Meatloaf Meatballs with Parmesan Polenta
Tags: Beef Dinner Pork
Yield: 8
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp minced fresh thyme
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup beef stock
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 1 ½ tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup polenta
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Once hot, add the onion, celery, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Sauté until the onion and celery are soft and tender, 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the thyme. Set the mixture aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, quick-cooking oats, whisked eggs, salt, black pepper, beef stock, and cooled onion mixture. Mix together until it is well combined.
- Portion ¼ cup meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place them in the preheated 350°F oven to roast.
- While roasting, in a small saucepan, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 4-5 minutes and remove from the heat.
- After the meatballs have baked for 20 minutes, remove them from the oven. Brush each one with the prepared ketchup glaze. Return the meatballs to the oven to finish roasting until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F, 15-20 minutes. Serve with the Parmesan polenta.
- In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add the salt. While whisking, slowly pour in the polenta. Add the heavy cream and continue stirring until the polenta has soaked up the water and cream and the bubbles become slow and thick, 6-10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Add Parmesan cheese, butter, and black pepper. Stir to incorporate and serve immediately.
- Beating the eggs before they are added allows them to combine better with the other ingredients. That way, you’re not trying to break up the yolks while also mixing the meat together.
- Ensure the meat mixture is well-combined. Each element brings a different flavor to the dish, and that should be consistent throughout. Otherwise, there could be pockets of excess ingredients within the meatballs.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It takes a little bit more work to grate the cheese, but it creates a noticeable difference from pre-grated cheese, enhancing the polenta it’s used in.
