Homemade Simple Pork Meatballs, perfect for beginners.
For making simple pork meatballs, I recommend using pork from the hind leg. I typically mix 12 ounces of lean meat with 12 grams of fat. Of course, using all lean meat is also delicious, and pure lean meat becomes sticky and elastic more easily when ground.
Today, I’m sharing this meatball recipe. There are no complicated techniques—just follow the steps one by one, and even beginners can achieve zero-fail results.
Simple Pork Meatballs Ingredient List
500g lean pork from the hind leg
12g fatty pork
10g salt
8g white sugar
1g ground black pepper
50g sweet potato starch
1g baking soda
65g ice water
75g ice cubes
Simple Pork Meatballs Preparation Steps
1. Prepare the Pork
Rinse the pork thoroughly. Carefully trim away any connective tissue with a kitchen knife or scissors. Slice the meat into thin pieces. Freeze for 3 hours beforehand to lower the temperature. This makes the meat easier to grind and develop a sticky, elastic texture, resulting in pleasantly bouncy and chewy meatballs.
2. Prepare the starch slurry
Mix sweet potato starch with ice water until the starch dissolves completely. Set aside.
3. First Grinding of Meat
Place all chilled meat into the meat grinder. Add salt, sugar, black pepper, sweet potato starch slurry, baking soda, and ice cubes in sequence. Turn on the grinder and process in one direction, pausing every 2-3 seconds. Repeat until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Note: If the grinder body heats up, stop and let it rest for 30 minutes. Place the unprocessed meat and mixing bowl back in the refrigerator to maintain a low temperature.
4. Second Grinding Session
After resting the grinder, resume grinding. When the meat becomes sticky and elastic, you’ll notice significant resistance on the blades—this is normal. Continue until the mixture is smooth and fine, When the meat becomes sticky and elastic, it will cling tightly to the blades. Lift the blades—the meat won’t fall off. Use a spatula to press it back onto the mixture.
You’ll see it stretch slightly when lifted and feel its elasticity. This indicates the grinding is complete. (Tip: Some machines require 3-4 rounds of grinding, so judge the mince’s texture before deciding.)
5. Forming Meatballs
Fill a pot with sufficient water. Take a handful of mince in your left hand. Squeeze the meatball between your thumb and index finger to shape it. Use a spoon in your right hand to gently scrape it off and drop it into the prepared water.
I’ve heard some say that meatballs that float in water are the most springy, but after multiple trials, I found that even from the same batch of ground meat, some float while others don’t. Yet they all taste equally springy. So don’t stress too much about this—what matters is that homemade tastes great!
Tips for Making Pork Meatballs
1. The Secret to Cooking Pork Meatballs
After shaping all the meatballs, simmer them over the lowest possible heat throughout. High heat causes the meatballs to expand and crack open. Keep the water just below a boil. Once all meatballs float to the surface, continue cooking for 1 more minute. The entire process takes about 25 minutes. When done, pinch a cooked meatball—it should feel slightly firm to the touch.
2. Why Soak Cooked Meatballs in Ice Water
Immediately transfer the cooked pork meatballs to ice water and soak for 15 minutes. This contrast between cold and hot water enhances their elasticity. Drain thoroughly. The result is meatballs that are very bouncy when tapped. When cut open, the meat appears dense, smooth, and full of spring.
We’ve also shared a recipe for Taro Meatballs before. If you’re interested, feel free to check it out.
Q&A: Common Questions About Simple Pork Meatballs
Q: How should I select pork?
A: I still recommend using pork hind leg meat, carefully controlling the fat-to-lean ratio. I typically use 15g of fat per 500g of lean meat. While using pure lean meat makes the meatballs firmer, I personally find the texture less satisfying.
