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Sweet and Sour Meatballs

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

½ yellow onion

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb 85% lean ground beef

1 lb ground pork

2 eggs

¾ cup panko

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

¼ tsp dry mustard

1 ¾ teaspoons salt

black pepper

1 cup pineapple juice

⅓ cup ketchup

¼ cup soy sauce(or tamari)

¼ cup light brown sugar

1 dash cayenne

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Mince the onion.

Set a small skillet over medium-high heat and pour in the olive oil. Once oil is shimmering, add the minced onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and beginning to brown, 5-6 minutes.

Transfer the cooked onion to a large mixing bowl. Add the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, panko, nutmeg, allspice, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper. Using clean hands, work the ingredients together until thoroughly combined.

Roll the meat mixture into 24 balls about 1 inch in diameter, or 1.5 oz. each, and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the meatballs on middle rack of oven until cooked through, 16-17 minutes.

To make the sweet and sour sauce, place the pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, and cayenne in a large pot and whisk until combined. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low so that sauce is vigorously simmering. Simmer, stirring regularly with a rubber spatula, until sauce is thickened and reduced, for 10-15 minutes.

Check to see that meatballs are done. Remove from oven or add time as needed.

Transfer the meatballs to the pot of sauce. Simmer until heated through, 3-4 minutes.

Transfer meatballs and sauce to a large bowl and serve immediately.

Video Tutorial Bite Tutorial

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Meat Blend Ratio for Optimal Texture 🎯
The 85% lean beef to pork ratio is crucial—pork adds fat and juiciness while lean beef provides structure, preventing dense, dry meatballs that fall apart during sauce absorption.
Panko Hydration Technique 💧
Soak panko in a mixture of egg and a splash of pineapple juice before mixing into meat—this creates ultra-tender meatballs that stay moist and won't toughen when simmered in sauce.
Spice Blooming for Maximum Flavor 🌶️
Toast the dry mustard, allspice, and nutmeg in the pan for 30 seconds before adding your sauce ingredients to unlock their essential oils and deepen the sweet-savory complexity.
Sauce Caramelization Secret 🍯
Brown the meatballs first without crowding the pan, then deglaze with a splash of pineapple juice—this creates fond that enriches the sauce's depth far beyond simply dumping ingredients together.
Onion Texture Control 🧅
Finely mince onions and squeeze out excess moisture before mixing into meat so they incorporate seamlessly without creating pockets of raw onion that compromise the tender meatball structure.