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Tomato Porcupine Meatballs
Andre Lewis

Tomato Porcupine Meatballs

Uncooked rice pokes from these old-fashioned beef meatballs as it swells in tomato broth, which is where the name comes from. Keep the balls small enough for the rice to cook through. The sauce and meat together turn one pound and a half of beef into eight servings.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs 90-percent lean ground beef
  • 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
  • 15 oz canned tomato sauce
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Method
 

  1. Mix the beef, rice, onion, egg, salt and pepper gently and shape 24 meatballs about 1 1/2 inches wide.
  2. Whisk the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth and Worcestershire in a 6-quart crockpot.
  3. Nestle the meatballs into the sauce in no more than 2 layers.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 6 1/2 hours until the rice grains are tender and the meatballs reach 160°F.
  5. Rest uncovered for 10 minutes before lifting the meatballs with a spoon so they keep their shape.