These pork meatballs with sweet mango mustard dipping sauce are sure to impress!
For the past couple of years I have participated in a small cooking competition using Saucy Mama products. Every year I lose. Well, I’m hoping this year is different. Maybe this year will be the big year I come out on top. I’m calling this the summer of Brandy. Sorta like the Summer of George from Seinfeld. Except I’m hoping I don’t break my leg playing frolf. That would suck.
So this years contest is simple. 25 food bloggers were given one main ingredient we must use (they sent us three different mustards) and then we were told a secret ingredient that must be included. This rounds secret ingredient is bacon. That is never a bad thing…am I right?
I made some delicious spicy ground pork and bacon meatballs and made a totally dip worthy mango honey mustard sauce. This was one of those dishes that is simple to make and packs tons of flavor. Plus it includes bacon. Again, not a bad thing.
Pork Meatballs & Mango Mustard Dipping Sauce
Perfectly baked pork meatballs made with ground pork, bacon and fresh spices. To serve on the side is a homemade mango mustard dipping sauce.
Yield: 24 large meatballs
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
For meatballs:
- 1-1/2 pounds ground pork
- 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and finely chopped
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
For mango mustard dipping sauce:
- 2 small fresh mangoes or 1 large fresh mango, peeled and cut from the seed
- 3 tablespoons Saucy Mama hatch chili mustard
- 1 tablespoon clover honey
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- Kosher salt, to taste
Source: Dipping sauce slightly adapted from PaleOMG
Directions:
For meatballs:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, add ground pork, bacon, eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chipotle chili powder, crushed red pepper and minced garlic. Mix together with your hands.
Roll meat mixture into 1-1/2-inch balls. You should get around 12 meatballs per sheet pan, 24 meatballs in total.
Bake for 20 minutes until firm and no longer pink in the center.
{I made my meatballs a little smaller and reduced the cooking time by about 5 minutes}
For mango musard dipping sauce:
In a high speed blender (I used my Vitamix
) add mango, mustard, honey, chili powder and a pinch of salt.
Blend on high until fully combined and smooth. Taste sauce before serving and add more salt if needed.
*If you are not a fan of bacon you can simply leave it out and add another 1/2 pound of ground pork to the recipe. This recipe also works really well with ground beef.