Beef-and-Bacon Meatballs
- Yield: 48 meatballs
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 48 servings
- Calories
- 85
- Total Fat
- 5
- Saturated Fat
- 2
- Carbohydrates
- 3
- Dietary Fiber
- 0
- Sugar
- 1
- Protein
- 4
- Cholesterol
- 20
- Sodium
- 148
- Total: 2 hr
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Ingredients
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup ruby port
4 shallots, sliced
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs thyme
10 black peppercorns
2 slices bacon
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Kosher salt
For the meatballs:
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil Chopped fresh chives, for topping
Directions
- Make the sauce: Combine the red wine, port, shallots, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and bacon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium and cook until reduced by one-third, about 30 minutes. Add the chicken broth and continue cooking until reduced by half, about 40 more minutes (you should have about 2 cups liquid). Strain into a clean saucepan.
- Mix the butter and flour in a bowl to form a paste. Whisk the paste into the sauce and simmer over medium heat, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream and season with salt. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, make the meatballs: Pulse the bacon and onion in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and add the beef, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; mix until just combined. Dampen your hands and form into about 48 meatballs, 1 inch each.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, add the meatballs to the skillet and cook, turning, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Wipe out the skillet, add the sauce and the meatballs, and cook over medium heat until the sauce is simmering and the meatballs are heated through, about 2 minutes. (Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water if the sauce is too thick.) Top with chives.