My meatballs are cooked on the outside, but not on the inside:

If pan frying the meatballs turn the heat to medium low and cover the pan for a few minutes to cook the inside of the meatballs faster and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Why add bread soaked in milk to meatballs?

Soaking bread in milk and adding to meatballs will help create a juicy, rich meatball and avoid dry meatballs.

How do I grate an onion?

Cut the onion in half and remove peel. Carefully grate the onion on the largest setting on the cheese grater. Press the onions with a paper towel to remove some of the water. If you need all the water removed, enclose the grated onion in a cheesecloth and squeeze the extra water out over the sink.

How to Store the Meatballs:

If you have leftover meatballs, store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in sauce on stovetop or bake in the oven at 350 degrees until warm. If the sauce gets really soaked up, make an extra batch of sauce (or cut recipe in half if you don't have many meatballs) and add the sauce over the meatballs.

Can I freeze these mini meatballs:

Absolutely! You can freeze them after rolling before cooking, or after pan frying. For the best results, vacuum seal and use within 2 months.

Mini Meatballs (with 5 Sauce Choices)

Description

These Mini Meatballs are homemade, pan fried to perfection, then tossed into a delicious sauce of your choice. My friends and family beg me to bring these small meatballs coated in my homemade cocktail meatball sauce to every Holiday event, especially for Christmas Eve!

Ingredients

Scale

Mini Meatballs:

one slice of sandwich bread (Italian or white bread)
1/4 cup whole milk
16 ounces 85/15 ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
1/4 cup yellow onion, grated and squeezed with paper towel to remove excess water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatball Sauce:

2/3 cup ketchup
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water, whisked together to create a slurry

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Instructions

In small bowl, rip the bread into 2 pieces and pour over the 1/4 cup of milk. Allow it to soak for just a minute or two. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the bread only to a large bowl. Discard the remaining milk.
In the large bowl, tear the bread into smaller pieces. Add in ground pork, ground beef, grated onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, egg, panko breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix together with hands until it is fully combined.
Roll into mini meatballs, about 2 teaspoons each in size and place on a cookie sheet. You should get around 50 small meatballs. Sit them aside.
If making the sweet and sour cocktail meatball sauce: Combine ketchup, 1 minced garlic clove, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and cornstarch slurry into a large skillet. Stir to combine, then place it over the stovetop on medium low heat and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should turn into a glaze like sauce.
Prepare a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Add in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and allow it to heat up. Carefully add in 1/2 of the meatballs to the pan, making sure they have enough room to cook.
Cook for a few minutes on each side, turning them about 3-4 times with a set of tongs, until the internal temperature of the meatballs reach 165 degrees, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the batch to a paper towel lined plate and start the next batch.
Once all the meatballs are finished, carefully toss them in the sauce, covering all surfaces in the glaze.
Serve and enjoy!

Equipment

Enameled Skillet

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nonstick skillet

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Notes

Remove some of the excess water from the onions with a paper towel if there is a ton.
Try to roll the meatballs in a really similar size for even cooking time.
If the sweet and sour sauce turns thicker than a glaze, add a few tablespoons of water into the sauce and stir. Reduce the heat to low and simmer.
Having a party? Add them into a crockpot on the warm or low setting to keep them hot and ready to eat.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: pan fried
Cuisine: American