Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs Recipe from The Southern Slow Cooker cookbook

Photo credit: Erin Kunkel from The Southern Slow Cooker cookbook

As we get closer to the publication date of The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics, which is officially August 20th, I've decided to reprint a few teaser excerpts from the book, a little something to whet your appetite if you will. First up, is one of my very favorite recipes from the book that we've been making in our family for many years. Growing up, my mom used to make these tasty meatballs studded with rice and bathed in a piquant tomato sauce in a skillet on top of the stove. However, I've adapted the recipe to work in the slow cooker. And, guess what? These meatballs are made for slow cooking in the crockpot! It's one of many recipes in the book that I've decided are actually better when made in the slow cooker versus the oven.

So please enjoy this classic Southern recipe for porcupine meatballs. In the meantime, I encourage you to pre-order your copy of the book now since in about a month these special pre-order prices will no longer be available. Pre-order your copy from Amazon (including the Kindle version) or Barnes and Noble. I also highly encourage you to support your local independent bookstores and place your order directly with them. Fountain Bookstore is a wonderful local bookstore in Richmond, Virginia where you can order the book. I encourage you to visit their site and check them out.

Slow Cooker Porcupine Meatballs

From The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics by Kendra Bailey Morris (Ten Speed Press, 2013)

Serves 6

This hearty, slow-cooked, tomato-based dish gets its name from the long-grain rice that is blended into the meatball mixture giving it a quill-like quality. This is comfort food at its finest and an ideal cold-weather meal. Serve these delicate meatballs topped with grated Parmesan alongside a green salad and a wedge of crusty bread for soaking up any leftover sauce. For an amazing second-day meal, you can make meatball subs: just spoon some warm meatballs into sub rolls, top with provolone cheese, and broil until the cheese melts.  •  The meatballs are different from traditional Italian meatballs. They are more fragile, so avoid stirring them too much, or they’ll fall apart. If they do break apart, no worries, just serve them over mashed potatoes, which is another great combination.

SAUCE

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained (such as Red Pack petit diced)
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Rotel brand), drained
1 (5.5-ounce) can tomato juice
1 (10.75-ounce) can tomato soup
1 cup water
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 bay leaves

MEATBALLS

1½ pounds extra-lean ground beef
½ cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 small onion, diced
½ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons prepared horseradish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of celery salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced, for garnish
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
To make the sauce, add both cans of tomatoes, the tomato juice, tomato soup, water, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, oregano, dried parsley, and bay leaves to the slow cooker and stir well.

To make the meatballs, mix together the beef, rice, onion, milk, egg, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and celery salt in a large bowl. Gently form into round balls 1½ to 2 inches in diameter.

Heat a large sauté pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Add the meatballs and brown well on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.

When the meatballs are all browned, add them to the slow cooker along with the pan juices. Stir gently once or twice until all of the meatballs are coated in sauce, being careful not to break them up. Cover and cook on low at least 6 hours, and up to 8 hours.

If you would prefer a thicker sauce, set the slow cooker to high and uncover it for the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking, or until the sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves.

To serve, spoon the meatballs and sauce into individual serving bowls and top with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese.

©2013 "The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics" by Kendra Bailey Morris (Ten Speed Press, 2013). All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Pin It Now!