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Meatballs with Rice and Sauce
Instructions
To the ready minced meat (1 kg, 50/50 beef and pork) I add 60 ml of mayonnaise and 1 finely chopped onion – it is exactly this combination that makes the meatballs especially juicy and tender. The mayonnaise works as a natural meat tenderiser thanks to the eggs and oil in it. I mix the mass thoroughly by hand for 2–3 minutes until completely uniform.
I boil 50 g of rice in salted water until par-cooked – this is a critically important step. The rice should be exactly par-cooked (neither half-raw nor fully boiled), otherwise in the meatballs it will either stay hard or turn to mush. The cooking time is 5–7 minutes after the water comes to the boil. I add the cooled rice to the minced meat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and mix everything well until evenly distributed.
I make the tomato gravy in parallel with shaping the meatballs. In a large heavy-bottomed pot I melt 50 g of butter over medium heat – butter gives a special tenderness and aroma that you cannot achieve with vegetable oil.
I finely dice the remaining onion and drop it into the pot with the melted butter. I fry it until a nice golden colour, 4–5 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time.
I grate the carrot on a coarse grater and add it to the fried onion. I keep frying the vegetables for 3–4 minutes until the carrot softens – the oil will turn orange, which gives the finished gravy its characteristic tone.
I season the fried vegetables with 50 ml of tomato paste, mix thoroughly and stew for another 2 minutes – in this time the paste loses its raw sour taste and becomes softer and richer in colour. I set the pot aside – the gravy is ready for the meatballs to be added.
Now I make the meatballs. With wet hands I form neat round meatballs the size of a large hen's egg (about 80–100 g each) from the minced meat. I heat 60 ml of sunflower oil in a large frying pan and fry the meatballs for 4 minutes on each side over medium heat, until they are covered with a nice golden crust all over. I fry them in batches, without overcrowding the pan.
I carefully place the par-cooked fried meatballs in the pot with the vegetable gravy in a single layer – they should all fit. The crust holds the shape of the meatballs while they stew, and the filling stays juicy.
I add 2 bay leaves and 30 g of mushroom seasoning to the pot – it is exactly this that gives the dish its home-style Soviet taste. The mushroom seasoning lends the gravy a deep umami note that is hard to reproduce any other way. I pour in purified water so that the meatballs are two-thirds covered, and stew them covered for 25 minutes over low heat.
The home-style meatballs with rice and gravy are ready! I serve them hot with a favourite side dish: classic durum-wheat pasta, fluffy mashed potatoes, buckwheat, barley or pearl barley. Fresh vegetables and herbs are an essential addition to a full, hearty family lunch.
Tips
- 1
The rice for the meatballs should be exactly par-cooked (boiled for 5–7 minutes), not half-raw – this way the meatballs come out more tender and the rice soaks up the meat juices evenly. Raw rice will leave hard grains, while overcooked rice turns to mush.
- 2
Be sure to add mayonnaise to the minced meat – this is the secret trick that makes the meatballs incredibly juicy and soft. Mayonnaise contains eggs and oil, which work as a natural tenderiser for the meat fibres.
- 3
Fry the meatballs only until golden, but do not overcook them – they will finish cooking in the gravy. The main purpose of frying is to seal the juices inside and give the aroma of fried meat.
- 4
Mushroom seasoning gives the gravy its home-style Soviet taste – it is precisely this ingredient that many people skip, and the dish loses its characteristic note. If you have no mushroom seasoning, add 30 g of finely chopped dried porcini mushrooms.
FAQ
Can I cook the meatballs without frying them first? +
Yes, you can put the shaped meatballs straight into the vegetable gravy and simmer them for 35–40 minutes over low heat under a lid until fully cooked. But frying gives a nice golden crust and a richer taste thanks to the Maillard reaction – the searing of the meat juices on the surface. Without frying the meatballs come out more tender, but less impressive in appearance and with a less pronounced meaty taste. For a lighter version you can skip the frying or replace it with baking in the oven at 200 °C for 10 minutes – this is a compromise between diet and taste.
What minced meat is best for home-style meatballs? +
The ideal classic ratio is 50% beef and 50% pork. Such minced meat comes out juicy, fragrant and not dry: the beef gives a meaty taste and density, the pork gives juiciness and softness. Alternatives: pork only (fattier meatballs), minced chicken with 10% pork fat (a lighter version), turkey with beef 70/30 (a healthy-eating option), veal with pork (more tender than standard). For a children's version, tender minced turkey works very well. Ready-made shop-bought mince works fine, but homemade mince from chilled meat is far superior in taste.
How long do the cooked meatballs with gravy keep in the fridge? +
In the fridge, in a closed pot or container, the meatballs keep for up to 3 days without losing taste. On the second day the taste becomes even richer, as the meatballs soak up the gravy more deeply. When reheating, add 100–150 ml of water so that the gravy does not boil dry and burn – a handy step for restoring the consistency. You can freeze them for up to 2 months in portions in plastic containers. Defrost only in the fridge for 12 hours, or reheat straight from the freezer over the lowest heat under a lid. This home recipe is great for meal prep for the week ahead.
Which side dish goes best with meatballs with rice? +
Classic options: mashed potatoes with butter (a Russian-table classic), boiled durum-wheat pasta, fluffy basmati or jasmine rice, buckwheat porridge, or cauliflower mash (a healthy-eating option). Stewed vegetables, baked pumpkin or a fresh salad with tomatoes and cucumbers also go very well. There is always plenty of gravy from the meatballs – it becomes a natural sauce for the side dish. A hearty home-cooked lunch for the whole family is guaranteed.
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