OMG GF Polynesian Meatballs

These are OMG good. Once again a craving lead me in search of a recipe. And boy did I hit pay dirt. The original recipe was not gluten free but the modifications were simple and I could use what I had on hand. I now make this recipe at least once a month- sometimes more, because I have an eager husband who is more than happy to bring home a fresh pineapple so I can make this (hint, hint). 

Here is the link to the original:

http://www.dontforgetdelicious.com/2009/polynesian-meatballs/

OMG GF Polynesian Meatballs

 

 

Meatballs:
1 lb ground pork

1 large egg

3/4 cup crushed gluten free rice krispies (These are pretty easy to find now. Safeway carries them as well as many chain groceries. A zip lock bag works well for crushing.)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (Optional, but this just makes them better and it won't be spicy- I promise- it's good for you too!)

3/4 tsp grated fresh ginger root (Fresh is best, but you can use dry if you need, just cut back on your ginger if using dry. I also add more fresh ginger than required. Experiment with what you like. This too is super healthy.)

3/4 tsp yellow mustard seeds, ground (Or dry mustard powder- this is what I use. I have also used a good dollop of yellow hot dog mustard and even honey mustard when I ran out of dry mustard.)
2 tbsp soy sauce (I use VH brand soy sauce. It is naturally gf. And it is cheap! Just read your labels!)
 

Add ins:
8 ounces pineapple chunks in juice (If you really want this to sing, use a fresh pineapple. It will be ripe if you can easily pull a leaf from the center of the pineapple top. As well, don't fuss about coring it. To my surprise I discovered that the core contains potent health compounds- higher than the rest of the fruit. Since the pineapple is cooked in this recipe you won't have to be concerned about it being woody either. Also the riper it is apparently the the more potent the good stuff becomes.  Add any juices from cutting your pineapple to your pot when cooking.)

1 medium bell pepper, chopped (This recipe is good with or without the pepper. Just don't over cook the pepper since it will impart an odd taste to the dish. It will still be good, just not omg good.)

1/3 cup chopped onion (I usually use one medium onion. I'm not exact with certain things- like in the case of the ginger. I also halve and then slice my onion thinly.)

For Sauce:

3 tbsp rice wine vinegar (When I first made this I didn't have rice wine vinegar on hand, so I used white wine vinegar. Then on another occasion I ran out of white wine vinegar and used apple cider vinegar. If you have both on hand, go with the white wine vinegar. It adds to the yum factor more so than the apple cider vinegar.)

1/2 cup water

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

 

 

Method:

Step #1:
-Preheat your oven to 350'F.
-Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with your preferred cooking spray. (To be honest, I skip the foil and the spray- I haven't had a problem. Skipping the spray and foil also makes it easier to scrape all the juices back into the sauce later too, which further adds flavor.)
 

Step# 2:
-Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. (*Important Mixing Tip*: the soy sauce has a tendency to want to be soaked up by the cereal thus making salty deposits in your meatballs. To combat this, mix up all ingredients well leaving out the soy sauce, and then once combined well, then drizzle your soy sauce over your meat mixture and mix well once again.)
-Now using your hands, roll meat mixture into balls approx 1 1/2 tbsp each, or to the desired size.

Step# 3:
-In batches brown your meatballs in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned on all sides. (Again, I tinker with the original recipe- lol. Ok, two things. If you have a large non stick pot, use this instead- it makes mixing everything much easier later. Second, since you are going to be baking these, don't be too concerned with getting the whole meatball brown. I find that when they cook, they want to brown mainly on three sides. This step really is about helping to develop flavor as well as provide good color to your meatballs. If you don't have a large non stick pot, stick with the non stick pan- it makes your life easier and the results are better than adding oil to a regular pot or pan. You can however use a regular pot for the rest of the dish.)
-Now move your mostly browned meatballs to the baking sheet.
-Bake for about 15 min or until they are cooked through. (When cooked, you will notice that the juices that have collected on the pan will be clear and will have started to brown. Yum. Remember the bigger the meatball the longer it will need to stay in the oven. So when in doubt cut open one of the larger meatballs- unless you are talented at getting the the same size- and check for doneness.)

Step# 4:
-Ok, with the meatballs baking away... Place your onion and pineapple with the juice(that collected on the cutting board if fresh, or what was in the can) in same pot or pan you used for the meat. (Remember the note above about pots and pans?- but this time it is solely about developing flavor. So by using the same pot or pan- if you can- you utilize all the goodness left behind when you browned your meatballs. But don't worry- it won't be a disaster if you can't use the same pot.)
-Cook the pineapple and onion over med-high heat until just boiling. Now reduce your heat, cover and simmer for about 10 min or until the onions are translucent. Then add the peppers if using and cook to desired doneness.
-In a small bowl (or a one cup measure works well), combine vinegar, water, brown sugar and cornstarch- mix well. (This step can be done a bit ahead of time- just stir well before adding to the pot, since the cornstarch will settle.)
-Add the sauce mix to the pineapple mixture when ready and stir to combine until thickened.

Step# 5:
-Lastly add your meatballs to the pineapple sauce mixture, scraping up all the juices left behind from the meatballs into the pot too. 
-Stir to coat the meatballs well.
-Serve with rice- jasmine is a favorite in our house.

Bon appétit!