We have pretty much the same dish here in Russia and I guarantee that every two people you'll meet here have eaten these meatballs at least once in their lives. Used to be much more popular when I was kid, so around 20-25 years ago because the times were rough and this recipe called for less meat (because of rice). Only we don't really make a sauce or use chilli pepper. Sometimes we just add water to the pan and that's it. Oh, and it's called Ёжики (Iozhiki), which roughly translates as "little hedgehogs", so we have pretty much the same logic heh. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk nobody asked for lol
I can't get enough of your videos! I'm addicted! Thank you. I look forward to coming onto YT everyday just to see what you are doing. I don't care how old the feed is. Right now I need it. My granddaughter is in bad shape and I've got her on prayer chains, this takes me away for a short time. Thank you.
70s meatball dinner recipe for "grown ups". Neighbor lady made us girls cheese sandwiches on TV trays in the den. The grown ups sat down in the dining room to porcupine meatballs because they're fancy.
When you browned the meatballs, it formed a crust which kept the rice from poking out like porcupine quills. I've never heard of browning--you just cook them in the sauce either on the stovetop (covered), in the oven or in a pressure cooker. We make them with tomato soup. They're delicious!
Cooking acidic foods in cast iron is amazing. I do this on purpose for an iron boost. The acidity causes the iron to leach out into the food. A Doctor advised me once to do this. Dont store the food in the cast iron (mostly because it would start to remove the seasoned surface) Your videos are awesome.
My mother made these in the 70's. However, she got the recipe from Campbell's. It doesn't require cooking the meatballs before baking. You make the balls minus the sauce and then pour a few cans of tomato soup over them cover and bake. This way the rice pops out of the meatballs. We still love them, thanks for reminding me of it.
I still make these. Something I always make in my electric fry pan. I also use tomato soup and some Worcestershire sauce. Never had them growing up in the 60s. But my Swedish mother only made her kind of meatballs. But when I got married in the late 70s, my mother-in-law made them. My kids love them still, I serve with mashed potatoes.
Porcupine meatballs made with cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, or even chicken gumbo soup, which seems really weird, were every other week staples during the winter time growing up. The cream soup ones were my favorite. She made her meatballs all a bit smaller than a tennis ball and loaded them into a cakepan in single layer, surrounded in the thinned soup sauce, and baked under foil. This was a dish i was always excited to have. :) My mother wasn't into browning almost anything (meals were largely bland and cooked to sterilized softness, but there was a lot of it - just part of her generation.). Salt, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce were my friends - oh and a cruet of white vinegar that was often on the table - I've known a few other midwestern genX-aged folks who had vinegar on the dinner table as a condiment ), and these were still good, which is a real testament to porcupine meatballs in general. Now that I am grown up, I found an old Campbell’s soup cookbook recipe for these that used either a cream soup or tomato soup, and the tomato version has become my favorite. The Campbell's recipe is a stovetop one that pretty much fits in a large skillet. I'll share the recipe with you on Patreon if i can find back my Campbell's soup cookbook in the cookbooks spread all over my house. :) I can also tell you that these froze very well, both cooked or uncooked as my mother did this frequently. So, if you’re making a batch of these for a smaller household, you can split them into smaller groups and freeze them in a small pan or casserole, ready to bake.
we always made these in a crockpot with a can of Campbell's tomato soup and a can of cream of mushroom soup, and then I think we added some water to that.
A co-worker heated these up for her lunch and they did smell reminiscent of cabbage rolls. I definitely wanted to find a recipe. That was yesterday, and this just pops up in my feed tonight. It is a sign. :)
I'm a collector of church & women's club cookbooks. The best cooks in town (at least here in the South) are the ladies from church. My favorite is the one I learned to cook from. It was my Mom's from the place she worked from 1960 - 1980, the Wood County Electric Co-op. ❤❤❤
Porcupine meatballs is my favorite dish. My mom made it with Campbell’s tomato soup, no chili powder, and cooked it in a pressure cooker. She put the uncooked meatballs right in the sauce. She used an old metal pressure cooker on the stove. When I used my InstaPot, I lost some of the caramelization of the tomatoes and thickening of the sauce. Following these oven instructions may be a better way for me.
Today I watched another one of your videos where you mentioned this recipe. I was making spaghetti sauce with meatloaf mix and had really just too much meat so decided to make these with the remainder of the meat and of my goodness are they good! I added a lot more spices and used mushroom soup with sour cream and W sauce for the sauce, instead of tomato based sauce. I thought way better than ones I’ve made with breadcrumbs. TYSM Anna
My mom made porcupine meatballs and I loved them. She served them with mashed potatoes. I used to make them when I was first married. Everyone in our surrounding community made a variation of porcupine meatballs.
