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one plain bowl of white rice topped with four browned meatballs in a thick muted red gochujang glaze, with no pear chunks, sesame seeds, cucumber, scallion garnish or toothpicks
Rachel Kim

Crockpot Korean Meatballs

Grated pear softens gochujang's sharp edge without making the sauce taste like jam. Use ripe fruit and grate it finely so the pulp disappears into the glaze around the ginger-and-garlic beef-and-pork meatballs. Cook the rice separately near dinner. Turn the meatballs gently after thickening and stop while the sauce still moves, since a stiff coating can make a tender meatball feel chewy before you reach the center.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 lb 85% lean ground beef
  • 3/4 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp neutral oil for sheet pan
  • 1/2 cup peeled finely grated ripe pear
  • 2 tbsp gochujang
  • 3 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water for slurry
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 cups dry long-grain white rice rinsed and drained
  • 2 3/4 cups water for rice

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F and oil a rimmed sheet. Mix panko with milk, then gently fold in beef, pork, egg, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper. Shape 24 meatballs and bake for 16 to 20 minutes until the centers reach 160°F.
  2. Meanwhile, simmer grated pear, gochujang, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and broth in a saucepan for 3 minutes, stirring until combined. Transfer hot sauce and hot meatballs to a 4-quart slow cooker.
  3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours, turning gently once. Whisk cornstarch with slurry water, fold it into the sauce and cover on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes until thickened and meatball centers reach 165°F.
  4. During the final half hour, bring rice and rice water to a boil in a saucepan. Cover, reduce to low and cook for 18 minutes, then rest off heat for 10 minutes.
  5. Turn off the cooker and stir sesame oil gently through the sauce. Divide rice among 6 bowls and add 4 meatballs and sauce to each serving.