Cheater Q’Balls

Name: Cheater Q’Balls
Yield: makes 8 servings (about 36 meatballs)
Ingredients: 1/2 cup bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons bottled smoke plus enough water to equal 1/2 cup; 2 large eggs; 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound ground lamb; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley; 2 teaspoons cumin or 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

January 24, 2012

We’ve always had a thing for the charred lamb kebabs on flat skewers that the kebab/gyro joints do so well. One place even gave R. B. a couple of swordlike skewers after he bombarded them with questions. We make lamb/beef combo meatballs flavored with cumin to roast in the oven, and sometimes even finish on the grill. The meatballs cook on a baking sheet just like a pan of cookies. We’ve come to appreciate the many lives of a good batch of meatballs. A bag of Q’Balls in the freezer is as prized as a bag of brisket. Toss them with pasta, stuff them into pita pockets and sub sandwiches, serve them as a heavy appetizer or a quick heat-up for kid suppers. Customize the Q’Balls by substituting a couple teaspoons of any of the cheater dry rubs for the salt and seasonings.

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