Georgia Faye's Famous Porcupine Meatballs with Sauerkraut Recipe
I don’t know who passed this recipe on to mom, but it has been made by mom and me for years —as far back as i can remember. It is a savory, satisfying meatball and kraut dish, and the “sauer” is tempered a little by the tomato component. The recipe can easily be doubled, and it freezes well (if there are any leftovers!)
For the ground pork, i just use Jimmy Dean or Bob Evans mild sausage (in the tube). They are very lean, so take that into consideration in the fat content of your ground beef. Usually, I just skip the veal, and use 1 # beef and 1/2 # pork sausage, as noted. Mom loves to use the Winn-Dixie brand of ground pork sausage.
Yield, about 26 medium meatballs (plenty for 6-8 “normal folks”, depending on appetites). I make them a little larger than a golfball. I like the surface-to-inside meatball ratio for the sauce “soak-in” factor.
Cooking tip: when “browning” the meatballs, do NOT let a crust form; keep turning them so they cook 50% but not all the way through. They are more tender that way, and retain enough fat and juices to really flavor the kraut. Mom is a jayhawk when I’m cooking the meatballs! ;-)
Traditionally served with boiled, skinned white potatoes, with Hellman’s mayonnaise on the side (though mom likes Duke’s). I also like it with good cold pilsener—Heineken! —or lager! ;-)
- 1/2 pound each, lean ground pork, lean ground beef and ground veal
- 1/2 C bread crumbs
- 1/4 C chopped onions
- 1/2 green pepper, chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/2 C raw white rice
- 1/4 C water (for the meatballs)
- 2 - 14 oz. size cans sauerkraut (mom likes "thrifty maid" or "silver floss" brand -- not too sour.)
- 1 can campbell's condensed tomato soup (plus one can water)
- Mix meat, bread crumbs, onions, peppers, egg, and salt and pepper. Fry up a bite size portion of meat to check and correct seasoning. Add rice and water, and mix all the above ingredients thoroughly.
- Form meatballs slightly larger than golfballs, and place on wax paper on a cooking sheet. (it is easier).
- Heat up large skillet with 3T fat (crisco oil is fine), and on medium to medium-high heat, very gently brown meatballs without creating a crust. Don’t heat at too low a heat so the fat soaks in, just stand there and keep watch and keep turning them for even heating. remove from skillet. drain on paper towel. The meatballs should NOT be cooked through —maybe 50%—just barely browned, without any “crust.”
- Pour cans of kraut into a large stockpot with a lid. I like to add the can juices, and I don’t rinse the kraut, either. Gently nestle the partially-cooked meatballs INTO the top layer of the kraut.
- Pour can of condensed tomato soup over top; don’t stir, but spread as evenly as you can —a rubber spatula is good). Sprinkle/drizzle over that another can of water to help “spread it out” —and give liquid to the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching. This will not result in a “soupy” consistency —merely moist kraut.
- Cover and cook on medium heat at a decent simmer on the stove for 1 hour. Don’t keep peeking and letting the steamy heat out! But do check for scorching. At one hour, check to see that the meatballs are cooked through (split one to see if still pink). Simmer until done. This long simmer is important to cook through the meatballs and to allow the fat and juices and seasonings from the meatballs to really flavor the kraut.
- Happy chowdown! Warning, they’re addictive.
Member recipes are not tested by the CHOW food team.
My meatballs are trying to fall apart! I usually cook them until they are brown and crusty but turning them before they are "done" seems to make them fall apart. Wonder what I did wrong?
Bet it'll still be good though.
thanks for trying the recipe, sista-kat.
there is not supposed to be "soup", but merely moist, flavored kraut underneath the meatballs.
and the long cook time is required to let the meatballs cook through AND to season the kraut. if the meatballs were cooked in the skillet too long before adding to the pot, then they will be "done" faster, but won't be as tender (nor will function to season the...+READ
thanks for trying the recipe, sista-kat.
there is not supposed to be "soup", but merely moist, flavored kraut underneath the meatballs.
and the long cook time is required to let the meatballs cook through AND to season the kraut. if the meatballs were cooked in the skillet too long before adding to the pot, then they will be "done" faster, but won't be as tender (nor will function to season the kraut as well).
the soup is more "sour" than canned tomatoes, and it just has a certain flavor profile.-COLLAPSE
These are very tasty little porcupines, alkasis! I loved 'em, my guy loved 'em and so did my mom! They reminded us of stuffed peppers (sort of inside-out) with sauerkraut to add an interesting twist. Yummmmmmy!
