sweet and sour meatballs

This is a recipe that I have had for over 30 years that was shared with me by a co-worker at my first nursing job. This recipe is for meatballs that are cooked separately and then added to the cooked sauce.  I bake my meatballs in the oven but they can be browned in a fry pan on top of the stove instead.  The cooked meatballs are then added to the sauce which has been cooked on top of the stove and then baked or put into a slow cooker.  If I am in a hurry I have served it right from the stove top and it is just as good.  I serve it over cooked white long grain rice.  I often make this for a crowd by tripling the meatballs and doubling the sauce.

Sweet and sour meatballs

meatballs

1 pound hamburger

small onion, chopped

2 slices white bread, cubed or made into crumbs

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp Worchestershire sauce

1 tsp salt

2/3 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients.  I used the food processor to make the bread slices into crumbs and then mixed everything in the stand mixer.  Form the meat mixture into small balls a little bigger than an inch and then bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  I bake mine on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Sauce

2 Tbsp cornstarch

15 ounce can pineapple chunks in heavy syrup

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 Tbsp soy sauce.

Drain the pineapple, reserving the syrup.  Place the cornstarch in a cold pan with reserved syrup and whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved.  If you do this while it is cold it is easier to get it mixed together without any lumps.  Mix in the brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce and begin heating over medium or medium high heat, cooking until it thickens.  Once the brown sugar, vinegar and soy sauce are combined add the pineapple chunks and green pepper.  When the sauce has thickened add the cooked meatballs and place in crock pot or bake in a casserole dish in the oven at 350 for 30-60 minutes.  Serve over cooked white rice. 

I first started making this when there was only one kind of brown sugar.  Either light or dark will work but I think the dark will give a richer, more interesting color to the sauce.