Smokehouse Meatballs
Smokehouse Meatballs!
Classic meatball flavors are brought to life with a bountiful variety of garden fresh herbs…but why stop there?? The addition of steakhouse seasonings and applewood smoked sea salt make this recipe “something special”.
Homemade perfection made simple!! Just a few steps, some grating and chopping…and a bit of hand-mixing ((that’s the most difficult part, at least for me, I don’t like dirty hands)). The key is to prep ahead so when its time to stick your hands in the meat bowl, all the other kitchen tasks are complete. So do yourself a favor, pre-heat the oven, line the baking sheets with parchment & lay out all of the tools (spatula and ½ c hand scoop) first.
Smokehouse Meatball Tips!
* Don’t leave out the king! King Hawaiian rolls add a very subtle sweetness that really pares well with the smoky and savory flavors. You will barely notice – and you will love it.
* Homemade means YOU are the boss of the ingredients. I used ½ turkey ½ beef to lighten up the meatballs. This combination goes undetected due to the bold herbs and seasonings.
* Don’t leave out the veggies — sneak those babies in every chance you get. Using a microplane zester, you can sneak veggies in and the kiddos won’t have a clue. (yay) Try something different, maybe parsnips, golden beets, or even finely chopped kale & chard. This is the time to squeeze in some good stuff – they won’t notice!!
* Parsley – one of my favorite herbs…1 cup of this may sound like a lot but whoa! does it flavor the meatballs so nicely!!
* Fresh rosemary & thyme leaves need to be removed from their woody stems BEFORE chopping and adding the meat mixture.
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- 2 lbs lean ground beef
- 2 lbs lean ground turkey (thigh or breast)
- 2 medium carrots, finely grated
- 4 celery stalks, finely grated
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped or grated
- 5-6 cloves pickled garlic, packed in oil and seasonings
- 1 c fresh curly-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
- 3 T fresh thyme, removed from stems
- 1 t sea salt
- 1 t steakhouse grinder seasoning
- 1 t applewood smoked sea salt
- 1/2 t freshly ground pepper
- 4 King's Hawaiian dinner rolls, torn into pea-sized pieces
- 1/2 c cream
- 2 eggs
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Place meat, veggies, herbs & seasonings in a large mixing bowl. Add binders. With clean hands, mix the mixture until combined. Take precaution nit to over-mix the meat - which will lead to dry/tough meatballs.
- Once meat mixture is thoroughly combined, use a 1/2 c scoop to form and proportion meatballs. Place on lined baking sheet approximately 2" apart.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, turning meatballs once during cooking.
((Recipe coming soon for the green beans pictured))