On the spot Pot, these options guarantee your meatballs prove completely each time.
Gradual cooker
After forming the meatballs and getting ready the sauce as standard, place them into the gradual cooker. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, guaranteeing they’re effectively coated. Prepare dinner on low for 6-7 hours or on excessive for 3-4 hours.
On the spot Pot
Begin by utilizing the sauté operate to evenly brown the meatballs in batches, which provides a wealthy taste. As soon as browned, add the sauce to the pot and safe the lid. Prepare dinner on excessive stress for quarter-hour, then permit the stress to launch naturally for 10 minutes earlier than performing a fast launch.
Stovetop Skillet
Start by browning the meatballs in batches over medium warmth till they’re properly seared on all sides. As soon as browned, scale back the warmth to low and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Cowl the skillet and allow them to simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring often.
Regularly Requested Questions
Can I take advantage of a special kind of meat for these porcupine meatballs?
Completely! Whereas further lean floor beef is conventional, you’ll be able to substitute it with floor turkey, hen, or perhaps a plant-based meat different for a lighter or vegetarian choice.
How ought to I retailer leftover porcupine meatballs?
Storing leftovers is straightforward! Place the meatballs and sauce in an hermetic container and refrigerate for as much as 3 days. To maintain them recent longer, you’ll be able to freeze the meatballs and sauce individually for as much as 3 months. When able to take pleasure in, merely thaw within the fridge in a single day.
Can I make the meatballs forward of time?
Sure, you’ll be able to put together the meatballs and sauce a day prematurely. Merely assemble the meatballs and retailer them together with the sauce in separate containers within the fridge. Whenever you’re able to prepare dinner, simply mix them within the casserole dish and bake as directed. This makes weeknight dinners a breeze!
Do I must thaw frozen meatballs earlier than baking?
No must thaw! You may bake the porcupine meatballs straight from frozen. Simply add an additional 15-20 minutes to the baking time to make sure they prepare dinner via correctly.
How do I reheat leftover porcupine meatballs?
Reheating leftovers is straightforward. You may heat them within the microwave for a fast meal or reheat them on the stovetop in a saucepan with a splash of water or further sauce to maintain them moist. Alternatively, place them within the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 15-20 minutes till heated via.
🍽️ Share Your Porcupine Meatballs Journey
Creating Porcupine Meatballs goes past merely combining floor beef and rice—it’s a heartfelt culinary journey that blends custom along with your private contact. At my age, I’ve found that the kitchen is a spot the place persistence and a sprinkle of humor flip on a regular basis meals into cherished recollections. Whether or not you’re perfecting this basic recipe or including your personal twist, do not forget that pleasure and laughter are the key substances that make every dish particular.
Did your meatballs prove completely plump, or did you experiment with a brand new filling that took them to the subsequent stage? I’d love to listen to your tales and variations within the feedback under. Sharing your experiences not solely evokes fellow residence cooks but in addition helps us construct a vibrant group the place each recipe turns into a shared journey.
So, roll up your sleeves, embrace the pleasant chaos of cooking, and let’s savor the flavors and tales we create collectively.
Extra Scrumptious Meatballs
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Porcupine Meatballs
Porcupine Meatballs are a hearty and pleasant basic that mix tender floor beef with fluffy rice, creating charming spikes that resemble porcupine quills.
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Earlier than You Start! In case you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us understand how you preferred this recipe! This helps our enterprise thrive & proceed offering free recipes.
Directions
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
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In a big bowl add the meatball substances, and blend effectively utilizing your clear palms. The combination shall be fairly gentle and unfastened, however they may prepare dinner into agency meatballs.
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Moist your palms and type the combination into medium dimension meatballs. You must find yourself with about 30 meatballs. Drizzle the olive oil in a 9×13 inch casserole dish then place the meatballs within the dish.
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In one other massive bowl combine the soup and water collectively, then pour over the meatballs. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and canopy with aluminum foil.
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Bake coated for 35 minutes then take away the foil and prepare dinner for one more 30-35 minutes, or till the rice pokes via the meatballs.
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Serve with mashed potatoes and revel in!
Notes
- To make it simpler to form the meatballs you possibly can use a small cookie scoop, this may even guarantee all of your meatballs are the identical dimension.
- Rinse the long-grain rice totally to take away extra starch, guaranteeing your meatballs develop these signature porcupine spikes superbly.
- Recipe ought to yield about 30 meatballs.
- Dietary info relies on 5 meatballs per serving.
- These meatballs freeze effectively proper within the sauce, in an hermetic container.
Diet Data
Serving: 1servingEnergy: 389kcal (19%)Carbohydrates: 24g (8%)Protein: 30g (60%)Fats: 19g (29%)Saturated Fats: 7g (44%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 1gMonounsaturated Fats: 10gTrans Fats: 1gLdl cholesterol: 89mg (30%)Sodium: 1275mg (55%)Potassium: 1175mg (34%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 11g (12%)Vitamin A: 574IU (11%)Vitamin C: 17mg (21%)Calcium: 117mg (12%)Iron: 4mg (22%)
Discover: Diet is auto-calculated to your comfort. The place related, we suggest utilizing your personal diet calculations.