This is the same mixture my mother would use when she would make stuffed peppers when my sister and I were little we didn't really like this Peppers so she would just make meatballs out of the mixture and that's what we called porcupine balls
Born and raised in Ohio, I have grown up eating these, but with some bread to bind. Browned then baked in a glass 13x9 in the oven. My parents used instant rice (in the '70s) which made the baking time a bit shorter. I learned that I had to drain off the fat after browning. I think the rice and bread helped to extend the meat for a family of six.
My mom made porcupine meatballs all the time when I was little! she made them larger, like stuffed peppers and used tomato soup instead of juice. She also used a more of a shallow casserole dish to bake them. The rice on the top was more porcupine-y because the tops were above the soup line and making it slightly underdone.
Made these in the 70s and 80s when I was a young mama, and they were bigger and absolutely spikey. My son in particular loved these. Made mine on top of the stove with slightly different recipe and served over mashed potatoes.
OH this brought back some childhood memories! My mother use to make this and my brothers ALWAYS called them depth charges (bombs that the navy would drop in the ocean meant to destroy submarines). The rice was always crunchy and the meat was always dry. After you ate them, the meat just sat in your stomach, giving you an unpleasant indigestion. To this day, when we talk about my mother's cooking, somehow we end up talking about porcupine meatballs which make every laugh thanks to each of us (there are 6 of us) having a totally different story from the rest to tell about porcupine balls. One has a story about being unable to bite into it, another about how they tried to cut into it and it ended up bouncing off the plate, you get the idea.
I've had these - somewhere and thought they would be cute to make for (can't remember who I suggested it to - my young nieces or my young grandkids) - in any case, they were very apprehensive about eating porcupines!!!
I loved those growing up. When my mom was going to hospice she gave me all her "old" dishes like the ones you're using. I see this coming to my dinner table very soon. Thanks for the memories.
I have been making porcupine balls for many many years. I have never browned them before baking and I think that is why the rice did not poke out. My recipe is a little different than the one you made but they all taste great. Also when forming the meatballs make them gently (not packed firm) that also allows the rice to poke out and become porcupines
One of my family's favorite recipes is the Porcupine Meatballs from the Betty Crocker recipe card library. I notice ypu have one, so you may wish to try that recipe. It's easy and delicious!
My dad used to make porcupine balls for us, his recipe was a little more complex than this one and it's still my go to comfort food. He always served it with green beans and I do also. It is one of my favorite childhood food memories.
I have made these and thought they were pretty tasty!!!! I am also originally from Ohio, so I would certainly love that cookbook as well. Really love your videos
@@cooking_the_books I grew up east of Cleveland in aurora. Also left Chicago for a bit and went back to ohio. Since then lived in Georgia, the U.K. And now living in Oregon, love the west coast- you will too!!!!
I didn’t know you’re from Ohio! I knew there was something inherently likable about you! What part of Ohio? Great video! I’m a fan of all meatballs! ❤️
I made a version of this as a teenager in the 70’s using a package of Rice-A-Roni and the hamburger. Don’t remember where the recipe originated, but suspect it came from the Rice-A-Roni box. Very tasty, as I recall and my younger siblings loved it. Enjoy your channel so much!
My mom only made porcupine meatballs a handful of times, not sure why. They were delicious. I think it would be a fun meal train entree for young families. Being able to keep the ingredients clean is a plus and the slight seasoning would probably really please children. (I'd definitely include some red pepper flakes for the grownups!) Another fun video Anna, thank you!
Great review Anna! Hillbilly sounds like my Quarantine Goulash video. Momma called it Stuff and Nonsense lol. On the cast iron…acidic things like vinegar, tomatoes and boiling beans can mess with your seasoning a little. Just season it and keep trucking!! Thanks for the shoutout my friend!!
@@cooking_the_books you’re welcome! No it won’t ruin it but you don’t want to let it soak for hours because it will start to remove what seasoning you have on the pan. Happy cast iron cooking my friend!
These turned out so well. Really delicious. Some of the other recipes I've found have a lot of different ingredients, but this one is very simple. Simple is best sometimes! Thank you for watching!
Porcupine meatballs are a favorite in our house. My recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, 1958 version. By the 1968 version they were using canned tomato soup----just not the same. 1958 version wins.
