Here’s a great recipe for your upcoming Super Bowl party…meatballs with a spicy kick and even a splash of tequila! This recipe makes two dozen but if you make them into mini-meatballs, they’ll go farther and are perfect for game-time munchies. Plus you can make them a day or so ahead, refrigerate and reheat on game day.
The vibrant flavors of México pop in these meatballs that get a kick from a splash of tequila, the smoky heat of ancho and guajillo chiles, and a fragrant touch of cinnamon and cumin, reminiscent of carnitas (the traditional Mexican spiced, braised pork.) Serve these with salsa roja. These go great with margaritas!
Read Related: The Spaniard: Meatballs From La Mancha
MEATBALLS
Makes: 2 dozen 1½-inch meatballs
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 dried ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1 dried guajillo chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
¼ cup tequila
Juice from 1 lime
2 pounds ground pork
1 ½ cups cooked long-grain white rice
2 large eggs
ó cup bread crumbs
3 soft corn tortillas, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (including stems)
2 TBSP tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cumin
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Drizzle olive oil into 9 × 13-inch baking dish and coat evenly. Set aside.
2. Combine ancho chile, guajillo chile, tequila, and lime juice in small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
3. Combine chile mixture with ground pork, rice, eggs, bread crumbs, tortillas, onions, cilantro, tomato paste, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, cumin, and cinnamon in large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Roll mixture into round, golf ball–size meatballs (about 1½ inches, or smaller if making mini meatballs), making sure to pack meat firmly.
5. Place balls in prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form grid. Meatballs should be touching one another.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. Meat thermometer inserted into center of a meatball should read 165°F.
7. Allow meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in baking dish before serving.
