Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Belgian Pork Meatballs with Prune Sauce
比利時西梅汁豬肉丸
Recipe overview
Pork meatballs simmer in a dark onion and prune sauce with restrained sweetness and a tender finish.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g minced pork
- 60 g breadcrumbs
- 1 piece egg
- 2 piece onion
- 180 g prunes
- 500 ml beef stock
- 150 ml apple cider
- 25 g butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Seasonings
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
02
Tools
- knife
- cutting board
- mixing bowl
- frying pan
- tongs
- wooden spoon
- measuring cup
- serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Dice the onions
Peel both onions and dice them evenly into pieces about 1 cm wide.
Step 2
Chop the prunes
Remove any prune stones and chop each prune into four small pieces.
Step 3
Mix the meatball mixture
Mix pork, breadcrumbs, egg, half the onion, salt, pepper and nutmeg just until evenly combined; do not compact the meat.
Step 4
Shape equal meatballs
With damp hands, divide the mixture into 16 equal portions and roll each gently into a round meatball.
Step 5
Brown the meatballs
Melt the butter over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in batches, turning until coloured on all sides.
Step 6
Remove and hold the meatballs
Transfer the browned meatballs to a clean plate; keep the fat and browned residue in the pan.
Step 7
Soften the onions
Lower to medium heat and cook the remaining onion for 5 minutes until translucent.
Step 8
Stir in flour
Sprinkle flour over the onion and stir continuously for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
Step 9
Add stock, cider and prunes
Slowly add stock and cider while stirring, then add the chopped prunes and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
Step 10
Return the meatballs
Return the meatballs and their juices to the pan in one layer, spooning sauce over their tops.
Step 11
Simmer until cooked and glossy
Cover loosely and simmer gently for 20 minutes, turning once, until the centres are cooked and the sauce is glossy.
Step 12
Season and serve with sauce
Check the seasoning, spoon the prune sauce over every meatball, and serve immediately on a clean platter.
Common mistakes
- Packing the meatballs too tightly makes them firm; shape them gently and evenly.
Tips
Simmer the prunes gently until the sauce coats the meatballs instead of boiling it dry.
