Chili Braised Meatballs

These were another Pinterest find and they were definitely worth the effort. They were rich and smokey and hearty and just plain delicious.

They were formed and then stuffed with a small hunk of sharp cheddar cheese. Then cooked in a rich broth and served over my favorite pasta noodles.

Chili Braised Meatballs
Adapted from: http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/mountain-meatballs

What you need:

Meatballs:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 large egg
• 1 handful breadcrumbs
• 4 oz cheddar or mozzarella or jack, shredded
• 1 Tbs olive oil

Chili sauce:

• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/3 container of cherry tomatoes, or two diced plum tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp molasses
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 6 Tbsp ketchup
• 6 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp paprika powder
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 heaping tsp granulated coffee
• 1 beef bouillon cube
• 1 1/2 cup water

What to do:

• In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients under meatballs except the cheese
• Mix well but don't over mix. Form really nice sized balls of meat, a little bigger than the size of an extra large egg
• Press your thumb into the center of each meatball and stuff the cheese inside making sure the cheese is secure inside the meatball
• In a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed boiler, heat the olive oil and brown the meatballs. Once browned transfer them to a plate while you make the chili sauce
• In the same pan you just browned the meatballs, add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Saute for about 5-7 minutes
• Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes
• Add remaining ingredients. Stir well, bring to a boil.
• Add the meatballs back to the pan, reduce heat and cook uncovered over medium heat until sauce thickens and reduces, about 30 minutes.
• Enjoy over your favorite pasta noodles or rice!