Porcupine Meatballs

It's odd the things I remember from when I was a kid.  Like the dishes my mom used to use when she cooked.  It seemed like every recipe had its own serving dish.  My mom had a specific plate that she always used when she made fudge, a certain bowl she always used for mayonnaise and tomato salad, and these meatballs were always made in a brown Pyrex baking dish.  Now I don't have that same baking dish, but these meatballs still taste as good as I remember.

Just in case you were wondering the are not made out of porcupine meat.  The get there name because of the way they look.  When the rice cooks it pokes out of the meatball like a porcupine's spines.  This is a great recipe to make for kids, that adults will love too.

Porcupine Meatballs

1 & 1/2 lb ground beef
2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 & 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 & 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
15 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbs brown sugar

In a bowl combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, 1/2 cup beef broth, onion, garlic, thyme, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.  Mix well.  Then form into 1 & 1/2 inch meatballs.  If you make your meatballs too big the rice in the center will still be crunchy.  Place the meatballs in a 2 quart shallow baking dish.  Then in a bowl mix together 1 cup of beef broth, the can of tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.  Pour the sauce over the meatballs and cover the baking dish with foil.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.  Then remove the foil and bake for about 15 to 20 additional minutes.

These homey meatballs are delicious.  Be sure to serve them with plenty of bread to sop up the sauce.

You might also be interested in Apple Fritters, Home-style Grillades and Cheese Grits, and Fried Green Tomatoes with Guthrie's Sauce.