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The Spruce
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
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138 | Calories |
6g | Fat |
11g | Carbs |
11g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 16 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 138 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 6g | 8% |
Saturated Fat 2g | 11% |
Cholesterol 82mg | 27% |
Sodium 355mg | 15% |
Total Carbohydrate 11g | 4% |
Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
Protein 11g | |
Calcium 37mg | 3% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Honey and garlic team up to make a sweet and tasty sauce for these homemade pork meatballs. These pork meatballs are perfect for any occasion—or no special occasion at all—and they can be kept warm and served from a slow cooker. Pork tends to make for a slightly drier meatball than those made with beef, but the egg and breadcrumbs bind the meatballs together and help add moisture and tenderness.
They're not cooked in the slow cooker or fried, but instead, the meatballs are baked and then coated with the flavorful sauce. The recipe is easily scaled up and doubled; you can freeze half of them, without the sauce, and make the sauce before serving. Serve these ground pork meatballs nestled into small lettuce leaves such as butter lettuce.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork (lean)
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- 1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs (plain)
- Optional: 2 tablespoons cilantro (finely chopped)
- 2Â green onions (finely chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (pressed, divided)
- 1 scant teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Sriracha sauce or Tabasco (to taste)
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Heat the oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet, such as a jelly roll pan or half sheet pan, with foil. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
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Combine the pork with the beaten egg, breadcrumbs, cilantro (if using), green onions, 1 of the cloves of pressed garlic, and the salt and pepper. Using your hands, combine the pork mixture until all ingredients are well blended.
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Shape the pork into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter, roughly 5/8 ounce each. Using a small cookie scoop to shape them helps. Arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet.
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Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink.
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Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. When the butter is foamy, add the remaining 3 cloves of pressed garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.
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Add the ketchup, honey, soy sauce, and hot sauce, if using. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for about 1 minute.
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Combine the sauce in a serving dish with the meatballs and serve immediately as an appetizer, or serve with rice and a side vegetable for a meal. Enjoy.
The Spruce
How Can You Tell If Pork Meatballs Are Cooked?
Pork meatballs, when cooked, should reach 160 F on an instant-read thermometer and won't be pink.
Tip
- If you want to keep these meatballs warm for a long period of time, combine the sauce and cooked meatballs in the slow cooker. Cover and keep on the low setting.
- When you're bringing together the meatballs, use your hands if at all possible. This gives you a feel for when the ingredients are combined, and it tends to prevent overmixing, which can make your meatballs tough.
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