Homestyle Meatballs

We generally have an abundance of ground beef around our house. It’s a versatile and cost effective way to feed a big family. Plus, we usually buy a full beef every year and after all the good cuts have been made, the rest is turned into ground beef.

We consider buying a full beef cow as part of our “stocking of the larder”. It’s a year supply of meat that we keep in our deep freeze. It feels good to have a freezer full of food and not have to worry about what may be going on in the world.

Buying meat locally, through people we either know, or have sought out, has been the best way for us to buy a good quality, local meat source. It takes some time, effort, and research to find the right one but it never hurts to get the ball rolling, or ask around, and find a source of meat for you to fill your pantry too.

The one disadvantage and biggest difference to having an urban homestead over a country homestead is the animals. Chickens are easy to keep on an urban homestead, but anything bigger is just not going to happen. That’s why I like finding a local grower. Find your local grower too. Connect with them, visit the farm, and know that you are supporting your local community, even if you can’t grow your own.

Pull out this recipe when you have an abundance of ground beef and need to have a win in the kitchen!

Recipe

2 pounds of ground beef

1/4 cup of barbecue sauce

1/2 cup of ketchup

1/4 tsp of pepper

1/4 tsp of smoked paprika

1/2 tsp of salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup of flour

1/2 cup of panko bread crumbs

1 bottle of spaghetti sauce

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Take about 3 tablespoons of the mixture and form it into a ball. Place it in a greased, oven safe pan. I use cast iron. Put all balls into the pan and pour the spaghetti sauce on top. Bake on 350 for 20 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve over pasta, potatoes, or rice.