There are many ways to serve sweet and sour meatballs. One way is to serve the meatballs and the sweet and sour sauce separately so that the meatballs retain their luscious golden brown color and crunchy texture and guests can dip the balls in the glossy tangy sauce with the help of a toothpick. Serving it this way makes a fun cocktail food or appetizer. Or you can simmer the meatballs in the sauce and top it over steaming rice for a delicious satisfying Asian meal. The balls will absorb some of the sauce’s flavors and when you bite into it all the juices will ooze out, producing a sensational experience.

You can also skewer the balls in a barbecue stick and dip it in a jar of sweet and sour sauce, street food style, for an entertaining albeit messy snack that your guests will adore especially when eaten with ice cold beer. One of the best occasions to make this recipe is for a children’s party or as entrée for pot luck at the office. You can make a whole bunch of these and feed a lot of people with just a handful of ingredients. With pineapple in the recipe, this can be considered a Hawaiian appetizer but topped on rice it might as well be Asian or Chinese so it’s a very versatile dish.

What’s also wonderful about sweet and sour meatballs is that the balls can be made ahead and frozen (wrapped in plastic film) so you can easily bring them out and cook them on busy days and instantly enjoy an easy Chinese dinner in no time at all. Serve them with a side of green beans or vegetables for a well-rounded meal.

Choose lean or extra lean ground beef for a healthier dish. This recipe involves frying the meatballs in hot oil so they don’t clump together when you cook them in the sauce but you can also bake the meatballs in a 350° oven for 20 minutes for a healthier way to enjoy them.

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup water
1 egg, beaten slightly
½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup pineapple chunks, drained
1 tsp. instant minced onion or 1/4 cup freshly minced onions
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed

1

Place ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Measure and add the salt, water, egg, crushed pineapple, onion and bread crumbs. Mix, combining thoroughly.
2

Shape the meat mixture into balls, about 1 inch in diameter, using a spoon.
3

In a skillet, heat some oil until very hot. Sear the balls quickly to seal in the moisture. Place in paper napkin to absorb excess oil.
4

In a large saucepan, over medium-high heat, measure the ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a boil.
5

Add the pineapple chunks, stir. Then add the meatballs, one or two at a time.
6

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the meat is firm.

Watch more videos on cooking .