Spicy Korean Meatballs with a Gochujang Glaze

Name: Spicy Korean Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 3 green onions (very thinly sliced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 egg (lightly beaten); 1 pound ground beef (or mix beef with pork or lamb); 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs; 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste); 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper; 2 tablespoons canola oil (for pan-frying); 1/3 cup apricot preserves; 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste); 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; Garnishes: sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds

By Beth Lee on February 5, 2016 in Appetizers and Snacks, Globally-inspired Recipes, Main Courses

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An Inspired MidWeek Meal or Satisfying Super Bowl Snack

I like to think that my food prose and photos provide you with inspiration to cook. It works like that for me in the reverse. That’s how I happened upon these spicy Korean meatballs. I could wax poetic about my husband’s Korean heritage and tell you I was exploring a new way to use the Korean spicy paste called gochujang. But really, it was my friend’s gorgeous photo on Facebook and her description of eating these delectable bites that inspired me.

I gravitate to recipes I can throw together quickly on a weeknight and double easily for leftovers or to feed a crowd. This dish satisfies those requirements plus these little gems would be a big hit for the Super Bowl, if you plan to eat and entertain on Game Day.

Lori Yates of the blog Foxes Love Lemons developed this recipe and then won Food52‘s “Best Spicy Recipe” contest. Once you make these, you’ll know why.

What is Gochujang?

A little backstory on the Korean spice paste called gochujang. Most cuisines have their go-to spicy condiment. In Korean cuisine, gochujang is it. It’s spicy and sweet — made from chile peppers, glutinous rice (also known as sticky rice), fermented soybeans, and salt with some sweetener generally added as well. You can order it online if you don’t have an Asian market or Korean grocery nearby. It’s usually sold in rectangular tubs. It is not a finishing sauce like a sriracha. Use a tablespoon or two as an addition to sauces, soups, stews, and marinades to add a spicy depth of flavor, umami, and color. Gochu, in case you are wondering, means pepper and jang is the fermented soybeans.

The Meaty Details

When Cathy Barrow of the blog Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Kitchen made them for my friend Carol, she used half beef and half lamb and loved it. I used half pork and half beef and also loved the result. Try whatever floats your boat. I prepared a recipe and a half – this could easily double. Serve them with some extra glaze on the side for dipping. By the way – the glaze calls for apricot preserves. Running low on apricot, I threw in some fig preserves as well. Worked perfectly so don’t be afraid to be creative with the jam. I served the meatballs with some Chinese broccoli and steamed rice for dinner, but as an appetizer, they would be the first dish gone from the buffet. Enjoy!

(My posts may contain Amazon affiliate links – if you click on one and purchase something, I receive a very tiny percentage of the sale. Your price is never affected. This income helps to offset the cost of maintaining OMG! Yummy. Thanks for your support.)

5 from 3 votes

Spicy Korean Meatballs

This recipe by Foxes Loves Lemons won an award on the Food52 website and for good reason - it's easy, bursting with spice, sweetness, and tang. The recipe ramps up easily to feed a crowd and works just as well for a weeknight meal as it does as an appetizer for a casual party. Once you try the Korean Gochujang spicy paste, you'll be grabbing it as a pantry staple for a long time to come.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Korean

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 106 kcal

Ingredients

Meatball Mixture

3 green onions very thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 egg lightly beaten
1 pound ground beef or mix beef with pork or lamb
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil for pan-frying

Glaze:

1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Garnishes: sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. Some notes here: Don't overmix the ingredients - it will make your meatballs tough - just gently combine until everything appears evenly spread around. Form the mixture into golf-ball sized meatballs - or you can make them smaller or larger as fits your use.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches without crowding the meatballs in the pan, brown the meatballs on all sides (ok, they are round so technically there are no sides.) I turned them once and it did the trick. Transfer meatballs to a rimmed baking pan and transfer to oven.
Bake 10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160° F.
(If you are pressed for time, you can cook the meatballs in the oven up to internal temp of 160° F, skipping the pan browning. If I were to do this, I would brush on the glaze when they are almost done and do a quick run under the broiler to get a similar searing effect as you would get from the pan browning.)
Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine all glaze ingredients. Don't be afraid to experiment with different jams other than apricot. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened.
To serve, brush meatballs with glaze and sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds. I had extra glaze and served it alongside as well.

Recipe Notes

Closely adapted from Foxes Love Lemons