Island Meatballs are a whole continent of flavor! The meatballs are savory, beefy, and delightfully spiced! Not to mention the sauce! The meatballs are coated in a thick, sweet, tangy, and tropical sauce that will get your lips smacking. Together, they bring out the best of their flavors. You can relax with a plate of Island Meatballs in just 40 minutes, so it’s ideally suited for weeknights when you need to be whisked away.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes, optional
For the pineapple sauce:
- 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, juices reserved
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- green onions, optional, to taste, chopped, to serve
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2 –Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 3 –Mix the ground beef, the ground pork, the breadcrumbs, the milk, the garlic powder, the onion powder, the sea salt, the black pepper, and the chili flakes in a large bowl.
Step 4 –Form the meat mixture into 1-1/2-inch balls.
Step 5 –Place the meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until browned and cooked through at 145 degrees F internally, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 6 –Pour the juices from the pineapple can into a large frying pan with high sides. Reserve the pineapple chunks.
Step 7 –Add the barbecue sauce, the soy sauce, the rice vinegar, and the ginger.
Step 8 –Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer over medium heat and continue to simmer until the sauce reduces and thickens, for about 5 minutes. It should have a consistency similar to barbecue sauce.
Step 9 –When the meatballs finish cooking, add the meatballs to the sauce in the pan.
Step 10 –Add the pineapple chunks and cook until heated through.
Step 11 –Serve garnished with the green onions.
