Asian Meatballs

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4 from 10 votes

Great for a party, these Asian pork meatballs with sweet, tangy glaze are the hit of the occasion.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Asian Inspired

Keyword asian meatballs, crock pot, meatballs

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 455.83kcal

Author Lisa Lotts

Equipment

cookie scoop

Ingredients

FOR THE MEATBALLS

⅓ cup milk
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
5 ounces water chestnuts drained and finely chopped
3 pounds ground pork
2 large eggs lightly beaten
4 large cloves garlic peeled and minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
4 green onions white and pale green parts, minced
1 medium carrot peeled and finely grated
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper minced, do not discard seeds or membranes
¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

FOR THE SAUCE:

2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ginger grated
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
¾ cup hoisin sauce
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons water

OPTIONAL GARNISHES:

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

FOR THE MEATBALLS:

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine ⅓ cup milk and 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs and let sit for 5 minutes so the breadcrumbs absorb the milk.
Add 2 large eggs, 5 ounces water chestnuts 4 large cloves garlic 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 4 green onions, 1 medium carrot, 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce to the breadcrumbs. Mix very well until ingredients are incorporated evenly.
Add 3 pounds ground pork and use your clean hands to combine the meat with the bread mixture until well blended.
Fill a small bowl with water (this is so you can wet your hands before handling/rolling the meatballs -- it makes them less likely to stick and become tacky). Using a medium cookie scoop measure (about 2-3 tablespoons per scoop) out the meat and roll into balls. Place the meatballs onto the parchment paper.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the meatballs are firm and set. Smaller party-sized meatballs (2-3 teaspoons will take less time to bake, about 10 minutes) Test with your finger to see if it’s done — they should be firm to the touch.)

MAKE THE SAUCE:

In a small saucepan, combine two2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, ½ cup low sodium soy sauce, ¾ cup hoisin sauce , ½ cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Combine the 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water, stirring until well mixed. Add the slurry to the sauce, stirring occasionally until it thickens, about one minute, then, remove the glaze from the heat.

FOR CROCK POT METHOD:

Use a smaller 2-3 teaspoon cookie scoop for bite-sized meatballs and bake them for 10-12 minutes or until firm.
Toss the meatballs in the glaze and transfer to a crock pot. Keep them warm on the low setting and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro and 1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds for garnish. Let guests spoon out the meatballs – or offer cocktail forks.

FOR PLATTERS OR PASSED HORS D'OEUVRES:

Coat the meatballs in the marinade and transfer back to the oven for 3-4 minutes or until glazed and sticky. Sprinkle with chopped green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds. Arrange on a platter and serve with cocktail forks or toothpicks.
When using the small cookie scoop, this will make about 120 1" meatballs.

Video

Notes

Note: a serving is about ¼ pound per person.

Make ahead:You can assemble the meatball mixture up to two days ahead of time and bake them off at the last minute.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Reheating: Reheat in the microwave in short 30-second bursts until hot, or rewarm in a crockpot for a larger group.

Freezing: These freeze well. Arrange the baked meatballs on a parchment-lined pan, so they don't touch. Freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe zip-top bag and keep frozen.

Keep meatballs frozen for up to 3 months. This makes it easy to remove just what you need from the freezer whenever you're in the mood.

You can also freeze leftover glaze in ice cube trays; once frozen, pop them out and store in freezer baggies for up to 3 months.

Nutrition