Porcupine Meatballs

Porcupine meatballs aren't altogether different from regular meatballs cooked in tomato sauce, but they have an added flair: grains of white rice that are incorporated into the meatballs to beef things up, too!

This recipe is a vestige of Depression-era dishes that reduced the overhead costs of a nutritious meal for families. Take Mississippi Slugburgers, for example, which incorporate pork, cornmeal, and oats into beef burger patties. The result is filling meal in one simple, flavorful dish.

Learn how to make Porcupine Meatballs. The name might be a little silly, but the recipe is quite seriously delicious: tender, flavorful, and filling. Worcestershire sauce and a dash of balsamic vinegar are the secret additions to store bought tomato-basil sauce that bring this recipe into the modern day and make it unforgettable.

What Are Porcupine Meatballs?

Originally called Rice Meatballs in many early recipes, they're affectionately called porcupine meatballs for the rice grain resemblance to porcupine quills.

Ingredients For Porcupine Meatballs

Pantry staples are essential to making porcupine meatballs, plus a few fresh ingredients for extra flavor and brightness. Here's what you'll need:

• Tomato-basil marinara sauce: Our Test Kitchen prefers Rao's for its freshness and flavor, but any tomato-basil marinara sauce would do.
• Chicken stock: Adds flavor and liquid to the tomato sauce base.
• Worcestershire sauce: Provides a rich smokiness and tanginess that adds a savory umami flavor to the tomato sauce base.
• Balsamic vinegar: With Worcestershire sauce, the acid and sweetness of balsamic vinegar nicely balances the rich flavors of the meat and acidity of the tomato sauce.
• Ground beef: Lean beef, such as 85/15 ground beef, is best for this recipe as a leaner beef with less fat helps the meatballs stay in tact with only egg as a binder.
• Uncooked long-grain white rice: This recipe uses uncooked white rice, which cooks and absorbs the liquid throughout the recipe. Later, the finished dish is served with cooked rice.
• Water: Water is required for the rice to cook from within the meatball and absorb liquid from the sauce and stock. Water also helps keep the meat juicy and tender.
• Yellow onion: Adds a sharp oniony flavor and some texture to the meatball.
• Fresh parsley: Lends some fresh, herbaceous flavor to the meatball.
• Kosher salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the meatballs and sauce.
• Garlic powder and dried Italian seasoning: Lends concentrated and distinct flavor to the meatballs.
• Black pepper: Lends a peppery taste to the meatball and enhances the flavor of the beef.
• Large egg: Binds the meatball together
• Cooked rice, for serving: In addition to using uncooked rice for building the meatballs, cooked rice provides a base to serve with the meatballs and absorb more tomato sauce.
  

What Are Porcupine Meatballs Made Of?

No, porcupine meatballs are not made from porcupine meat. Instead, they're made from grains of rice and ground beef (though you could swap the ground beef for venison or game meat if you were feeling adventurous). The grains of rice give the meatballs are bumpy, sometimes spiked, appearance that resemble porcupine quills.

Why Do Porcupine Meatballs Call For Uncooked Rice?

It's key to start with dry rice to get a nice, fluffy, feather-light texture of meatball—and it does result in the distinctive "porcupine-inspired" look.

This recipe calls for water added during the process of mixing the meatball, which is uncommon for many meatball recipes, but it's essential to ensure the rice gets cooked. As the meatballs sit in tomato sauce and stock, more liquid is absorbed into the rice throughout the process of simmering.

Our Tips For Making Porcupine Meatballs

This is a fairly simple recipe, but our Test Kitchen has a few smart bits of advice to share:

• Cool off: Chill meat mixture in the refrigerator before shaping your meatballs; it's easier to form them when the mixture is cold.
• Leave alone: Because these meatballs are only held together by egg, and there is no traditional panade, leaving them undisturbed for the first 30 minutes of cooking and being very delicate with them as they cook is vital. The key is not overworking the meat when shaping and turning them gently when cooking.
• Swap up: If you do not have ground beef, ground chicken, pork, or lamb would be tasty alternatives.

How To Store Porcupine Meatballs

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.

Editorial contributions by Catherine Jessee.