When a prominent bourbon company called and asked if we would develop a meatball for them, we were all over it—we had wanted to run a BBQ meatball on the menu since the Shop opened. All that was needed was a Lower East Side (L.E.S.) barbecue sauce, which, when mixed with some sautéed onions and freshly ground pork, became the official recipe for the Shop’s BBQ balls. So the next time you want some quick ’cue, instead of slaving over the grill, you can prepare these balls ahead and spend some QT with your guests.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch meatballs
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are soft and well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool in the refrigerator.
Step 3
When the onions have cooled, combine them with the ground pork, barbecue sauce, eggs, bread crumbs, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
Step 4
Roll the mixture into round, golf ball–size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.
Step 5
Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.
Step 6
Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.
