SWEET AND SOUR MEATBALLS

By peridot728

Quick and easy sweet and sour meatballs with green pepper and pineapple. On the table in 30 minutes and the whole family will love them!

Ingredients

• For the meatballs:
• 1 pound (450g) lean ground beef
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
• For the sauce:
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 can (19 fl oz, 540 mL) pineapple chunks and juice
• Sliced green onions, to garnish (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, milk, breadcrumbs, onion, salt and Worchestershire sauce until well combined. Form the mixture into 1 inch meatballs and place them on a broiler pan or baking sheet. I like to use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or a melon baller to portion out the meat into balls and then roll them into tight meatballs with my hands. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, pineapple juice and cornstarch. Heat a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the green pepper chunks and saute for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the sauce and stir to combine. Stir in the pineapple chunks. Bring to a boil over medium heat, continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until thickened, and then lower the heat to a simmer.

Add the cooked meatballs to the pan and stir to coat them in the sauce. Serve over hot rice with sliced green onions sprinkled on top.

Notes:

These meatballs freeze very well if you want to double or triple the meat recipe for a really fast meal another night. Just bake them and let them cool completely on a wire rack before placing them in a ziplock bag or airtight container to freeze.

This can also be kept warm in the slow cooker if you need to make it ahead of time. Bake the meatballs the same way and then place them in the slow cooker. Make the sauce on the stovetop as written and then pour the hot sauce over top of the meatballs and cook on low for 1-3 hours (shorter time if everything is hot to begin with, longer if the meatballs are cold). Don't leave it in the slow cooker all day though as a longer cooking time tends to cause the sauce to thin and not be as flavorful.