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1. Begin by combining the ground beef and pork in a large bowl. It’s best to use your hands here, just like when kneading dough for Sunday supper bread.
2. Sprinkle in the cornmeal, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and chili powder over the meat. This cornmeal is our nod to the tamale’s traditional outer covering, merging with the meat for a tender bite.
3. Add the minced garlic and the beaten egg to the mixture. Stir everything well until it’s just unified, like a family holding hands at grace.
4. Shape into 1½-inch balls. Each one should feel solid but not as tight as the lid on Mama’s old pickle jars.
5. Heat a skillet with oil over a medium flame, just like the ones that have seen generations of frying and family chatter. Brown the meatballs on all sides. They should be the color of a well-worn barn, proud and standing.
6. Transfer the meatballs to a baking dish. Preheat your oven to 350°F, ready to welcome the pan like an old friend.
7. Mix the BBQ sauce, honey, and apple cider vinegar in a bowl. This glaze should sing of sweet and tangy tales, ready to enwrap the meatballs.
8. Pour the glaze over the meatballs, ensuring each one is kissed by the mixture.
9. Bake for about 25 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the aroma calls to you like children to supper.
10. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving if you like a dash of green like a pasture in spring.
Variations & Tips
- For some added heat, mix a touch of cayenne pepper into your cornmeal blend.
- If you’re not one for mixing meats, feel free to use just beef, or replace pork with ground turkey for a lighter touch.
- This dish can be made ahead and frozen. Just thaw and warm in the oven, and you’d swear they were freshly made.
- Those on gluten-free trails can swap out traditional cornmeal for a certified gluten-free option.
As with all recipes handed down or over the back fence, make this one your own. And when they ask for the recipe, just smile and say it’s a little bit of history and a whole lot of love.
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