Cranberry Glazed Meatballs

Recipe developed for We Heart Local BC by Melissa Lucchetta: Season and Serve Blog

For the Meatballs

• 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Cranberry Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 3 cups fresh BC cranberries
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place three quarters of the ground beef into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, reserving the remaining quarter for later. Process the meat on low speed for 3 minutes or until the beef has become lighter in colour and is relatively smooth.
3. Next add the panko, eggs, salt, pepper, and baking soda to the beef along with the remaining quarter of the ground beef that was reserved. Process on low for one minute or until everything is combined.
4. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. Use a small spoon to scoop out each meatball and roll it between your hands until completely round and smooth. Place the meatball on the parchment lined baking tray and repeat for the remaining ground beef mixture. Space the meatballs 1 to 2cm apart so that they do not touch on the baking tray.
5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes to fully cook the meatballs.
6. Next make the cranberry sauce. Place a medium sized pot on the stove over medium high-heat. Add the olive oil followed by the garlic and shallots. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the shallots have become translucent.
7. Add the cranberries to the pot followed by the water, brown sugar, and maple syrup and mix to combine. Bring the sauce to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper and cinnamon and mix to combine.
8. Cook the cranberry sauce over low heat for 10 minutes, or until the cranberries have broken down and the sauce has become thick and glossy.
9. Once the meatballs have fully cooked, remove them from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes. Add the cranberry sauce to a large mixing bowl along with the cooled meatballs and toss until all the meatballs are fully coated in the sauce.
10. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm. Enjoy!