Homemade Pork Meatballs

Homemade Pork MeatballsPhoto byGin Lee

This yummy meatball recipe doesn't require eggs or breadcrumbs. In fact, I only use lean ground pork, spices, and canola oil to sear the meatballs. After browning the meatballs, I like to drain the majority of the oil out of the pan and then continue cooking them until they're done. I will explain my reasons below in the instructions.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground pork
• 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons of onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of soul seasoning
• Canola oil for the pan

Instructions:

In a bowl, add 1 pound of ground pork, 1/2 teaspoon of seasoning salt, 1 1/2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons of onion flakes, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of soul seasoning. Using your clean hands, mix the spices into the ground meat.

Now, using the palms of your hands, roll the meat into meatball shapes (about golf ball-sized).

I added about 2 large tablespoons of canola oil to a Dutch oven starting out, then drained most of the oil out of the pan once the outside of the meatballs were beginning to brown. The reason I started cooking the meatballs in oil was because the ground pork was organic and extremely lean. The meatballs would have burned otherwise and stuck to the pan.

So with that all in mind, please use the amount of oil that you think you're going to need. Then pour the canola oil into a large pan over high heat.

Add the meatballs to the pan once the oil is bubbling hot. Allow them to brown on the bottoms and sides for about 6 minutes, then flip them over to cook the other side for another 6 minutes. As stated, I drained the majority of my oil out of the pan at this time, and then I continued cooking the meatballs. Draining the oil off is optional (I cook mine like this because I don't like greasy meatballs). Searing the meat first will help keep the meatballs from crumbling apart before draining the oil.

Lower the heat to medium and finish cooking the meatballs for about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir frequently.

Once the meatballs are fully cooked and browned, transfer them to a platter.

You can use the meatballs in spaghetti and other pasta dishes and prepare them for homemade meatball subs, etc.