Hot Spicy Meat Balls

Name: Hot Spicy Meat Balls
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef chuck; 1 medium-size yellow onion , peeled and finely grated; 1 clove garlic , peeled and crushed; ¾ teaspoon salt; 1 tablespoon steak sauce; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 1/8 teaspoon crushed dried hot red chili peppers; ¾ cup soft white bread crumbs soaked in ½ cup cold water; 1 egg , lightly beaten; 2 tablespoons cooking oil (for browning); 3 tablespoons flour; 2 tablespoons pan drippings; 1½ cups beef broth; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons dry red wine or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar; 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Chef

Jean Anderson

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Cookbook

The New Doubleday Cookbook

Published by Doubleday

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

12 servings

Cooking Methodpan-frying

CostModerate

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Kid FriendlyYes

OccasionBuffet, Cocktail Party, game day

Recipe Courseappetizer, hors d'oeuvre

Mealdinner

Taste and Texturehot & spicy, meaty

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef chuck
1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and finely grated
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
¾ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon steak sauce
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed dried hot red chili peppers
¾ cup soft white bread crumbs soaked in ½ cup cold water
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons cooking oil (for browning)
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons pan drippings
1½ cups beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons dry red wine or 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Mix all meat ball ingredients except oil and shape in 1” balls.
Brown well in oil, a few balls at a time, 5-7 minutes in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat; remove to paper toweling with a slotted spoon.
Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pan, add balls, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes, adding about 2 tablespoons water, if needed, to keep balls from sticking.
Serve hot on toothpicks with or without a savory dip (Béarnaise, Chinese-Style Sweet-Sour, and Plum Sauce are particularly good).
Or, if you prefer, serve in the above sauce: Brown and drain balls as directed; before returning to pan, blend flour into drippings, add remaining ingredients, and heat and stir until thickened. Add meat balls, cover, and simmer 10-15 minutes. Serve from a chafing dish with toothpicks.
VARIATIONS
Roman Meat Balls: For the meat balls, use
pound each ground beef chuck and hot or sweet Italian sausages removed from casings; stir-fry 10 minutes over moderately high heat until cooked through. Drain off drippings and cool meat slightly; then mince. Mix with ingredients called for but omit hot red peppers; add 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan. Shape into 1” balls, brown and cook as directed.
Per serving: 175 C, 70 mg cu. 510 mg S*
Chutney-Nut Meat Balls: To the meat ball mixture add 1/3 cup minced walnuts or toasted almonds. Proceed as directed, simmering in the sauce to which 1/3 cup well-drained, minced chutney has been added.
Per serving: 280 C, 75 mg CR, 495 mg S*
Chili Meat Balls: Prepare meat balls as directed, omitting hot red chili peppers and adding 1 tablespoon chili powder and 2 tablespoons chili sauce. Also prepare sauce, blending 1 teaspoon chili powder into drippings along with flour.
Per serving: 225 C, 75 mg en. 545 mg S*
Blue Cheese Meat Balls: Prepare meat balls as directed, omitting hot red chili peppers and salt and adding 3-4 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese. Serve without sauce pass Sour Cream Dressing as a dip.
Per serving: 185 C, 75 mg CH, 340 mg S*