Description
Hearty Porcupine Meatballs blend American comfort with rice-studded ground beef, creating a nostalgic dinner classic that simmers in rich tomato sauce. Families will savor these tender, flavorful spheres that promise warmth and satisfaction in each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 pound (454 grams) ground beef
Grains and Fillers:
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) uncooked white rice
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1 (15 ounces/425 grams) can of tomato sauce
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) water for the sauce
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) water
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a spacious baking dish that allows meatballs to rest comfortably without touching each other.
- In a generously sized mixing bowl, gently fold ground beef, uncooked white rice, water, finely chopped onion, kosher salt, garlic powder, and freshly ground black pepper together, maintaining a light touch to preserve meat’s tender consistency.
- Craft uniform meatballs approximately 1 1/2 inches (3.8 centimeters) in diameter, ensuring consistent size for even cooking.
- Arrange meatballs strategically in the prepared baking dish, leaving small gaps between each sphere to promote balanced heat circulation.
- Create a harmonious sauce by whisking tomato sauce, water, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar in a separate bowl until ingredients blend seamlessly.
- Cascade the prepared sauce evenly over meatballs, ensuring complete coverage and moisture retention.
- Securely wrap the baking dish with aluminum foil, creating a sealed environment for initial cooking.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and meat to cook thoroughly.
- Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, allowing slight caramelization and achieving a golden-brown exterior.
Notes
- Slow-cooking brings out the deep, rich flavors locked inside these classic comfort meatballs.
- Homemade sauce transforms simple ground beef into a mouthwatering family dinner that everyone will request again.
- Ground beef mixed with rice creates a unique “porcupine” texture that traps delicious sauce in every bite.
- Worcestershire sauce adds a tangy complexity that elevates this traditional recipe from ordinary to extraordinary.
- Baking covered then uncovered ensures tender meat with a perfectly caramelized exterior that looks professionally prepared.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 292 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 610 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg