Pickled Tomato and Pork Meatballs

Pickled Tomato + Pork Meatballs

Pickled Tomato and Pork Meatballs

Pickled Tomato + Pork Meatballs

Wow! I’ve been experimenting with how to use our new Sundried + Tarragon tomatoes in various recipes and this one turned out so well that I just had to share. The addition of full, pickled tomatoes and pickle brine to the ground pork results in what could be the most tender and delicious meatball that I’ve ever tasted (and I make a lot of meatballs!).
I’ve paired this recipe with a delicious Garlic and Tarragon cream sauce, but you can certainly add your go-to meatball sauce and achieve a great result. Don’t forget to reserve a few pickled tomatoes for garnish. Enjoy!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Magnificent Mains
Cuisine: Global
Calories: 500

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs ground pork
  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 cup red onion (or shallots) minced
  • 1 cup pickled tomatoes separated
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup pickle brine
  • 2 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 tbsp Joe Beef Chicken Spice
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl
  • large baking sheet
  • parchment paper
  • measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

Mise en Place
  1. Assemble equipment. Mince onion, melt butter, measure and separate all ingredients.
Cooking + Assembly
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl (reserving 1/4 cup of tomatoes) and stir well to fully combine. In doing so, ensure that the whole tomatoes are "smashed" into the meat mixture.
  3. Form in 2-3 inch balls and place on a parchment-lined, greased baking sheet.
  4. Cook for 30 minutes, turning once half way through. Top with remaining tomatoes (and sauce) and serve immediately.

Notes

  • We’ve used ground pork as the main protein in this recipe, but you can easily substitute ground beef, chicken, or turkey.
  • I use a Joe Beef Chicken Spice as my go-to for this recipe. You can find it here, or substitute with your favourite.