Porcupine Meatballs

Beef

Main

April 13, 2023

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

— Albert Einstein

Your Italian friend and his cousin, Vinny, may swear up and down that their Nonna and her Nonna’s Nonna invented the first meatballs (Polpettes), but we both know that’s far from the truth.

Italians may have popularized meatballs, but for the longest time Persians, my ancestors (brag alert), who used leftover meat to make kofteh, had been accredited for coming up with the first meatballs. Thanks to new findings, it turns out that Persians weren’t the first inventors of meatballs either (wah-wah). Going as far back as the Qin Dynasty (221 BC to 207 BC), the Chinese beat every other culture to making meatballs. 好惊喜啊 hǎo jīng xǐ ‘a .

In the modern day, every culture and subculture has its own version of meatballs. Americans, being descendants of European immigrants, adapted their forefather’s recipes to their new land and new challenges. Porcupine Meatballs were developed during the Great Depression to stretch the mean where the added rice gave these meatballs their entertaining porcupine appearance. To nail the appearance, braise the meatballs in the tomato sauce and finished them in the oven.
Enjoy this satisfying and hearty meal served over pasta or as is.

Porcupine Meatballs

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 40

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
3/4 cup basmati rice uncooked
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 yellow onion finely chopped
2 TBSP tarragon fresh
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Cayenne pepper to taste
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
1 28-oz. can of tomato puree
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice, milk, onion, tarragon, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt.
Shape beef mixture into 1½” meatballs.
In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add meatballs in a single layer and cook until golden, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove meatballs to a plate.
In a 9”-x13” baking dish, whisk together pureed tomatoes and the remaining teaspoon of Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper. Add meatballs to the baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake until rice is tender, (roughly 40 minutes). Remove foil and bake until sauce is thickened and meatballs are cooked through (another 15 minutes).
Serve over egg noodles or as is.
You’re done!