Porcupine Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef (85/15)
• 1/2 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
• 1 small yellow onion, grated
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Before you cook

• Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain it well.
• Grate the onion and chop the parsley.

Steps

1. Mix the ground beef, drained raw rice, grated onion, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder and parsley in a bowl until just combined.
2. Roll the mixture into eighteen meatballs about an inch and a half across.
3. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Brown the meatballs for 6 minutes, turning them so they color on several sides, then move them to a plate.
5. Stir the tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and oregano into the skillet and scrape the bottom clean.
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer and return the meatballs to the pan in a single layer.
7. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 45 minutes, spooning sauce over the meatballs every 15 minutes.
8. Check that the rice grains sticking out of the meatballs are fully tender before serving.
9. Season the sauce with salt and serve the meatballs with the sauce spooned over them.