Recipe: Albondigas (Mexican Meatballs)

Albondigas

Yield: 60 meatballs

Albondigas are meatballs from south of the border. What a great, easy, and awesome party food—Grady once ate twenty-two of these at the CF Ranch Fourth of July party! and for a little variety, try substituting ground lamb, pork, or even chicken. You'll love them, we guarantee it.

2 pounds ground chuck, 20 percent fat content
3 eggs, beaten
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
3 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, and diced
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly by hand. Divide the mixture into 1-ounce balls (large walnut sized), rolling them between the palms of your hands until firm and round. Place the albondigas on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until firm, bubbling, and golden on the bottoms. Serve on a napkin-lined plate.

Buy the Book!

Cowboy Cocktails:
Boot-Scootin' Beverages and
Tasty Vittles from the Wild West
By Grady Spears and Brigit L. Binns
Ten Speed Press, May 2000
Paperback, $14.95
144 pages, full color photos
ISBN: 1-58008-077-4
Recipe reprinted by permission.