Cranberry Party Meatballs
October 1, 2012
Ingredients Makes about 30 meatballs
| 2 | cloves garlic, minced | 2 |
| 1⁄4 cup | fresh bread crumbs | 60 mL |
| 2 tbsp | dried cranberries, finely chopped | 30 mL |
| 1 tsp | crumbled dried sage | 5 mL |
| 1 tsp | salt | 5 mL |
| 1⁄4 tsp | pepper | 1 mL |
| 1 | egg, lightly beaten | 1 |
| 1 lb | lean ground turkey | 500 g |
| 1⁄2 cup | finely chopped toasted pecans | 125 mL |
| 1 tbsp | vegetable oil | 15 mL |
| 1⁄4 cup | grated onion | 60 mL |
| 1 cup | jellied cranberry sauce | 250 mL |
| 1⁄4 cup | chicken broth | 60 mL |
| 2 tbsp | tomato paste | 30 mL |
| 1 tbsp | Dijon mustard | 15 mL |
| 1 tbsp | cider vinegar | 15 mL |
Instructions
- Use a 31⁄2 to 4-quart slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine garlic, bread crumbs, cranberries, sage, salt, pepper and egg. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add turkey and pecans. Mix well.
- Using about 2 tsp (10 mL) for each, shape into meatballs. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in two batches. (The meatballs might still be pink inside. Don’t worry; they will finish cooking in the sauce).
- Transfer to slow cooker. In a saucepan, combine onion, cranberry sauce, broth, tomato paste, mustard and vinegar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Pour over meatballs.
- Cover and cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours or on High for 21⁄2 to 3 hours, until meatballs are no longer pink inside and sauce is thickened. Set the slow cooker to Keep Warm and let guests help themselves.
Be sure to use crumbled dried sage and not ground dried sage, which has an intense and overpowering flavor.
We use tomato paste in many of our slow cooker recipes because it greatly boosts flavor and richness. The long, moist cooking dulls other aromatic ingredients, such as onions, garlic and herbs. Microwaving or browning a dollop or two of tomato paste with these ingredients makes all the difference.
