These yummy meatballs can be served as an appetizer or as part of a meal served with your favorite pasta, rice or mashed potatoes.
Meatballs:
2 lb. ground pork
Kosher salt
2 t. chili flakes
2 t. fennel seeds
2 eggs
½ c. sour cream
⅔ c. tightly packed curly parsley leaves with stems, washed, dried and chopped
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1 c. Panko breadcrumbs, toasted
¼ - ½ c. olive oil
BBQ Sauce:
8 oz. ketchup
1⁄2 c. water
1 c. brown sugar
1 small onion
1 T. butter
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. mustard
1⁄4 c. white vinegar
Meatballs:
Add meat to a large bowl; season with salt, to taste. Add remaining ingredients except for the breadcrumbs; mix until all ingredients are combined. Add in breadcrumbs last; mix to combine. Roll mixture into about 20 - 25 meatballs that are about 2" inches" in diameter.
Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. When oil is hot, it will begin to smoke lightly. Be careful not to burn it. Shut off the heat to avoid splattering; add meatballs in a single layer, spreading them somewhat apart so they brown instead of steam, giving them room to move them around. It may need to be done in batches, depending on the size of the skillet.
Turn heat back up to medium-high; brown meatballs, turning so they brown evenly on all sides. Cook until they're medium-rare, about 3 - 5 minutes. Touch meatballs to make sure they are still tender in the center. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the skillet to a plate/platter; coo remaining meatballs.
Sauce:
While meatballs are cooking, make BBQ sauce:
Brown onion in 1 T. butter; add all sauce ingredients, including the onion into a pot; cook until heated through. Or, add to slow cooker after browning the onion; add meatballs to sauce; simmer all day if using for a party. You can do this a day ahead: add ingredients to slow cooker insert, refrigerate and cover, then put it in the slow cooker the next day, plug it in and warm it all up!
Add meatballs to the pot of warm BBQ sauce; allow to bubble slightly and simmer over very low heat for a few minutes. Shut off heat; allow mixture to rest and the meatballs to soak up the flavor of the sauce for a few additional minutes before serving.
Serve over rice, with a side of potatoes, or as an appetizer served on toothpicks.
Makes 20-25 meatballs.