Chili Meatballs

Mexican/Italian fusion at it’s finest.
We love making meatballs, and it’s on our meal prep rotation every week, we are also coming into Chili season, and we thought…..WHY NOT??
However, we haven’t just stuck meatballs in our Chili, we’ve reimagined the Italian meatball with mexican spices, and obviously left the meat out of our Chili Base. What we end up with are the most tender, juicy, meatballs, in a super rich, meaty tasting Chili sauce. Drizzle it with our Queso Sauce and you get PERFECTION!!

A great chili that’s full of flavor usually has to be cooked over a period of several hours, but with this unusual tip that I learned from a restaurant I worked at in Australia, you’re going to have the most flavorful Chili in less than an hour.
Now you’re going to think I’m crazy when you hear the secret ingredients that I throw in this Chili to quickly boost that flavor, but you gotta trust me on this one.
Here it goes….Fish Sauce and Coconut Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce IF it doesn’t offend your keto)
But they’re Asian ingredients right, not something that you put in a Chili?

I first came across this tip used in both a stew and also in a spaghetti meat sauce. At first I thought they were crazy, surely you’re going to taste it in there… Nope you don’t at all.
Fish Sauce and Liquid Aminos are high in what they call Umami.
Umami is what gives things a rich, savory, meaty flavor. Foods that are naturally high in Umami flavor are Parmesan Cheese, browned meats, ketchup, and for all the Aussies out there…Vegemite(which also works well in stews or chili’s in small doses may I ad).
These 2 additions are going to quickly boost the rich, meaty flavor in your chili, that usually can only be replicated by hours and hours of slow cooking. So not only are you getting an awesome tasting Chili, but you’re getting it in record time. And if you’re anything like me, you want it NOW! There’s nothing like watching the game with a warm bowl of Chili Meatballs.

Also pair it with some fantastic Southern Cornbread…Our great friend Neisha, from Neisha Loves It, has a great Keto Southern Cornbread Recipe here.

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS:

• 4 pounds beef
• 4 cups pork panko (crushed pork rinds)
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups grated parmesan
• 2 TBSP dried parsley
• 1.5 TBSP our sazon recipe or 3 pkts Goya Sazon (if it doesn’t offend your keto)
• 1 TBSP cumin
• 2 tsp our adobo seasoning recipe or Goya Adobo seasoning
• 2 tsp chipotle chili powder
• 2 tsp fresh garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp paprika

MEATBALL INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Add all of the ingredients except the water, into a large mixing bowl.
• Mix well to combine, then add water 1 cup at a time, mixing it into the meatball mixture until water is fully absorbed. Repeat with the next 3 cups.
• Roll meatball mixture into meatballs (we use a large ice cream scoop to portion) and line up on a large tray. We were able to roll 50 meatballs with this recipe.
• Place the tray of meatballs onto the middle rack and bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs read 160F with an instant read thermometer.
• Remove meatballs gently from the tray with a slotted spoon and into the chili sauce (recipe below).

CHILI INGREDIENTS:

• 4 10oz cans RoTel fire roasted tomatoes and green chilies
• 1/2 cup onion finely (diced)
• 1/2 cup green pepper (diced)
• 3 tsp fresh garlic (minced)
• 3 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 TBSP bacon grease/lard/manteca/olive oil (these are my preferences in order of flavor)

CHILI LIQUID SEASONING:

• 3 cups beef bone broth
• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1 TBSP fish sauce
• 1/2 TBSP  coconut liquid aminos (or soy sauce IF it doesn’t offend your keto)
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce

CHILI SPICE BLEND

• 2 1/2 TBSP chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika – normal is fine also
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1.5 tsp of  our Sazon Recipe or 1 sachet of GOYA Sazon(If it doesn’t offend your keto)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp of our our Adobo Seasoning Recipe or GOYA Adobo Seasoning

CHILI INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large jug, mix all the liquid ingredients and stir to combine. In a small bowl, mix all dry spices together and set both aside.

• In a large jug, mix all the liquid ingredients and stir to combine. Set Aside.
• In a small bowl, mix all dry spices together. Set Aside.
• In a large pan or dutch oven, heat your choice of oil on med/high heat, add onions and green peppers and saute until softened, about 10 minutes, then add minced garlic and stir for a further 1 minute.
• Make a well in the center of pan and add tomato paste and saute it for about 1 minute until it darkens in color, then stir in until combined.
• Add the cans of rotel tomatoes and chilies and stir.
• Sprinkle the spice blend over the top and combine until incorporated, about another minute. Don’t worry about the stuff sticking on the bottom, that’s called the fond, that is pure flavor.
• Add liquid seasoning into the pot and stir, be sure to scrape up all that fond on the bottom at the same time. Wait until the chili comes to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and add the meatballs at this time.
• Allow the chili and meatballs to simmer together for 45 minutes so that the chili flavors the meatballs, and the meatballs flavor the chili.
• SERVE with some cheese melted over the top (as pictured) or drizzled with our Queso Sauce….Game changer!!
• ENJOY!!

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PRODUCTS WE USE:

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• KITCHEN AID MEASURING SPOONS/CUPS
• STAINLESS MIXING BOWLS
• OXO ICE CREAM SCOOP
• RESTAURANT FULL SIZE STAINLESS PAN 2.5″ Deep
• THERMOPRO DIGITAL MEAT THERMOMETER
• FABERWARE 10.5 QUART NONSTICK POT
• IRON LOOK 7″ PORCELAIN BOWL

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