Description
Homemade sweet and sour meatballs combine ground beef with tangy sauce for a delightful meal. Balanced flavors and easy preparation make this classic dish perfect when you crave something satisfying and quick to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef or pork
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- ¼ cup (30 g) breadcrumbs
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) pineapple juice
- ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) ketchup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsps (30 g) cornstarch
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) water
Instructions
- Meat Mixture Preparation: Thoroughly blend ground meat with breadcrumbs, milk, egg, and seasonings in a large mixing bowl until ingredients are fully integrated and consistent.
- Meatball Formation: Craft uniform 1-inch spherical meatballs, ensuring even size for consistent cooking and optimal texture.
- Browning Process: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high temperature, carefully searing meatballs on all sides until a rich golden-brown exterior develops, rotating every 90 seconds to guarantee even caramelization.
- Sauce Creation: Simultaneously prepare the sweet and sour sauce by combining pineapple juice, brown sugar, white vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce in a separate saucepan, whisking until ingredients merge and begin to simmer.
- Thickening Technique: Generate a smooth cornstarch slurry, gradually incorporating it into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously to prevent lumps and achieve desired viscosity.
- Flavor Infusion: Reintroduce browned meatballs into the sauce, allowing them to simmer for 6-8 minutes, enabling complete flavor absorption and ensuring thorough internal cooking.
- Presentation: Plate the sweet and sour meatballs over steamed rice or egg noodles, elegantly garnishing with chopped green onions or toasted sesame seeds for enhanced visual and textural dimensions.
Notes
- Meat Mixing Technique: Blend ingredients gently to prevent overworking the meat, which can make meatballs tough and dense.
- Uniform Meatball Sizing: Use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon for consistent size, ensuring even cooking and professional presentation.
- Temperature Precision: Use a meat thermometer to confirm 160°F internal temperature, preventing undercooked meat and potential foodborne illnesses.
- Cornstarch Slurry Secret: Whisk cornstarch and water separately before adding to sauce to eliminate lumps and create smooth, glossy sauce texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 392
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg