Introduction: Award-Winning, Cheese-Stuffed Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce

About: Orthopedic surgeron, specializing in sports injuries in Mexico. Love to cook. Black belt in Karate and kenpo.

Hello, everyone!! As promised, my latest food-related instructable has nothing to do with fish, tacos, parks or the same pot. It is however, heavily doused in alcohol, so I'm sure you'll enjoy it

I created these meatballs 10 years ago, while still in med school, as a way to stretch my budget and eat at least 3 days from the same pot. Turns out, these were so amazingly good all my friends would stop by and pig out every time I'd make them. It's still a great way to make at least 6 people eat for less than 10 bucks, so they'll come in handy in these times of crisis

I'm a great cook, but a lousy photographer. You'll just have to believe all the crap I type

Step 1: The Ingredients

Feeds at least 6 people:

500g of thin chipotle sauce (Available in most mexican supermarkets, recipe at the end)
500g of thin tomato sauce (Called "caldillo" in Mexico)

1.5 lbs of ground beef. Use whatever you like, but I recommend sirloin, otherwise the excess fat from the meat will melt and your meatballs will crumble
200g of manchego cheese, cut into 1cm cubes
1 medium white potato, finely grated with the skin on
Greens from a whole bunch of scallions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic
2 large eggs
Bread crumbs
Salt and Pepper

Step 2: Start Your Engine!

First of all, make sure you have some beer to start. At least 4 cans or a 1.2 litter bottle will do

Step 3: Next, Start Heating the Sauce

Pour the tomato and chipotle sauces into a deep pot and simmer over a very low flame

Step 4: Now Grate the Potato...

...and squeeze out as much moisture as you can, either with your hands or wrapping it in some cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel.

Step 5: Add the Meat

Just make sure it's completely thawed, otherwise your hands will cramp like crazy

Step 6: Now Chop the Scallions and Garlic and Add to the Meat

A very easy way to chop garlic is placing the flat side of a chef's knife over the cloves and just venting out all your frustrations over it. Just be careful you don't splatter crushed garlic all over your kitchen

Step 7: Add the Eggs and Season

Over the years I've found it wise to use less salt and more pepper than you'd think would be appropriate, but it's up to you

Step 8: Fondle Your Meat

I don't know why, but meatballs like to be fondled. Take your time, do it right.....

Step 9: Now Add Bread Crumbs and Continue Fondling

Start with 1/3 of a cup at a time, until it resembles dough and hold together, then let it sit for 10 minutes so the bread crumbs absorb more of the moisture from the other ingredients and everything just comes together

Step 10: While the Meat Rests, Cut the Cheese

hehe...

just make sure all chunks are evenly sized. Must I reming you to have some more beer?

Step 11: Now Make the Meatballs

Grab about a tablespoon of the meat mixture, make a ball and then flatten it. Insert a cheese cue in the middle and then roll it around in your hands. It's very important to cover all of the cheese, or it'll melt and leak outside your meatballs, ruining the sauce.

Move next to the simmering pot so you dump each meatball after shaping.

Step 12: There WILL Be Some Leftover Cheese

And it's premeditated. Finish your beer while eating the cheese and wat for the meatballs to cook through, aproximately 30 minutes over a medium flame

Step 13: Eat, Drink and Be Happy.... Again

Don't tell me you actually need directions to cook steamed rice.... you're in deep crap my friend...
Have some more beer and celebrate yet another thiumph

Step 14: Oh, and Just in Case You Conldn't Find the Sauces

Simmer as many dried chipotles as you can tolerate in 3 cups of chicken stock, until it's reducedby one cup, then add 2cups of tomato sauce, 2 garlic cloves, a pinch of cumin and salt and bland until puréed. Strain through a fine sieve and you're done