Now some questions/comments:
1. About 45 minutes into the simmer, I popped the lid and thought the meatballs looked pretty done. Tasted/tested and they were. There should be some...+READ
These are very tasty little porcupines, alkasis! I loved 'em, my guy loved 'em and so did my mom! They reminded us of stuffed peppers (sort of inside-out) with sauerkraut to add an interesting twist. Yummmmmmy!
Now some questions/comments:
1. About 45 minutes into the simmer, I popped the lid and thought the meatballs looked pretty done. Tasted/tested and they were. There should be some soup left, right? I went outside to shuck corn, then boiled it...by the time we ate, most of the soup had cooked away...next time I will just plan for this to take 45 mins. rather than 2 hours. They were fine--just lacked zoop for the meal. I had more than my fair share before dinner (MOO). Oh, and I made them golf-ball-sized as you suggested. Good idea.
2. That was also smart about taking the bite-sized piece of meat and frying it to check the seasoning. I decided I wanted to add garlic powder and onion powder, as I usually do with my meatloaf.
3. I didn't have a can, but a 2-lb. bag of sauerkraut. I used either 2 cups or 2.5 cups.
4. We all agreed the tomato soup sweetened the sauerkraut and took away its usual sour taste. Have you ever made this with a can of tomatoes, or always soup? I only thought of the can of tomatoes because that's one of the ways we make stuffed peppers (the other, of course, is soup--just like this recipe!).
I will definitely make these again...and perhaps with potatoes next time, as you described above. But I see you'll have to switch your stated preference from Hellman's to Duke's now. See how we all grow up to be our moms?! ;)
It was a rainy day and perfect for a comfort food dish like this one. Glad I finally tried it. Thanks for sharing this! :)-COLLAPSE
on second thought, there is no substitute for the kraut. it insulates and flavors the meatballs. potatoes underneath them, even cooking on low heat for two hours, will turn to mush -- or scorch -- and lend no flavor to the meatballs.
so, the only two options both involve kraut! rinse or no rinse!
make hubby a meatball sub by just cooking a few of his meatballs all the way through in the...+READ
on second thought, there is no substitute for the kraut. it insulates and flavors the meatballs. potatoes underneath them, even cooking on low heat for two hours, will turn to mush -- or scorch -- and lend no flavor to the meatballs.
so, the only two options both involve kraut! rinse or no rinse!
make hubby a meatball sub by just cooking a few of his meatballs all the way through in the skillet. (i'll bet he steals one or two of your meatballs cooked in the kraut.) ;-)-COLLAPSE
really, unless it is not just a taste issue (and is a digestive type issue), just ask him to give it a try. non-kraut people like this! sometimes they may not eat a lot of kraut (or the really picky -- any kraut) but really love the meatballs. remember they are cooked more or less on top of the kraut (as described in the recipe), and can be retrieved without having to take kraut with your...+READ
really, unless it is not just a taste issue (and is a digestive type issue), just ask him to give it a try. non-kraut people like this! sometimes they may not eat a lot of kraut (or the really picky -- any kraut) but really love the meatballs. remember they are cooked more or less on top of the kraut (as described in the recipe), and can be retrieved without having to take kraut with your serving. the flavor of the kraut steam works to flavor the meatballs in an indescribably savory way!
as one option, to make the kraut in one half of your recipe milder, separate the one recipe into two batches. one, rinse the kraut, and don't use the juice from the can. the other half batch, use it. cook in separate pots.
it is already served with boiled potatoes, with mayo on the side. since i'm convinced dh will like the kraut, he can try yours.
as the ultimate non-kraut alternative (which i can't vouch for), just reserve some meatballs after you've browned them, and put some over some thickly cut white potatoes (unpeeled to hold shape?) in a large saucepot, with a proportionate amount of the tomato soup and water poured over (as described in the recipe).
hope this helps!-COLLAPSE
If I want to try this on ye old picky DH, how could I adapt it to leave out the sauerkraut. What could I substitute? Think very plain, like potatoes.
Dani