Description
Hearty porcupine meatballs combine ground beef and rice in a comforting classic dish from the Midwest. Savory tomato sauce complements the tender meat mixture you’ll love to serve for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (500 g) ground beef (or pork/beef mix)
- ½ cup uncooked white rice
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 can (14 oz/400 g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups beef or chicken stock
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika (optional)
- 1 tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
- ½ tsp dried oregano or thyme
- ¼ tsp salt (to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Combine ground beef, rice, onion, garlic, egg, and seasonings in a mixing bowl. Gently blend ingredients using fingertips to maintain meat’s delicate texture.
- Forming: Shape mixture into uniform meatballs, roughly golf ball-sized, and arrange on a clean surface.
- Sauce Creation: Whisk crushed tomatoes, stock, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, oregano, and seasonings in a wide cooking pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, creating a flavorful liquid base.
- Cooking: Carefully submerge meatballs into the bubbling sauce, ensuring complete coverage. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and allow ingredients to meld together.
- Simmering: Rotate meatballs occasionally to prevent sticking. Cook for 35-40 minutes until rice inside becomes tender and meat reaches complete doneness.
- Serving: Transfer meatballs to a serving platter accompanied by mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta. Optionally garnish with fresh parsley for a vibrant touch and added flavor complexity.
Notes
- Gentle Meat Mixing: Avoid overworking the ground beef mixture to prevent tough, dense meatballs. Use light fingertips and mix just until ingredients combine.
- Uniform Size Matters: Roll meatballs consistently to ensure even cooking and prevent some pieces from becoming overdone while others remain undercooked.
- Low and Slow Cooking: Maintain a gentle simmer to keep meatballs tender and prevent them from becoming dry or rubbery during the cooking process.
- Sauce Coating Technique: Ensure each meatball is fully submerged in sauce to lock in moisture and enhance flavor absorption during simmering.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg