I couldn’t remember if I told you that my husband bought a cow? A half a cow actually. These are the kind of things he does. He is an over-purchaser (remind me to tell you about the cheese for the mac n’ cheese on Christmas.)The idea was great- an organically fed, grass roaming calf that comes from a great farm and produces high quality, healthy meat. And it is incredibly flavorful- like you can seriously tell the difference! But there is just so much!!! We are lucky enough to have an extra fridge and freezer in the basement. The entire freezer is full downstairs and part of our upstairs freezer too. Initially the meat was being hoarded- like “don’t eat that cut of steak! We are saving it for something good!” But now there is so much I barely know how we will get through it all in a timely manner!

Asian Meatballs

At this point Pete would be happy to have it every single night, but since I don’t eat red meat all that often, sometimes I forget it is there. You know, until I want to fill the freezer with soup or Christmas cookies, and then I curse and roll my eyes and throw some of the frozen meat in the fridge so that I can cook it up.

Asian Meatballs

I recently spied some of the lean ground beef on the top of the pile and decided it was going to become dinner. In an impulsive moment, I didn’t go for Italian style meatballs, but instead give them an Asian twist. And because I am trying to feed the family as healthfully as possible right now, I baked these instead of pan frying them.

Asian Meatballs

Filled with onion, garlic, soy, sesame and cilantro, they had so much dimension and flavor which was only enhanced by a light and spicy dipping sauce. I served them over steamed jasmine rice and added some microgreens and sesame seeds for color. These were a huge hit with everyone, and I feel like they could also be a good appetizer- but I definitely loved them as a healthy way to eat ground beef. If you were looking to avoid red meat, I think that these would be wonderful with lean ground pork or turkey.

To make these Asian Meatballs, this is what you do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a sheet pan with a sheet of parchment or a silpat.
In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients together. With clean hands, really squish everything together until it is really well incorporated together.

Asian Meat Balls

Form the meat into balls (I made about 1 ½- 2” balls). Then bake the meatballs at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until just cooked through.

Asian Meat Balls

Serve them hot on their own or with steamed rice and dipping sauce.

Asian Meatballs

For the dipping sauce:

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce and let flavors meld until ready to serve.

 

Recipe: Asian Meatballs

makes 2 dozen meatballs

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs lean ground beef
  • ½ a medium red onion, minced
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • juice in 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon siracha
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ¼ cup milk
  • Ginger, Lime and Soy Dipping Sauce
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 teaspoon siracha
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

  1. For the Meatballs:
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  3. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients together. With clean hands, really squish everything together until it is really well incorporated together.
  4. Form the meat into balls (I made about 1 ½- 2” balls). Then bake the meatballs at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until just cooked through.
  5. Serve them hot on their own or with steamed rice and dipping sauce.
  6. For the dipping sauce:
  7. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce and let flavors meld until ready to serve.

Cooking time:

Print Recipe  

I couldn’t remember if I told you that my husband bought a cow? A half a cow actually. These are the kind of things he does. He is an over-purchaser (remind me to tell you about the cheese for the mac n’ cheese on Christmas.)The idea was great- an organically fed, grass roaming calf that comes from a great farm and produces high quality, healthy meat. And it is incredibly flavorful- like you can seriously tell the difference! But there is just so much!!! We are lucky enough to have an extra fridge and freezer in the basement. The entire freezer is full downstairs and part of our upstairs freezer too. Initially the meat was being hoarded- like “don’t eat that cut of steak! We are saving it for something good!” But now there is so much I barely know how we will get through it all in a timely manner!

Asian Meatballs

At this point Pete would be happy to have it every single night, but since I don’t eat red meat all that often, sometimes I forget it is there. You know, until I want to fill the freezer with soup or Christmas cookies, and then I curse and roll my eyes and throw some of the frozen meat in the fridge so that I can cook it up.

Asian Meatballs

I recently spied some of the lean ground beef on the top of the pile and decided it was going to become dinner. In an impulsive moment, I didn’t go for Italian style meatballs, but instead give them an Asian twist. And because I am trying to feed the family as healthfully as possible right now, I baked these instead of pan frying them.

Asian Meatballs

Filled with onion, garlic, soy, sesame and cilantro, they had so much dimension and flavor which was only enhanced by a light and spicy dipping sauce. I served them over steamed jasmine rice and added some microgreens and sesame seeds for color. These were a huge hit with everyone, and I feel like they could also be a good appetizer- but I definitely loved them as a healthy way to eat ground beef. If you were looking to avoid red meat, I think that these would be wonderful with lean ground pork or turkey.

To make these Asian Meatballs, this is what you do:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a sheet pan with a sheet of parchment or a silpat.
In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients together. With clean hands, really squish everything together until it is really well incorporated together.

Asian Meat Balls

Form the meat into balls (I made about 1 ½- 2” balls). Then bake the meatballs at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until just cooked through.

Asian Meat Balls

Serve them hot on their own or with steamed rice and dipping sauce.

Asian Meatballs

For the dipping sauce:

Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce and let flavors meld until ready to serve.

 

Recipe: Asian Meatballs

makes 2 dozen meatballs

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs lean ground beef
  • ½ a medium red onion, minced
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • juice in 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon siracha
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ¼ cup milk
  • Ginger, Lime and Soy Dipping Sauce
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 teaspoon siracha
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

  1. For the Meatballs:
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  3. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients together. With clean hands, really squish everything together until it is really well incorporated together.
  4. Form the meat into balls (I made about 1 ½- 2” balls). Then bake the meatballs at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until just cooked through.
  5. Serve them hot on their own or with steamed rice and dipping sauce.
  6. For the dipping sauce:
  7. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce and let flavors meld until ready to serve.

Cooking time: