Baked and Glazed Spicy Moka Meatballs
Sweet and salty meatballs with a bit of a kick, these baked and glazed Spicy Moka Meatballs are so tasty and delicious, you’ll pop them like potato chips!
Making meatballs is one of those things that I’ve never been a fan of; never have been, never will be. But you probably know that already, right?
I just don’t have the patience for it, and hate how the actual meatball shaping action not only dirties my hands but also makes them sort of dry and crusty. The worst part is, and I don’t know if it’s just me, but it feels like my skin it remains dry for days, long after I’m done…
However, I find that meatballs are so much fun to eat that I just can’t resist the urge to make them from time to time. And lately? I don’t know what’s gotten into me, but I’ve been on a real meatball kick! I want to eat them all.the.time. So yeah, this baked and glazed Spicy Moka Meatballs recipe I’m sharing with you today will be the first of a mini series.
Don’t worry though, I won’t give them to you all at once. I wouldn’t want you to end up having dry hands for weeks, as seems to be the case with me right now…
Now you might think that the words Spicy + Moka + Meatballs pronounced together in the same breath make for a really strange association… trust me, though when I say that it totally works! Cocoa, coffee and beef make for a totally winning combination. You won’t believe the richness and the depth of that flavor profile, not to mention the color! I mean, have you seen how dark these beauties are?
Well, let me tell you: their flavor is just as intense as their color!
Don’t let these cute little glazed meatballs fool you… they might look all innocent and sweet like that, but be warned! They do happen to pack a serious punch and harbor a fair bit of heat under their hood, too. They’re deliciously sweet and salty and so incredibly tasty, you’ll want to pop them like potato chips!
Another thing that I particularly dislike about making meatballs is searing or cooking them in a pan. I find that hey tend to splatter all over the place, stick to the pan like their lives depended on it so they break to pieces when you try and flip them over… Plus, you can only cook so many at a time so you have to be at it forever, cooking them in batches.
The one solution to that problem is to bake the meatballs instead! HA! So much easier that way…
Preheat your oven to 425°F; line a 18″ x 26″ baking sheet with parchment paper, and then combine all combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large mixing bowl and knead well with clean hands, until fully combined. Do not overmix the meat or your meatballs will be tough.
Form the meat mixture into 40 small meatballs, roughly the size of a ping-pong ball and place them on the prepared pan.
Like I said before, I HATE rolling meatballs with a passion. Especially small meatballs such as these ones. But, I find that a small spring-loaded ice cream scoop really helps to do this task quickly and efficiently.
Not only does it help in keeping the meatballs pretty much all the same size, but it sort of pre-shapes them for you too, so a quick little roll in the palm of your hands is all it takes to finish them off.
If you happen to have one of these babies in your drawers, I strongly suggest that you take it out right about now…
Now bake the meatballs at 425°F for 5 minutes and then decrease the oven temperature to 350°F and continue cooking the meatballs for a further 10 minutes, or until they get crispy and golden brown on the outside.
While your meatballs are in the oven, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a saute pan that’s got a fitting lid, whisk until well combined and bring to a slow simmer.
As soon as your meatballs are done baking, add them to the simmering sauce;
Put the lid on and simmer over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced to a really thick and sticky glaze.
Kill the heat, garnish with a handful of sliced green onions and serve.
You could very well serve these as finger food if you wanted to, they would be a perfect contender for that. Just stick some toothpicks into them and they’ll be good to go.
Or, enjoy them as part of a light lunch or dinner, served with a side of greens, a salad of some kind, or a little bit of cooked pasta or rice.
Whichever way you choose to serve them, I’ve no doubt that they’ll be thoroughly enjoyed.
Baked and Glazed Spicy Moka Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 2 lb lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tbsp dried onion flakes
- 1 tbsp finely ground instant coffee granules
- 1 tsp cacao powder
- 1 tsp salt, I use Himalayan salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried mustard
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
For the glaze
- 1 cup bone broth
- 1/2 cup strong coffee
- 1-2 tbsp sambal oelek
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp unpasteurized honey
- 1 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp fish sauce
To garnish (optional)
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F; line a 18" x 26" baking sheet with parchment paper
- Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large mixing bowl and knead well with clean hands, until fully combined. Do not overmix or your meatballs will be tough.
- Form into 40 small meatballs, roughly the size of a ping-pong ball and place them on the prepared pan. A small spring-loaded ice cream scoop really helps to do this task quickly and efficiently.
- Bake the meatballs at 425°F for 5 minutes and then decrease the oven temperature to 350°F and cook the meatballs for a further 10 minutes, or until the meatballs are crispy and golden brown.
- Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a saute pan with fitting lid, whisk until well combined and bring to a slow simmer.
- Add the baked meatballs to the simmering sauce, put the lid on and simmer over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced to a really thick and sticky glaze.
- Kill the heat, garnish with a handful of sliced green onions and serve.
Nutrition
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2 Comments on “Baked and Glazed Spicy Moka Meatballs”
Re Spicy Moka Mearballs…….in the recipe, under ‘the glaze’ the first ingredient is nameless!!
Yikes! Thanks for pointing that out, Judy. All fixed now! 🙂