Spicy Beef and Bacon Meatballs: A Holiday Crowd Pleaser
Rich, juicy meatballs made with beef, pork, and smoky bacon with bursts of garlic, herbs, and a gentle chili heat. Perfect for holidays and easy to make in the pressure cooker.
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl Large
- 1 Baking sheet Lined with parchment paper
- 1 Pressure cooker For final cooking step
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground beef fresh, preferably not too lean
- 0.5 pound Ground pork
- 0.25 pound Bacon chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon Fresh rosemary chopped finely
- 2 teaspoons Sea salt
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Yellow onion medium, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dried red chili flakes
- 0.25 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
- 0.5 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 1 cup Stale white bread cubes soaked in milk
- 2 Eggs
- 1 cup Milk whole milk
- 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, pork, chopped bacon, rosemary, sea salt, minced garlic, chopped onion, chili flakes, parsley, and black pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly.
- Add breadcrumbs, soaked bread cubes, eggs, and mix until fully incorporated without overmixing.
- Form into 1.5-inch meatballs and place on lined baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Transfer baked meatballs into the pressure cooker. Pour in milk and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
- Seal pressure cooker lid, set to high pressure, wait for float valve, and cook for 8 minutes. Use quick or natural release after cooking as per your cooker’s instructions.
Notes
These meatballs freeze and reheat well—perfect for making in batches. Adjust chili to taste for more or less heat.