Aunty’s Potluck Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs
Aunty's Pantry: Mainland Supermarket Hacks
Sunday afternoon at the folding table, past the King's Hawaiian rolls, bubbling soy sauce pulls you toward these meatballs simmering in a dented slow-cooker next to the macaroni salad. We don't do bottled barbecue sauce and grape jelly here; authentic local flavor demands a proper, scratch-made shoyu, ginger, and pineapple glaze built on a can of Dole pineapple. You can absolutely substitute a bag of unseasoned, frozen meatballs on a busy Tuesday as long as you respect the sauce. Grab a plastic toothpick, spear a meatball, and get in line.
Ingredients
- canned pineapple chunks in juice20 oz
- shoyu or soy sauce1/2 cup and 1 tbsp
- dark brown sugar1/2 cup
- fresh garlic2 small clove
- fresh ginger1 tbsp and 1 tsp
- rice vinegar1 tbsp
- cornstarch3 tbsp
- cold water3 tbsp
- green bell pepper1 large
- 80/20 ground beef1 lb
- ground pork1 lb
- plain panko breadcrumbs3/4 cup
- large eggs2 large
- green onions1/4 cup
- salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Combine the meatball ingredients gently.
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, ground pork, panko, eggs, green onions, one tablespoon of shoyu, one teaspoon of grated ginger, salt, and pepper using your hands just until combined so they don't become tough.
- 02
Bake the meatballs until browned.
Form the mixture into golf-ball-sized spheres, place them on the baking sheet, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until cooked through.
- 03
Simmer the teriyaki base.
In a wide saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, half cup of shoyu, brown sugar, tablespoon of grated ginger, minced garlic, and rice vinegar, bringing it to a gentle boil to dissolve the sugar.
- 04
Create a smooth cornstarch slurry.
Whisk the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until completely smooth, then slowly pour it into the boiling sauce while whisking continuously until it turns glossy and thickens.
- 05
Marry the flavors and simmer.
Reduce the heat to low and add the baked meatballs, pineapple chunks, and bell pepper, then cover and let everything simmer together for 10 minutes so the meatballs soak up the glaze.
Notes
The weeknight supermarket hack.
If you do not have time to make meatballs from scratch, substitute 32 ounces of high-quality frozen homestyle meatballs. Skip the baking step, add them straight to the thickened glaze, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not use Italian-seasoned meatballs, or the oregano will aggressively clash with the teriyaki.
The slow cooker potluck application.
To take this to a party, skip the stovetop finish entirely. Place the cooked meatballs, pineapple chunks, and peppers in a slow cooker. Whisk the unheated sauce ingredients and slurry together, pour it over the top, and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.