We had these a lot. It was a "stretch" food, along with American Goulash. Cheap, filling, and tasty. These are both still comfort meals for me. I've played with the recipe over the years, adding crushed garlic, onion powder, and a dash of red pepper to the meat, so now they're a tad "fancier". lol Like others in the comment section, we used dressed up tomato soup for the sauce (soup, Worcestershire, and a bit of water); someone suggested I try a bit of brown sugar in the sauce, and it really did give it a nice, sweet undertone.
When I make them, I make baseball size meatballs…or just a shade smaller…add garlic, etc…and sometimes chopped green pepper…don’t brown them first…they come out spikey and not too soft…we love them!
Hi Anna~ I’ve been making these for many years. I put them in the oven without browning them first. Also I have used jarred sauce too! It’s kind of like stuffed cabbage rolls without the cabbage! (I think it’s true about the acidic foods in cast iron pans… I watched another cooking video and she said something about not to do that, but I don’t really know for certain!)
Procupine meatballs was the first recipe I ever cooked by myself at about 6 years old. I t was basically the same recipe you made, but it came from a children's cookbook. I was so proud to cook a meal for my family. Memories.
Hi Anna. I love your delivery and how you give some background and then get to it. Soothing voice & efficient and that it way you have become my go to vlog. Happy & safe Thanksgiving to you and yours.
My favorite dinner. My mom made this with beef rice a roni. I’ve also tried it with rice pilaf, chicken and wild rice flavors. Brown the meatballs and cover with broth and cook until rice is cooked adding broth along the way as this will be your gravy. Serve with white rice or over mashed potatoes and a veggie on the side. Enjoy!!
My mother had a copy of this recipe book and was an avid cook book collector. My oldest daughter got all her cook books when she passed away as she too loves cook books and cook book collecting. I have had this recipe when I was younger but can't really tell you if I enjoyed them as I can't remember.
Lol.... oh, Anna, I recently picked up a community cookbook, and seriously, 95% of the entire book is recipes for “World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies” .... ( which I prefer to organ meats...lol)
A long time ago,, I had V8 juice instead of tomato juice, so I used that and it was delicious. I also added a bit of hot sauce and I really liked that, but I think most foods are better with hot sauce. I am going to try "your" recipe, though, out of curiosity. Thank you!
My husbands gramdma made these, and hers were very simple. I have made them myself a few times. She just used beef and minute rice, plus some salt, pepper, and garlic powder. They were cooked in cream of mushroom soup diluted with beef broth. I can't remember if they are even prebrowned. I think they were just simmered on the stove for a while and stirred on occasion. I know I browned mine a bit for flavor.
OOOOH OOOH, pick me!!! So, about the banana thing they had. There are two main drivers for it in the 50s and 60s. First - the banana variety we had then was completely different than the bananas we have today. They had a different taste and texture. A virus killed them off all across the world, there are only a few left in a museum in England. So, its likely that the recipes just don't translate well with the new banana varieties that came out in the 70s and 80s. Second - Hawaii became a state in 1959 and ANYTHING tropical became all the rage in the 60s.
….oh god no..my parents made this when I was growing up I thought I escaped it 😂 coming meal in Australia. Btw the traditional Australian recipe is the soup with an equal amount of milk, also you’re not supposed to “brown” the balls, cook them in a pan in the oven or in a pressure cooker.
I’m having such nostalgic memories catching up on your videos. I remember first hearing of porcupine meatballs in the 70’s from one of Betty Crockers theme cookbooks. It was the first time I every heard of using celery salt. I have kept it in my pantry now for probably over 50 years. The meatballs were a disaster for me though first time out. They were “spiky” alright. The rice wasn’t cooked. Making these tomorrow for sure. But I’ll add celery salt.
Our school cafeteria made these back in the day. They were in a gravy rather than tomato sauce. This was the one dish that was a fail everytime. The rice never was cooked enough, and was indeed reminiscent of porcupines 😂.
I have made porcupine meatballs before and they required pan frying which dislodged most of the "spines" and there ain't no reason to make bald meatballs! I'll have to try your idea for baking them instead. Thanks!
These were SO good, I really liked them. The tomato juice thickened up into the perfect sauce in the oven. It might be time for me to make another batch!
I wonder where the Women's Club Leaders of Ohio are from? I tried to look them up. I am just curious because my In-Laws are from a small town in Northern Ohio. Also those type of meatballs are used in Albondigas soup (Mexican meatball soup). That soup is sooo good. If you look up the recipe, make the soup that has mint in it....that is the more authentic version.
I ruined my first cast iron skillet the very first time I used it!!! I made a tomato sauce and then left it in and popped it in the fridge. I remember porcupine balls from the early 80’s!!
