Porcupine Meatballs
Bristling with rice quills, oven baked porcupine meatballs are hearty and unique. You'll love this old-fashioned recipe that adds uncooked rice to traditional meatballs.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground beef (we use 92/8)
- ½ cup uncooked white rice
- ¼ cup finely diced onion
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
For the Sauce:
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and spray a Dutch oven or a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (see note below regarding pan size).
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, uncooked white rice, onion, milk, garlic, dried parsley, salt, and black pepper. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup uncooked white rice, ¼ cup finely diced onion, ¼ cup milk, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Using your hands or a scoop, shape the meat mixture into meatballs, each about 1 ½ tablespoons (see note), placing them into the pan in a single layer.
- In a separate bowl, combine the tomato sauce, broth, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, and black pepper. Mix well.1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce, 1 cup beef broth, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Pour sauce over meatballs. The sauce should nearly cover the meatballs. If using a Dutch oven, place lid on. If using a 9 x13 inch pan, cover tightly with foil.
- Bake for 60 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for another 15 minutes to thicken sauce slightly.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Pan size: These work best in a Dutch oven or dish where the meatballs fit in a single layer with not too much space in between them. The sauce should nearly cover the meatballs at the beginning of the cook time. If you have a larger pan, leave the pan covered the whole baking time so the meatballs don't dry out. If they seem like they are drying out, spoon some of the sauce on top of the meatballs.
- Meatball size: Try not to make the meatballs larger than 1 ½ tablespoons. The rice in the center of the meatball may not cook completely in larger meatballs, and may remain crunchy. If you’re having troubles with this towards the end of cook time, you can cut each meatball in half and continue to cook for 10 minutes to help the rice in the center cook. They won’t be as pretty, but it gets the job done in a pinch.
- Stovetop Method: In a large skillet (with a cover available), heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Pour the tomato sauce mixture over the browned meatballs in the skillet. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for about 60 minutes, or until the meatballs are fully cooked and the rice is tender (you may want to cut one open to check the rice in the center). Stir occasionally, turning the meatballs and spooning the sauce over them.
Nutrition
Serving: 5meatballs | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1044mg | Potassium: 948mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 496IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg
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