Classic Porcupine Meatballs Recipes

THE ABSOLUTE BEST PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F. In a bowl, add all sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a small bowl add the bread and milk and gently press down. Allow to soak for ~5 minutes.
• In a large bowl add the rest of the meatball ingredients. Add the panade mixture (milk and bread) to the bowl. Without overworking the mixture, gently mix just to combine. The mixture should be wet but hold a shape when you form it into a ball. Scoop enough meat mixture to form a 2" round ball (I use a large cookie scoop to measure out my meatballs). Wet your hands and shape. Damp hands are a trick to keeping the mixture from sticking to your hands! *See post for freezing instructions.
• Place the meatballs in a 3-4 quart baking dish or 9×13" baking pan. They can touch. Repeat until all of the meatballs are shaped and in a pan. If necessary, use 2 pans if you do not have a large enough pan.
• Pour the mixture over top of the meatballs. Cover the meatballs with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the cover and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165F.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before plating.
• Store leftovers in a lidded container in the fridge for up to a week.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• To a large mixing bowl add ground beef, rice, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, 3 tbsp parsley, the Italian seasoning, egg, salt and pepper. Mix together fairly well with your hands until even combined.
• Scoop out mixture about 2 slightly heaping tablespoons at a time (43g) each and compress and roll into balls (about 1 1/2-inches each). Set on a baking sheet or plates as you shape them.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs spacing evenly apart. Let sear on bottom until golden brown, about 1 - 2 minutes. Carefully turn to opposite side (meatballs can be fairly delicate) and let brown on opposite side about 1 - 2 minutes longer.
• Transfer browned meatballs back to baking sheet, then add remaining half of the meatballs and brown on each side.
• Return meatballs on baking sheet to pot then right away pour in tomato sauce, chicken broth, Worcestershire, and red bell pepper. Bring mixture just to a simmer.
• Cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer until meatballs are cooked through and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes, gently tossing meatballs once halfway through.
• If desired thin with more chicken broth. Serve warm garnished with remaining 1 Tbsp parsley and optional shredded mozzarella (not included in nutrition estimate).

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine ground beef, uncooked rice, egg, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. Shape into 1-inch balls.
• Place the meatballs in the prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl, whisk together tomato soup and water. Pour soup mixture over the meatballs.
• Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove cover and continue baking for 30 more minutes. At this point, the meatballs should be cooked through and the rice inside the meatballs should be tender. If the rice is still crunchy, cover loosely with foil and return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes (or until rice is done).

MELINDA'S PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Mix the ground beef, rice, 1/2 cup water, onion, salt, celery salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a bowl. Roll the mixture into 12 meatballs.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the meatballs. Cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until evenly browned. Drain and discard any excess grease. Pour the tomato sauce, 1 cup water, and Worcestershire sauce into the skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the meatballs are no longer pink in the center and the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Stir in more water if the sauce becomes too dry.

OLD-FASHIONED PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine ground beef, rice, water, onion, seasoned salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and celery salt. Mix well and shape into 9 meatballs.
• Place in a lightly greased baking dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a bowl, stir together tomato sauce, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over meatballs. Cover baking dish with foil.
• Bake covered for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add add the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with clean hands until mixture is well-combined.
• Scoop 2-tablespoons of meat mixture at a time and roll into balls. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. You should end up with 20 large meatballs.
• Place the baking sheet of meatballs on to the center-rack of a preheated oven. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
• Remove them from the oven and place aside.
• In a 2.5 quart stockpot, add tomato sauce, tomato paste, onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, light brown sugar, water, and Italian herbs.
• Using medium-high heat, bring sauce ingredients to low boil, stirring periodically. Remove from heat once bubbles form.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
• Add the baked meatballs to a 13" x 9" casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the meatballs, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
• Place the casserole dish of meatballs and sauce onto the center-rack of a preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes at 300°F.
• After baking for 45 minutes, remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 10 minutes uncovered.
• Serve meatballs warm over cooked white rice, or with your choice of sides.

CLASSIC PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine meat, rice, onion, salt and pepper; knead to mix.
• Mix tomato soup and water in pressure cooker.
• Form meat mixture into oblong balls; place in pressure cooker.
• Cook at medium pressure setting for ten minutes.
• Serve with salad and a vegetable.

CLASSIC PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine rice and hot water. Let sit for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• While rice soaks, in a large bowl combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, parsley, pepper, salt and cayenne. When rice has soaked 20 minutes add the rice and the water. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
• Form mixture into 10 meatballs (they will be about ⅓ cup each). Place the meatballs in a 3-qt or 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Set aside while you make the sauce.
• In a separate bowl combine diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir together the water and flour and add to tomatoes. Stir in onion, garlic, green pepper, and Worcestershire. Add the sugar, celery seed and salt.
• Pour the tomato sauce around the meatballs and cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hr, then remove the foil and bake until the tops are just browning, 20 to 25 minutes more.
• Garnish with chopped parsley if desired and serve.

CLASSIC PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with the rice, water, chopped onion, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
• Shape the ground beef mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to help make them uniform in size. (Or you can weigh them as you shape them.) Place them in an ungreased 2-quart shallow baking dish.
• Make the sauce by mixing together the tomato sauce, water, and Worcestershire sauce in a measuring cup or bowl.
• Now it's time to cook the meatballs. Continue reading for the oven method, or scroll down to the stovetop method.
• Pour the sauce over the porcupine meatballs, cover the baking dish tightly with foil, and bake the meatballs in the preheated oven for 55 minutes.
• Uncover and bake the meatballs 15 to 20 minutes longer, until bubbling and cooked through. Serve and enjoy.
• Add about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a large deep skillet over medium heat.
• Add the shaped meatballs and cook, turning, until the meatballs are evenly browned. Drain and discard the drippings.
• Add the tomato sauce ingredients to the skillet and bring the mixture to a simmer. Lower the heat and cover the pan. Continue cooking for about 45 minutes. Check occasionally and add water, if necessary. Serve and enjoy.

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Use your hands to mix the ground beef, egg, onion, rice, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of the garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a large bowl until well combined. Roll the meat mixture into 24 balls (each about 2 heaping tablespoons and 1 inch in diameter).
• Heat the olive oil in a large, high-sided oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the meatballs and cook until lightly browned on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium, then stir in the tomato puree, ketchup, remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, remaining 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper until the sauce is combined and meatballs are well coated.
• Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Bake until the meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink, the rice is tender and poking out and the sauce has reduced slightly, about 50 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and top with more chopped parsley.

CLASSIC PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Using your hands, mix all meatball ingredients until well combined.
• Shape the meat into balls that are slightly larger than a golf ball.
• Brown all sides of the meatballs in a pan over medium high heat, turning frequently. Do this in batches so as not to overload the pan.
• When each meatball is browned, remove them from the pan and place it into a 9" x 13" baking pan.
• In a separate bowl combine all sauce ingredients and whisk until they're fully incorporated.
• Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Serve immediately over white rice.