Beef Meatballs

One of my childhood favourite meals growing up was my Grandma's and Mom's spaghetti and meatballs. I've been pretty fortunate to grow up with good cooks in my family. My Grandma would make her spaghetti and meatballs, but her trademark is her sweet and sour meatballs. The best would be during the Jewish high holidays when a steaming bowl of meatballs was passed around, I'm quite sure each and every time I just piled my plate high and filled up on meatballs before anything else could come out. These meatballs didn't need an accompaniment of pasta or rice, they were just fantastic on their own!

So I bring you - the meatballs that I grew up on, adjusted to be gluten free since both my mother and grandmother used breadcrumbs in their recipe.

Onwards after the jump!

Beef Meatballs

Adapted from Second Helpings

Meatballs:

- 2lb lean ground beef

- 1 egg (have another egg on standby if meat requires it)

- paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper to taste

- coconut flour (may be used if required)

Sauce:

- 20 oz can of tomato juice

- 20 oz can of crushed tomatoes

- 6 oz can of tomato paste

- 1 tsp of oregano

**Read the recipe first before making these meatballs!**

1. Preheat oven to 375F (if you are choosing to bake the meatballs)

2. In a large pot, add all of the sauce ingredients. Stir, bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce to simmer. Stir occasionally.

3. Add all of the meatball ingredients in and mix well with your hands. If the mixture feels too runny/eggy, add some coconut flour to the mix. 

4. Roll meat into balls, I prefer small ones!

*At this point you have a few options on how you want to make your meatballs, all depending on your time required!

The quick way:

5. Heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat, add meatballs to pan. Cook throughly until no longer pink. Add meatballs to sauce, and you're done!

The not as quick way:

5. Heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat, add meatballs to pan. Brown on all sides. Put meatballs on a large baking sheet with tin foil. Have meatballs bake for 10-15 minutes, if you make your meatballs large you will require more time.  Half way through, you can turn the meatballs. 

Prior to baking

The long way (as in, you have 2-2 1/2 hours on your hands!)

5. I hope you made tiny meatballs, this could take a while. Drop meatballs into boiling sauce and cook for 2-2 1/2 hours. I highly recommend using a splatter guard! Stir occasionally. Make sure to check that meatballs are cooked throughly.

Enjoy!