Sweet and Savory Asian Meatballs

Savory meatballs, roasted until caramelized and then polished in a slick, hoisin- and fruit-based sauce. Hints of onion, garlic and cilantro in the meatballs perfectly compliment that delectable, sticky, salty, fruity sauce. I can't imagine life without this dish now.

And thanks to the hoisin sauce, this dish is a snap to prepare. Hoisin is a one-stop-shop for flavor, boasting all the ingredients you could want in a teriyaki-style sauce like this. The thick glaze is made from soybeans, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and various spices. It's syrupy, salty, tangy and intensely flavorful. That's why it makes a GREAT opposing flavor for the sweet fruit preserves. They balance each other out. Yin-yang.

Notice I served the balls-and-sauce over rice. I can tell you this: you don't want to miss of DROP of that stuff, so I suggest you serve the meatballs and sauce over rice or Asian noodles.

Sweet and Savory Asian Meatballs
Click HERE for a PDF/print-friendly version.

1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon dried cilantro, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and ground black pepper
1 3/4 cups beef broth, divided
1 cup apricot preserves, pineapple preserves or orange marmalade
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cooked rice or Asian noodles for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
In a large bowl, combine the beef, 1/2 teaspoon of the cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and shape the mixture into 16 meatballs. Transfer the meatballs to the prepared pan and roast for 20 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine 1 1/2 cups of the beef broth, fruit preserves, hoisin sauce, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cilantro. Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup of beef broth and add the mixture to the pan. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture thickens. When the meatballs have finished roasting, add them to the sauce and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through.
Serve the meatballs and sauce over rice or noodles.
Serves 4