We went to a James Taylor concert at the Hollywood Bowl and I made these to take along for our picnic dinner. Meatballs make a great picnic dish because they’re bite-sized so they’re very easy to eat. It’s got a little kick but they’re not too spicy so even my kids liked them. These meatballs, spicy edamame, a cheese plate and a couple good bottles of red wine made for the perfect picnic. Overall a very successful night. Great concert, great friends and an amazing venue.
Ingredients
3 lbs ground beef 80/20
3 scallions, chopped and divided
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup stale bread or plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
Chili Glaze
5 tablespoons gochujang
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
5 tablespoons honey
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the bread and milk, mix to ensure all the bread is coated and wet and let sit for 10 minutes. Then in a large bowl, combine ground beef, all but 1 tablespoon of the scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, sesame oil and the soaked bread. Mix well with your hands but don’t over work or your meatballs will be tough. Once mixed, I like to put a little piece in the microwave for about 15 seconds and taste for flavor. When you’re satisfied with the seasoning, roll into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet so the meatballs are not touching. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
While the meatballs are in the oven, make the chili glaze. In a small sauce pan, mix together the 3 ingredients. The gochujang paste will be thick so with a fork, incorporate the vinegar and honey to achieve a smooth consistency. Heat over medium high heat, stirring the mixture to ensure you don’t burn any portion of the glaze. Once it bubbles, turn off the heat.
When the meatballs are done, In a large bowl, gently mix the meatballs with the chili glaze, ensuring each meatball is completely coated. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of scallions.
Where to buy key ingredients:
Haechandle Gochujang (this is my favorite brand)
Korean Soy Sauce
Toasted Sesame Oil
