Introduction: Korean BBQ and Chinese Red Braised Meatballs

About: Like to solve everyday life little problems. I'm curious about things I don't know much. Like to do things that require and allow creativity.

Ground meat has uses in many recipes, soups, sausages, spaghetti meals, meatballs, just name a few. Grinding meat yourself allows control of what kind of meat to use and fat proportion of the ground meat which are important to eat healthy. In this Instructable, I'll show how I grind meat at home and use it in 4 recipes: stir fried ground meat as a dish, use it in spaghetti, Korean BBQ meatballs, and Chinese red braised meat balls.

I don't have a specific meat grinder. But I have an Omega Nutrition Center which has juicing, grinding and extruding capabilities. That's what I use.

Ground pork, beef, chicken and turkey can be found in any grocery store. In this project, I was grinding mainly Ahi tuna steak and some pork chops left from previous cooking. I also use ground salmon a lot in my cooking.

If you are more interested in the bar chair look bowl or bamboo skewer with knotted end than anything else presented here, click away.

With that said, let's get grinding.

Step 1: Grinding the Meat

Cut the frozen steaks/chops into smaller sticks that can be fed to the machine.

Give the grinding job to your 2-going-to-3 year old. It'll make the day for them. It's that easy to use the Omega Nutrition Center.

Set aside the amount needed right away, place the remaining in a ziplock bag, press it flat and divide it to your usual portion sizes and store it in fridge or freezer if you aren't going to use it soon.

Step 2: Stir Fried Ground Meat As a Dish or Use in Spaghetti Meal

Finely chop the following vegetables in order:

A few cilantro plants,

1 clove garlic,

0.5 inch ginger root,

Half bell pepper,

1/4 medium sweet onion, lastly.

Place 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil in the bottom of frying wok, stir fry the meat first, continue stirring and mashing until no lumps present,

Season it with salt, black pepper, Chinese five spice powder, dry parsley herb, pasta sprinkle if you have, maybe a little bit soy sauce too.

Add the finely chopped vegetables and herbs one at a time in the reverse order, stir it until it's translucent and then add the next one, and lastly add in cilantro, stir it, and plate it to serve. That's a delicious, nutritious dish as part of a meal.

Or add store bought or home made spaghetti tomato sauce to make a spaghetti meal.

The whole meal takes at most 30 minutes. To me cooking at home takes less time than loading, unloading, driving, waiting, and dining of a family dining out. So I usually employ let me be the chef, let home be the restaurant attitude.

Step 3: Forming and Cooking Meatballs

Mix the following ingredients (vegetables and herbs, finely chopped):

1 lb ground meat

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 parmesan cheese

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

A few cilantro plants,
1 clove garlic

0.5 inch ginger root

Half bell pepper

1/4 medium sweet onion

1/2 tsp sesame oil

black pepper, Chinese five spice powder, dry parsley herb, pasta sprinkle if you have, maybe a little bit soy sauce too.

Form regular size balls in your palms for Korean BBQ sauce meatballs, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Form bite size balls about one third of regular size meat balls for Chinese red braised meatballs, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

To cook the balls, either preheat oven to 350 degrees F and bake the balls for about 20 minutes or steam them for about 20 minutes.

Step 4: Korean BBQ Meatballs

Bring the following ingredients into bubbly in a sauce pan:

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tbsp gochujang sweet and spicy paste/sauce

1/2 tsp ginger, finely chopped

2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

Stir 1/2 tbsp corn starch with 1/2 tbsp water and add it to the sauce, stir and heat it to thicken it.

Drizzle the sauce on cooked meatballs

Garnish with toasted white and black sesame seeds and cilantro stem sprinkles.

Enjoy!

Step 5: Chinese Red Braised Bite Size Meatballs

Place 1 tbsp vegetable oil, a dozen Sichuan peppercorns, several Chinese star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp orange zest, 2 tbsp brown sugar in frying wok on medium heat.

Once the brown sugar starts to foam, add 2-3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce and 1 tbsp rice wine.

Place the bite size meat balls in the mixture, let it cook for a few minutes, roll it to cook evenly, total several minutes.

Plate them in ball chairs, on a skewer, or on a lettuce or wilted vegetable bed.

Enjoy! Kids love these. You won't be able to keep up with the speed they eat these.

Please vote this Instructable for Meat Contest if you like it. Thanks.

*Chinese star anise can be contaminated by Japanese star anise which is very toxic, for burning for religious rituals. Do ask your store if it is tested for the contamination. If it isn't a clear yes, don't buy it. Read the whole product description if you buy it online. I buy mine from Penzeys Spice.

*This Instructable contain affiliate links to help you better identify listed products. If you make a purchase by clicking on the links, I may be paid a small commission by the advertising company with NO extra cost to you.

Meat Contest 2016

Second Prize in the
Meat Contest 2016