Firecracker Meatballs – The Large Man’s World ®

Change up your dinner recreation with this firecracker meatballs recipe. The tender meatballs are tossed in a signature candy and savory firecracker sauce.

I first tried firecracker meatballs after I unintentionally ordered my household a number of weeks’ price of the meals supply service, ‘Whats up Contemporary’. These DIY meal kits featured a easy recipe for Asian-American-inspired meatballs that was elevated by probably the most unimaginable sauce. 

In fact, me being me, I needed to recreate them as quickly as potential!

This firecracker meatball recipe tastes higher than another dish. It’s such successful, I’ve used the selfmade sauce to make firecracker hen and firecracker salmon, too! 

Desk of Contents

1. Why this recipe works
2. Elements Wanted
3. How one can make firecracker meatballs
4. Can I bake these? 
5. Recipe ideas and variations
6. What to serve with this dish
7. Storage directions
8. Extra scrumptious meatball recipes to attempt:
9. Regularly requested questions
10. Firecracker Meatballs

Why this recipe works

• Minimal work. There’s a motive why I like to make this for my household as a weeknight dinner. All it’s a must to do is combine, form, cook dinner, and sauce! Moreover, it’s made in a single pot so cleansing up is a breeze!
• Quick. From prep to plate, this complete dish takes lower than 20 minutes to make.
• Tremendous versatile. I sometimes serve these meatballs over rice or noodles, however they work simply in addition to a enjoyable appetizer. My little ones love them in hoagie rolls as a meatball sub. 
• Loaded with taste and texture. The sauce and meatballs are completely balanced. You get the hints of sweetness, tanginess, and warmth within the sauce and the refined cheesiness within the meatballs. The sauce is sticky and thick, and the meatballs are juicy and tender.

Elements Wanted

Don’t let the lengthy checklist of elements scare you. Apart from the meat and eggs, the remaining are easy pantry staples. Here’s what you’ll want: 

• Floor pork OR floor hen. Whereas most firecracker meatball recipes name for floor hen, I choose utilizing floor pork. I discover the pork retains the flavors higher and yields a juicier meatball.
• Breadcrumbs. I used panko breadcrumbs, however the usual type works too.
• Parmesan cheese. Freshly grated. The flavour is unmatchable, and it melts higher. 
• Olive oil. It helps to form the meatballs and enhances the juiciness. 
• Eggs. Bind the meatballs collectively. 
• Salt and floor black pepper. To season.
• Spices. I used a mixture of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder for these meatballs. 
• Oil. Use any impartial oil of your option to pan-fry the meatballs.
• Firecracker sauce. The namesake of this unimaginable dish. A mixture of buffalo sauce, brown sugar, soy sauce, and a few seasonings make the dreamiest and most fiery sauce ever. Please attempt to use contemporary garlic and ginger because it actually makes such a distinction.

How one can make firecracker meatballs

Make the meatball combination: Combine the bottom meat with breadcrumbs, parmesan, olive oil, egg, and spices in a big bowl. As soon as combined, knead the combination along with your palms.

Roll into meatballs: Form the meatballs into 2-inch balls or roughly 2 ounces every.

Make the sauce: Mix the totally different sauce elements in a bowl and set it apart.

Prepare dinner the meatballs: Warmth the oil in a skillet and cook dinner the meatballs till browned from all sides.

Sauce them up: Add the recent sauce to the meatballs and gently toss to coat them. Permit the sauce to thicken for a couple of minutes.

Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and inexperienced onions, and revel in it heat.

Can I bake these? 

Simply make baked firecracker meatballs by swapping the skillet for a sheet pan. The meatballs will nonetheless be tremendous juicy and flavorful. 

1. Prep the meatballs as instructed.
2. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
3. Bake the meatballs on the highest rack of the oven for 15-18 minutes at 180C/350F.
4. Whereas the meatballs are baking, whisk the sauce elements in a saucepan and place over low warmth. Convey it to a boil and let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes. 

Recipe ideas and variations

Oil your palms. Don’t you hate when the meatball combination sticks to your palms as a substitute of forming a ball? To keep away from this, oil or water your palms earlier than rolling the meatballs. 

Keep away from overmixing the combination. For tender, moist, and tender meatballs, DO NOT overmix the meatball dough. It’s like cake batter: you don’t need these to prove gummy or rubbery.

Weigh the meatballs. I like to make use of a scale for the last word foolproof technique of equal-sized meatballs. For this explicit recipe, every meatball comes out to be round 2 ounces every (45 grams). 

Use different floor meat. As a result of the sauce is the star of this dish, you may swap out the bottom meat for different choices, together with floor beef and floor turkey.

Alter the spice degree. When making this dish for non-family members, I usually dial again the warmth and swap out half the buffalo sauce for some ketchup or barbecue sauce. Keep in mind, you may at all times add extra warmth after by sprinkling some crimson pepper flakes or a drizzle of sizzling sauce.

What to serve with this dish

As a result of these meatballs are stuffed with punchy, daring flavors, serve them over easy carbs like steamed rice or noodles or over some lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps.

For a low carb and excessive protein meal, pair them with some inexperienced greens like air fryer Inexperienced beans, sauteed asparagus, or some sauteed spinach. 

Storage directions

To retailer. Refrigerate the leftover meatballs in an hermetic container for as much as three days.  

To freeze. Freeze the leftover meatballs (with out the sauce) in freezer-safe container for as much as 3 months. 

To reheat. I prefer to microwave the meatballs for 10-15 seconds however you may warmth them up in a skillet.

Extra scrumptious meatball recipes to attempt:

Regularly requested questions