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Whiskey-Mustard Meatballs, pages 112-113 in The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier. Makes about thirty 1-inch meatballs.

To skip the step-by-step, just scroll down until you see the Ingredients section.

 @story Marla Cantrell

 @recipe The Pioneer Woman

Blame the fuzzy picture of these scrumptious Whiskey-Mustard Meatballs on the moonshine.  I might have a little wine now and then, but I almost never drink hard liquor.  But this recipe called for whiskey, and I had a bottle of Uncle Ed’s Arkansas Moonshine in the shelf, way up high in the pantry.  I, um, took a sip while I cooked, and apparently it affects my ability to shoot a photo.

 Otherwise, this recipe was a peach to make.

Here are the ingredients (minus the moonshine) from Ozark Natural Foods.  It was my first time using Panko Breadcrumbs, and I loved them. They stay crunchy even after being soaked in whiskey and heavy cream.  That’s powerful.

Grab a mixing bowl.  In it, combine 1 lb. ground beef, 1 lb. ground pork, 1 ½ cups Panko Bread Crumbs, 1 egg, salt and pepper, and ¼ cup spicy mustard.

 If you have a cookie scoop (I didn’t), use it here to form the meatballs.  I used a teaspoon.  Place them on a cookie sheet and then place it in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to firm them up.  I have a side-by-side and it was a tight fit, so calculate home much room you have beforehand.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the meatballs in 3 batches, turning them to cook all over, 5 to 7 minutes to a batch. Remove the meatballs to a plate as they’re done.

When all the meatballs are on the plate, pour 1 cup whiskey and 3 cups beef broth into the skillet. Allow the mixture to bubble up and reduce for 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thicker.  (Take a swig of the whiskey at your own discretion. I certainly did, and afterward I started thinking about high school, and this crown I won – I really did – and then I started wondering about my favorite teacher and I looked her up on Facebook, and started to send a friend request and then decided that was weird, and what if she didn’t remember me, and whatever happened to that guy I met at church camp, whose last name I no longer remember, and why haven't I grown my hair out when I talk about it so much? Well anyway, it’s really, really bad to drink.  And it’s worse to drink and cook. That’s all I’m saying. )

I stayed in this nostalgic fog until the smoke alarm sounded and I had to open every window in my house, which is why they're arent' more pictures.  Take this as a cautionary tale.  And then stir in the remaining ¼ cup spicy mustard.

 Add 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Stir and cook for another couple of minutes.

Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine.

Add the browned meatballs back into the sauce.

Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.

Turn the skillet into a makeshift chafing dish and stick toothpicks into each meatball.  Or do what I did, and serve them on buns as sliders.

You’re going to love these.  Rich, spicy, so filling.  A great party treat, or a weekday supper delight.  ENJOY!  (And leave the stump juice alone.)

Whiskey-Mustard Meatballs

 Makes about thirty 1-inch meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound ground pork

 1 pound ground beef

 1 ½ cup Panko Bread Crumbs

 1 egg

Salt and black pepper to taste

½ cup spicy mustard

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 cup whiskey

 3 cups beef broth

 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

 1 cup heavy cream

 Directions:

 1. In a bowl, combine the beef, pork, bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper, and ¼ cup of the spicy mustard.

 2. With your hands (or a large spoon), mix the ingredients until they’re well combined.

 3. Use a cookie scoop or teaspoon to form balls, using your hands to shape if necessary. Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet and freeze for 10 to 15 minutes, just to firm them up.

 4. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the meatballs in 3 batches, turning them to cook all over, 5 to 7 minutes to a batch. Remove the meatballs to a plate as they’re done.

 5. When all the meatballs are on the plate, pour the whiskey and beef broth into the skillet. Allow the mixture to bubble up and reduce for 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thicker.

 6. Then stir in the remaining ¼ cup spicy mustard.

 7. Add the Worcestershire sauce. Stir and cook for another couple of minutes.

 8. Finally, pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine.

 9. Add the browned meatballs back into the sauce.

 10.        Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.

 11.        Turn the skillet into a makeshift chafing dish and stick toothpicks into each meatball.  Serve immediately.

 Variations:

 Serve over buttered egg noodles for a main-dish course.

 Place in the middle of the split dinner rolls to make meatball sliders.