Description
Savory Brazilian meatball delight combines zesty spices from São Paulo street vendors with hearty ground beef. Garlicky, herb-infused spheres deliver authentic Brazilian flavors you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- 2 tbsps soy sauce
- 2 tbsps cornstarch
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Blend Mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, minced onion, egg, salt, and pepper. Gently mix ingredients until thoroughly incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
- Shape Meatballs: Roll the meat mixture into uniform golf ball-sized spheres, ensuring consistent size for even cooking.
- Sear Meatballs: Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Carefully place meatballs in the pan, rotating periodically to achieve a rich golden-brown crust on all sides, cooking for approximately 12 minutes.
- Craft Sauce: While meatballs cook, whisk brown sugar, water, ketchup, cider vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a separate bowl until smooth and free of lumps.
- Combine and Finish: Reduce skillet heat to low, pour the prepared sauce over the seared meatballs. Gently stir to coat evenly, allowing the sauce to simmer and thicken for 4-5 minutes until it reaches a glossy, clingy consistency that beautifully enrobes each meatball.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose ground beef with 80/20 fat content for juicier, more flavorful meatballs that won’t dry out during cooking.
- Mixing Magic: Use a light touch when combining ingredients to prevent dense, tough meatballs; overmixing can make the texture heavy and compact.
- Sauce Consistency Check: Whisk cornstarch thoroughly to eliminate lumps, creating a smooth, glossy sauce that clings perfectly to the meatballs.
- Heat Control Crucial: Maintain medium heat while browning to develop a golden exterior without burning, ensuring even cooking and maximum flavor development.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 486
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 602 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg