General Tso’s Meatballs

I got an e-mail from a reader last week, telling me how excited she was to have found this blog, because I make so many meatball recipes. I was a little surprised, because I didn’t think I make THAT many meatballs. But, when looking through my archives, I noticed that in addition to standard appetizer meatballs and meatball subs, I’ve added meatballs to ramen, salad, vegetable soup, and even breakfast bowls. OK, so maybe I DO make a lot of meatballs. I can’t help it. They’re fun to make, and there’s endless ways to spice, sauce and serve them.

And while I apparently serve meatballs for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they really shine in a party setting. I’m always a fan of Asian flavors, and General Tso’s is a standby when I order Chinese carryout. So, for Epic Game Day, I partnered with the Kansas Pork Association to roll up some all-pork meatballs and slather them in a homemade General Tso’s sauce. The meatballs stay super succulent, even if you need to keep them warm in a slow cooker for a few hours for serving. The sauce is everything a good General Tso’s sauce should be – the perfect combination of sweet, sour and a little spicy. So, there you have it – General Tso’s Meatballs. Yet another meatball recipes for the archives . . .

Pork is both a good source of protein and also provides several important vitamins and minerals. A 3-ounce serving of pork is an “excellent” source of thiamin, selenium, protein, niacin, vitamin B6 and phosphorus. For more information about Kansas Pork, please visit kspork.org and follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

General Tso's Meatballs

Yield: Makes 32 meatballs (about 8 servings)

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

For The Meatballs

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 eggs
• 2 pounds ground pork
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

For the General Tso’s Sauce

• 1-1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 4 teaspoons minced ginger
• 6 dried Arbol chiles
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Garnish

• Green onions
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Make the Meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray rimmed baking pan with cooking spray. Place eggs in large bowl and beat. Add pork, breadcrumbs, onion, salt and pepper. Stir (or mix with hands) until just combined. Do not overmix. Using hands, gently form into golf-ball sized meatballs and place on prepared pan.
2. Transfer to oven and bake 18 to 20 minutes or until internal temperature of meatballs reaches 160 degrees F.
3. Meanwhile, make the General Tso’s Sauce: In small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup broth and cornstarch. Heat olive oil in small pot over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add chiles, hoisin, vinegar, sugar, honey, sesame oil and remaining 1 cup broth. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Whisk in broth-cornstarch mixture. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce has thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat.
4. Place meatballs in large bowl. Pour General Tso’s Sauce over meatballs and toss until meatballs are coated in sauce. Transfer meatballs to serving dish and serve garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

Epic Game Day Recipe Schedule:

• Sunday, January 15th: Epic Game Day Overview
• Monday, January 16th: Toasted Ravioli Nachos
• Thursday, January 19th: General Tso’s Meatballs
• Monday, January 23rd: Pork Belly & Tomato Jam Sliders
• Thursday, January 26th: Parmesan Garlic Wing Sauce
• Monday, January 30th: French Onion Cheese Fondue

Other Game Day Ideas:

• Spinach Dip in Mini Pumpernickel Bowls
• Everything Bagel Chicken Wings
• Cheese Board for Beer
• Meyer Lemon Shandy
• Steak Sliders with Artichoke Spread & Horseradish Greens
• Meaty Enchilada Chili Dip
• Beer Brats with Beer Queso
• Caramel Corn & Peanut Butter Chip Chocolate Cookies
• Fiesta Chorizo & Poblano Potato Skins
• Mini Turkey Taco Salads
• Build-Your-Own Meatball Sub Platter
• Beer Queso Dip Shooters
• Pizza Popcorn
• Tandoori Sweet Potato Skins

Making one of these recipes? Please let me know by sharing a photo on social media with the hashtag #FLLEpicGameDay!

Disclosure: This was a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Kansas Pork Association. Sponsored posts help me pay for the costs associated with this blog (groceries…lots of groceries), and help support me as I pursue a career in recipe development and food photography. All opinions are 100% my own.

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