- 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
- 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