Ingredients
For the meatballs:
1.5 pounds 80/20 ground beef
2 large eggs
4 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
For the sauce:
1/4 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup bourbon
To garnish:
Fresh orange zest
Chives
Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl and blend together until the breadcrumbs are evenly distributed.
Portion out 1 ounce meatballs, placing them on a baking sheet. You could freeze the meatballs at this point to prepare at a later time (will last 6 months in the freezer).
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add meatballs in batches, being sure to not overcrowd them in the skillet. Carefully turn the meatballs until browned on all sides, cooking about 3-5 minutes. Place the meatballs onto a large sheet pan once browned on all sides. Once all meatballs are on the sheet pan, place the pan into the oven for 10 minutes to finish them. Internal temperature of the meatballs should be 165 degrees F.
For the sauce, use the same pan you used to sauté the meatballs. Add all of the sauce ingredients, except bourbon, to the skillet and allow to cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until sauce begins bubble and coats the spoon. Once the sauce has thickened and coats the spoon, add bourbon. Allow the sauce to thicken and reduce by about half.
Coat the meatballs in the glaze by adding them in batches and carefully rolling them around to coat all sides. Once coated, place on a serving platter and pour any remaining Bourbon Glaze over top. Garnish with orange zest and chopped chives.