Cheeseburger meatballs recipe

0:20 Prep | 0:20 Cook | Makes 28 | Capable cooks

Let's get rolling! Spaghetti's sidekick is the hero in this kid-friendly finger food.

INGREDIENTS

500g beef mince
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 eschalots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
Extra virgin olive oil, for shallow frying
5 slices tasty cheese, sliced into sixths
14 cornichons, halved lengthways

TOMATO DIPPING SAUCE

1 cup tomato puree
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

METHOD

Step 1 Place mince, egg, eschalot, barbecue sauce and 3/4 cup breadcrumbs in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Roll level tablespoons of mince mixture into balls. Place remaining breadcrumbs on a plate. Roll meatballs in breadcrumbs to coat.

Step 2 Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to cover the base. Heat over medium heat. Cook meatballs, in batches, turning, for 5 to 7 minutes or until browned all over and cooked through. Transfer to a baking tray.

Step 3 Meanwhile, make Tomato Dipping Sauce; Combine tomato puree, barbecue sauce, vinegar, sugar and worcestershire sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture has thickened slightly.

Step 4 Preheat grill on high. Cut each cheese slice into 6 pieces (you'll only need 28 pieces). Top each meatball with cheese. Grill for 1 minute or until cheese just starts to melt. Top with cornichon and secure with toothpicks. Serve meatballs with dipping sauce.

NOTES

For perfect meatballs:

1. Use mince with a higher fat content as this makes the meatballs tender and moist. If using lean mince, avoid overcooking them.

2. Keep your ingredients cold. If you’re cooking ingredients before adding to the mince, make sure you cool them first so you aren’t mixing hot ingredients into the cold mince. Keeping the mince cold makes it easier to roll it into balls, and helps the meatballs to hold their shape much better.

3. When mixing the mince, use your hands and not a wooden spoon. Overworking the mixture will result in tough meatballs.

4. Dampen your hands when rolling the meatballs. This stops the mixture sticking to your hands.

5. You can check the flavour of your mixture by cooking a small ball first, tasting it and then adjusting the seasoning accordingly.

Author: Cathie Lonnie Image credit: Craig Wall Publication: Super Food Ideas