Equipment
Ingredients
Pork Meatballs
- 500 g ground pork, cold
- 40 g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 garlic, minced
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 6 g fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Stew Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 200 g carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm rounds
- 3 garlic, minced
- 30 g tomato paste
- 400 ml chicken broth, low sodium
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- 400 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- 150 g frozen peas
- 2 g dried oregano
- 4 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 667 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 53 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 2006 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 18 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 139 mg
- Potassium
- 1862 mg
- Calcium
- 205 mg
- Iron
- 9.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 121 mg
- Phosphorus
- 438 mg
- Zinc
- 4.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 539 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 51 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 67 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 1.22 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.57 mg
- Niacin
- 8.6 mg
- Folate
- 82 mcg
- Water
- 385 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, panko breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, fresh parsley, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined to keep the meatballs tender.
Shape the pork mixture into walnut-sized meatballs, about 25g each. Place them on a tray or plate and wash your hands thoroughly after handling the raw meat.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and sear until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the meatballs and set aside; they do not need to be fully cooked yet.
In the same Dutch oven with the rendered pork fat, add the diced yellow onion and sliced carrots. Sauté until the onions are translucent and softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining minced garlic and the tomato paste. Cook until the tomato paste darkens to a deep rust color and becomes highly fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Add the crushed tomatoes, cubed waxy potatoes, and dried oregano. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the Dutch oven partially, and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes begin to soften.
Return the seared meatballs to the stew. Continue to simmer gently for another 15 minutes until the potatoes are completely fork-tender and the pork meatballs reach a safe internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2 more minutes until they are bright green and warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if necessary. Let the stew rest off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Using waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold ensures they hold their shape beautifully during the simmering process, whereas starchy baking potatoes will dissolve and thicken the broth excessively.
- Searing the meatballs first builds a foundation of fond at the bottom of the pot, creating a deeply savory base flavor for the tomato sauce.
- Allowing the shaped meatballs to rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before searing helps them firm up and hold their shape better in the pan.
- This stew tastes even more complex the next day as the herbs, rich pork fat, and bright tomato acidity have time to meld together in the refrigerator.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container once completely cooled.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without potatoes if possible, as waxy potatoes can become mealy when frozen and thawed.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until bubbling and meatballs are heated through.
Troubleshooting
Meatballs fall apart in the stew
Cause: Over-mixing the pork mixture or boiling the stew too vigorously instead of maintaining a gentle simmer.
Fix: Stir the broken pieces into the stew to create a hearty rustic meat sauce instead.
Prevention: Mix the raw pork gently until just combined and ensure the stew remains at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil.
Pork meatballs are undercooked in the center
Cause: Meatballs were portioned too large or the simmering time was insufficient.
Fix: Continue simmering the stew until the thickest meatball registers 74°C/165°F.
Prevention: Portion the meatballs evenly to about 25g each and use a meat thermometer.
Cultural Context
Meatballs braised in a tomato-based sauce or stew is a beloved comfort food tradition found across countless European and American households. This rustic preparation mirrors hearty peasant dishes designed to stretch rich proteins across a bounty of filling root vegetables, creating a warming meal perfectly suited for crisp autumn days.
