Giant Meatballs in White Wine Broth

Aren't meatballs the best?  As you can tell by my Italian style, Asian style, & Swedish style meatballs on the blog, we just can't get enough of them!  That is why I am so excited to share this recipe with you.  These are unlike any other meatballs you have ever tried.  

Credit for this recipe is entirely due to Mandy over at Lady & Pups, which is perhaps the most innovative and beautiful food blog out there.  Gahhhh, I just get lost in her site!  Most of her recipes are not for the faint of heart, as she embraces highly skilled cooking techniques to deliver recipes I would never dream of on my own.  Go over to her site and I dare you not to spend at least an hour perusing her posts.  

These meatballs have 4 types of meat in them! Beef, pork, chicken & prosciutto.  If you are a vegetarian, you should probably click that tiny little X at the top right of your screen now!  After you mix all the goodness together for the balls, you then braise the baseball size meatballs in a deeply flavored broth.  Holy cannoli these were so good!

Giant Meatballs in White Wine Broth

Recipe adapted almost exactly from Lady & Pups

For the balls

1 pound ground beef (high fat content)

1 pound ground pork

1/2 pound ground chicken

1/2 cup finely chopped prosciutto or pancetta 

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano cheese

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

1/2 onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons cornstarch 

1/4 c + 1 tablespoon milk

For the braise

1 tablspoon butter

1 onion,  roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

4 sprigs thyme

4 bay leaves

1 sprig rosemary

1 bottle dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock

1 Parmigiano cheese rind

For the finish

2 leeks, washed and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter

salt & pepper to taste

Crispy onions (these are my favorite)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients for the meatballs together by hand and form into large meatballs, about the size of baseballs.  This should make 8 meatballs, or 10 smaller sized ones.   Place on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until browned. 

In a large pot or dutch oven, melt butter and add onion, celery, carrot, garlic and saute over medium high heat until softened.  Add thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, white wine, stock, and cheese rind. Add meatballs and any juices from the pan.  

Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and cover pot.  Place in oven and cook for about 2 hours.  Remove the meatballs from the both and place on a plate while you strain the vegetables out of the stock.  Return meatballs to strained stock.  

To finish, braise some leeks in some butter with salt & pepper until soft.  To serve, place a meatball in a bowl, ladle some broth over the top and garnish with leeks, crispy onions and a crusty baguette!