Tex-Mex Meatballs
And I’m back!
I was away to finally finish my graduate studies and earn that degree I have long desired. It meant letting go of things that eat up my time—working out, experimenting in the kitchen, and of course, food blogging. Now that that’s done, a pat on the back seems in order—and what better way to give myself a pat on the back than making one of my all-time favorites?
So, on to the topic: meatballs. They seem simple, but not quite: To make the best meatballs, there are a few things I consider.
First, I get 80-90% lean ground meat. While fat does give more flavor, it is so disappointing to see how much your meatballs lose volume after they are cooked. If your meat has a lot of fat, you will end up with shrunken meatballs swimming in grease. That grease is all the fat that melted in the heat of your pan.
Another thing that I consider is the cooking method. I discovered that cooking meatballs in the oven is much better than frying them. Apart from the obvious health reasons, the ketchup that I add as a flavoring agent will burn in the oil when meatballs are fried.
Further, when working with ground meat, it’s best to mix them with the tip of your fingers. This helps avoid overworking the meat, giving you meatballs that are moister and juicier. Another way to avoid overworking the meat is to wet your hands when forming them into balls. I find this step unnecessary, though—at least for this recipe. The ketchup I add in the dish provides enough moisture to help you form your meatballs with as little handling time as possible.
Do try this recipe, because comfort is real when it’s meatballs cooking away in the kitchen.
Tex-Mex Meatballs
Ingredients
- 500 grams lean ground pork
- 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 piece medium-sized onion
- 1/4 cup Japanese breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix with the tip of your fingers, minding to incorporate everything as much as possible without overworking the meat.
- Very gently, form meatballs with the palm of your hands. Place each formed meatball on a greased baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Bake the meatballs for 30 minutes. Once done, let them rest for 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute.
- Serve warm with the drippings. Yum!
As with many other food bloggers out there, I am no chef. I come with no culinary training whatsoever, and so it’s not at all surprising that my kitchen adventures are punctuated by frequent mishaps and blunders. Yet, there are recipes that I seem to make much better than others. And so, after years of prodding from family and friends, here I am, sharing the little that I know.
Why “gourmand,” you ask? Simply because I like making and eating good food. I can eat a lot, too—so there you go!