9 September, 2022

LFN’s Greek Tailgating Meatballs (Keftedes)

Comments : 2 Posted in : Dish of the Week, Tailgate Dish on September 9, 2022 by : Chuck Tags: Beef, Greek, Keftedes, Meatballs, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Pork, Tailgate Dish of the Week

For a large group of hungry tailgaters (whatever you don’t bring, you can freeze and reheat for later). Meatballs like this have been a staple for our “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”-esque family for quite a while now.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 lb ground pork (or 1 extra lb beef or 1 lb veal, your choice)
• 1 very large red onion, grated
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of stale bread or store bought bread crumbs, soaked in some water just to make it moist
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh mint
• 4 tbsps olive oil
• 3 tbsps red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• oil for frying
• flour for dredging

Assembly

1. Add all the ingredients except the eggs into a large bowl and mix well with your hands for about 5-10 minutes. Mixing with your hands is really the only way to get the ingredients to blend.
2. Add the eggs and work it into the meat miixture to make it even and moist, adding water a little at a time if it’s too dry.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
4. Take the mixture out of the fridge and and roll into meatballs about 1 -1 1/2 inches in diameter.
5. Sprinkle a healthy amount of flour on a plate and dredge each meatball with a light layer of flour. Heat up a pan of oil.
6. Fry until nicely browned on all sides, about 10-15 at a time in the oil. When done, drain on a paper towel.
7. Before your tailgate, get a crock pot filled with red sauce and drop the number of keftedes in the sauce to reheat. Server as a side, or in hoagie rolls sprinkled with Parmesan or extra oregano. Freeze whatever you don’t use.