Saucy Asian Meatballs - recipe and question

[GotGarlic]

Saucy Asian Meatballs

Meatballs
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 large egg
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 cup Panko or breadcrumbs
1/4 cup thinly-sliced green onions
optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions

Sauce
2/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. In a large bowl, mix together meatball ingredients until well-combined. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on a Silpat-lined or greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until meatballs are golden-brown on the outside and no longer pink on the inside.

3. While the meatballs are baking, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until blended. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently stir them until covered.

4. Serve warm, and sprinkle with garnish if desired.

Servings: 10
Yield: 30-35 meatballs

Oven Temperature: 400°F

Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Tips
You can keep these warm (after cooking) in the slow cooker on low.

Source
Web Page: Adapted from Saucy Asian Meatballs | Gimme Some Oven

Question: I thought the flavor was good, but the meatballs were a little tough. My usual meatball recipe uses a mixture of milk and bread crumbs (a pomade) which helps bind and also helps tenderize the meatballs. I used Panko bread crumbs but hesitated to add milk to Asian meatballs, although it probably would not change the flavor much. Thoughts?

 

[taxlady]

I wonder if coconut milk would work as a milk substitute.

 

[Andy M.]

I'd just increase the panko a bit. Panko crumbs aren't as dense as regular breadcrumbs.

 

[Steve Kroll]

I used Panko bread crumbs but hesitated to add milk to Asian meatballs, although it probably would not change the flavor much. Thoughts?

Another question: Are Asian meatballs really Asian, or are they a western invention? I don't know the answer, but my guess would be the latter.

If it were me, I would probably try it with milk, even though it's not an Asian ingredient. Or I suppose you could also try using some sort of broth/stock as a moistening ingredient.

 

[GotGarlic]

Another question: Are Asian meatballs really Asian, or are they a western invention? I don't know the answer, but my guess would be the latter.

If it were me, I would probably try it with milk, even though it's not an Asian ingredient. Or I suppose you could also try using some sort of broth/stock as a moistening ingredient.

I suppose it would be more accurate to call them Asian-Style Meatballs I just copied the name of the original recipe.

I'm going to try it with milk, and if that doesn't work, I'll try it with soft bread crumbs; maybe the Panko was too dry and soaked up moisture needed for tenderness.

 

[Cheryl J]

Thanks for sharing, GG, those sound good! Another one to add to my 'to try' list. I would use fresh bread crumbs too, soaked in a tiny bit of milk.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Just looking at my Bento cook book Just Bento, she is Japanese and makes nice meatballs for bento, adds extra broth for the dry panko.

 

[GotGarlic]

Thanks, PF. I'll have to keep trying till I get it right

 

[buckytom]

asian meatballs are absolutely authentic. i doubt there's a culture in the world that doesn't have some kind of meatball recipe. in a lesser extent, the same could be said for sausages.

gg, this looks great! i'm definitely going to be making this. probably subbing ground turkey or chicken (so dw will eat them), but it looks too good not to try.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks, PF. I'll have to keep trying till I get it right

She also shows making a Bento meatball meal using 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs to 1 lb meatloaf mix and adding 1 tablespoon of milk.

Another she adds cornstarch to the mix to make it sticky.

I guess pick your weapon. Holler if you want the measurements of the cornstarch one