Steak ‘n’ Bacon Cheddar Balls

Name: Steak ‘n’ Bacon Cheddar Balls
Yield: Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2 inch balls
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 onion, finely diced; 8 ounces bacon, diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 2 pounds 80% lean ground beef; 6 ounces cheddar cheese, grated; 3 large eggs; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; 2 teaspoons salt

January 24, 2012

At the Shop we jokingly call these the heart-stoppers because while they are extremely rich and delicious, we wouldn’t suggest eating them every day—which is tricky because once you try them, you won’t stop craving them. Ready to really stop your heart? We have a “Family Jewels” option on the menu that allows guests to add a fried egg to any dish for a dollar. For our last meal, we would opt for steak ‘n’ bacon cheddar balls with a fried egg on top, served with Mushroom Gravy (page 63), and Creamed Spinach (page 100). For some added texture, ask your butcher to grind the beef more coarsely than usual; it gives the balls an added “steakiness.”

Recipe information

Yield
Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2 inch balls

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely diced

8 ounces bacon, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 pounds 80% lean ground beef

6 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

3 large eggs

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons salt

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon has browned and the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions and bacon to a plate and place in the refrigerator to cool.
Step 3
Combine the ground beef, cheddar, eggs, bread crumbs, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
Step 4
Roll the mixture into round, golf ball–size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.
Step 5
Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.
Step 6
Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.

Reprinted with permission from The Meatball Shop Cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow with Lauren Deen. Copyright © 2011 by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Daniel Holzman is executive chef at The Meatball Shop. He is an alum of Le Bernadin, San Francisco's Fifth Floor, and Aqua, among other highly acclaimed restaurants. He attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he received a full scholarship from the James Beard Foundation. Michael Chernow runs the front-of-house operations and the beverage program at The Meatball Shop. He has worked extensively in restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, where he earned degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management. He and Holzman met as teenagers when they worked together as delivery boys at the New York vegan restaurant Candle Café. Needless to say, the vegan thing didn't really stick. Lauren Deen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Cook Yourself Thin series and Kitchen Playdates. She is an Emmy award—and James Beard award— winning television producer and director. She is currently executive producer of food(ography) on the Cooking Channel.

TagsMeatball Bacon Cured Meat Meat Cheddar Cheese Dairy Ground Beef Beef Starter Main Snack Dinner Nut Free Roast Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Recipe notes