Meatballs Buffalo

By Gibby

The Meatball Shop is a New York sensation that modernizes meatballs and lets people customize their sauce, ball and side pairings

Ingredients

• Meatballs:
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) vegetable oil
• 4 tbsp (60 mL) unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup (80 mL) hot sauce, preferably Frank’s RedHot Original
• 1 lb. (450 g) ground chicken, preferably thigh meat
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 celery stalk, finely minced
• 3/4 cup (185 mL) dried bread crumbs
• 1 tsp (5 mL) coarse kosher salt

Preparation

Step 1

Drizzle oil in 9-inch by 13-inch (23-cm by 33-cm) baking dish. Use your hand to evenly coat entire surface.

In small saucepan, combine butter and hot sauce over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking, until butter is melted and fully incorporated. Remove from heat. Let cool 10 minutes.

In medium mixing bowl, combine butter-hot sauce mixture, chicken, egg, celery, bread crumbs and salt. Mix well by hand.

Roll mixture into round, 3/4-inch (2-cm) balls (about 1 heaping tsp/5 mL each), making sure to pack meat firmly. Place balls in prepared baking dish, lining them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid.

Roast in preheated 450F (230C) oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted in centre of meatball should read 165F (74C). Let cool 5 minutes in baking dish before serving.

Serve meatballs on platter with toothpicks and Blue Cheese Dressing in bowl on side, if using.

Makes about 60