Thanksgiving Meatballs

Thanksgiving is all about the large format meats, but these humble little balls pack a punch of flavor and are perfect for making for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, anytime dinner parties, or whenever the turkey dinner craving hits. Crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside, these juicy stuffing meatballs are the perfect combination of all the flavors of the Thanksgiving season. The key is a not-so-secret ingredient: Bachan’s Miso Japanese Barbecue Sauce, both in the meatballs and the gravy.

Making and serving meatballs for a dinner party is a bold but great move. You can prepare the meatballs the day before and they’re super easy to serve because you don’t need to carve. Plus, meatballs are versatile enough to swap into an appetizer, should there be too much food, or a main, in the case of a turkey-emergency. 

Thanksgiving stuffing meatball ingredients

• ground turkey - ground turkey is the way to go for these meatballs. If possible, choose lean or regular ground turkey rather than extra-lean. The fat content will make your meatballs more juicy and tender. 

• onion - a little bit of diced onion will add flavor and moisture.

• egg - a lightly whisked egg helps everything bind together into a homogenized mix, and adds fat and additional moisture.

• stuffing mix - look for a turkey stuffing mix: the distinct classic herbs and spices of stuffing along with its soft and fluffy texture will give these meatballs both flavor and bounciness. There’s no shame in getting a box of stuffing mix for meatballs. Leave the homemade stuffing to share at the table, box stuffing is perfect for meatballs

• milk - to soak and rehydrate the stuffing mix in.

• Bachan’s Miso Japanese Barbecue Sauce - using Bachan’s Miso Japanese Barbecue Sauce in both the meatball mix and a luscious gravy ensures every bite of these meatballs is smothered in flavor. Along with the organic red and white miso, notes of traditionally brewed soy sauce, aged Japanese mirin and organic rice vinegar play with green onion, ginger, and garlic to combine into something unbelievably delicious. 

How to make great meatballs

A lot of people who say they don’t like meatballs actually just don’t like dry meatballs. Juicy, plump, tender meatballs are pretty universally beloved. There are several techniques to ensure your meatballs are never dry and always requested for dinner parties:

Meat choice

When buying ground meat for your meatballs, 80/20 is the best choice. A ground with 20% fat ensures that meatballs stay juicy and flavorful. When you experience an unfortunate dry meatball, extra lean ground meat is usually the culprit.

Moisture

Meatballs are rarely only meat. A little extra added flavor and moisture goes a long way. A whisked egg adds a little fat and moisture along with a great binder to keep things together. You can go even further with milk soaked breadcrumbs - aka a panade - to help keep meat proteins from shrinking, making sure your meatballs stay light and juicy.

Season

A flavorless meatball is almost as tragic as a dry meatball. Seasoning the ground turkey with salt and pepper and Bachan’s Miso Japanese Barbecue Sauce guarantees a super flavorful meatball. Tip: to taste the meatball mixture, pan-fry or microwave a tiny patty before cooking the entire batch of meatballs. This way, you can taste the seasoning and adjust as needed.

What is a panade?

A panade is a simple combination of milk and bread mixed into a paste that gives ground meat recipes moisture and tenderness. The combination of starch and liquid keeps protein molecules from tightening up and shrinking when they get cooked. In our case, the panade is made from milk, stuffing mix, and Bachan’s Miso Japanese Barbecue Sauce for a flavorful and tender mix.

How to make stuffing meatballs 

1. Soak - make the panade by mixing the stuffing mix, milk, and Bachan’s Miso Japanese Barbecue Sauce. Stir it all up and let the breadcrumbs soak and rehydrate.

2. Mix - while the breadcrumbs are soaking, finely dice the onion. Add the diced onion, ground turkey, and an egg to the stuffing mix. Use your hands or a silicone spatula to mix everything together.

3. Shape - Shape the mix into meatballs using your hands. If the meatball mix is sticking, lightly coat your hands with oil, and if you have food-safe nitrile gloves, now is a great time to break them out. As the meatballs are formed, add them to a lightly oiled-rimmed baking sheet.

4. Bake - bake the meatballs until they are cooked through and golden. If desired, turn on the broiler to give the meatballs a bit of a crust.

5. Sauce - while the meatballs are baking, make a gravy: add butter to a saucepan, and when melted, sprinkle on some flour. Stir the flour and butter together into a roux and cook, over medium heat, for 1-2 minutes. When the mix is bubbly, slowly stream in chicken stock while whisking. Stir in Bachan’s Miso Japanese Barbecue Sauce and continue to cook, letting the gravy bubble and thicken. Stir occasionally until the gravy is thickened to your liking.

6. Serve - when the meatballs are done, make a bed of gravy in a serving dish and add the meatballs. Finish by pouring gravy on top of the meatballs and enjoy.

What to serve with meatballs

These meatballs are great as part of a larger multi-course dinner. You can also serve them as the ultimate quick and easy turkey dinner with a side of a buttery mashed potatoes and some cranberry sauce. Or serve with garlic noodles for a bit more of a comfort meal feel. 

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