I am surprised that you did not get violently ill. The acid reacts with the cast iron. Praise the Lord that you were all right. A lot of people do not know that but I grew up using cast iron. They say do not wash either but you run really hot water in your pan. If you need to scrub use some salt then rinse well put pan back on hot stove to completely dry and I rub maybe one half a teaspoon of EVOO on pan with paper towel and take off burner and cool and put away. Ready for next time. Make sure that you use very little oil and that your pan is DRY. It will last forever....
We have pretty much the same dish here in Russia and I guarantee that every two people you'll meet here have eaten these meatballs at least once in their lives. Used to be much more popular when I was kid, so around 20-25 years ago because the times were rough and this recipe called for less meat (because of rice). Only we don't really make a sauce or use chilli pepper. Sometimes we just add water to the pan and that's it. Oh, and it's called Ёжики (Iozhiki), which roughly translates as "little hedgehogs", so we have pretty much the same logic heh.
Thanks for coming to my TedTalk nobody asked for lol
😂 Enjoyed your TedTalk!
@@abunchahooey nice haha, thank you!
Very interesting!
Thank you 😊
Now I want to make little hedgehogs 🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔
I can't get enough of your videos! I'm addicted! Thank you. I look forward to coming onto YT everyday just to see what you are doing. I don't care how old the feed is. Right now I need it. My granddaughter is in bad shape and I've got her on prayer chains, this takes me away for a short time. Thank you.
70s meatball dinner recipe for "grown ups". Neighbor lady made us girls cheese sandwiches on TV trays in the den. The grown ups sat down in the dining room to porcupine meatballs because they're fancy.
My mom got the recipe from a co-worker at champion papermill in the early 60's. Still a family favorite with tomato soup in the crockpot.
When you browned the meatballs, it formed a crust which kept the rice from poking out like porcupine quills. I've never heard of browning--you just cook them in the sauce either on the stovetop (covered), in the oven or in a pressure cooker. We make them with tomato soup. They're delicious!
I never browned them either.
Cooking acidic foods in cast iron is amazing. I do this on purpose for an iron boost. The acidity causes the iron to leach out into the food. A Doctor advised me once to do this. Dont store the food in the cast iron (mostly because it would start to remove the seasoned surface) Your videos are awesome.
My mother made these in the 70's. However, she got the recipe from Campbell's. It doesn't require cooking the meatballs before baking. You make the balls minus the sauce and then pour a few cans of tomato soup over them cover and bake. This way the rice pops out of the meatballs. We still love them, thanks for reminding me of it.
I still make these. Something I always make in my electric fry pan. I also use tomato soup and some Worcestershire sauce. Never had them growing up in the 60s. But my Swedish mother only made her kind of meatballs. But when I got married in the late 70s, my mother-in-law made them. My kids love them still, I serve with mashed potatoes.
Yep…that’s basically my recipe…love them!!
@@constancehuard7900 And a little bit of brown sugar to the sauce, too. Someone gave me that hint a few years ago, and it elevated the whole thing.
My Mom here in WI made them this way in the '70's as well.
My husbands birthday dinner, he loves these! I make the sauce using tomato soup. Always served with mashed potatoes.
We got this recipe from the cookbook that came with our first microwave oven in the late seventies. Loved it! We ate it quite often.
Fish in "the round" means whole, with head, tail, scales, etc.
Porcupine meatballs made with cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, or even chicken gumbo soup, which seems really weird, were every other week staples during the winter time growing up. The cream soup ones were my favorite. She made her meatballs all a bit smaller than a tennis ball and loaded them into a cakepan in single layer, surrounded in the thinned soup sauce, and baked under foil. This was a dish i was always excited to have. :)
My mother wasn't into browning almost anything (meals were largely bland and cooked to sterilized softness, but there was a lot of it - just part of her generation.). Salt, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce were my friends - oh and a cruet of white vinegar that was often on the table - I've known a few other midwestern genX-aged folks who had vinegar on the dinner table as a condiment ), and these were still good, which is a real testament to porcupine meatballs in general.
Now that I am grown up, I found an old Campbell’s soup cookbook recipe for these that used either a cream soup or tomato soup, and the tomato version has become my favorite. The Campbell's recipe is a stovetop one that pretty much fits in a large skillet. I'll share the recipe with you on Patreon if i can find back my Campbell's soup cookbook in the cookbooks spread all over my house. :)
I can also tell you that these froze very well, both cooked or uncooked as my mother did this frequently. So, if you’re making a batch of these for a smaller household, you can split them into smaller groups and freeze them in a small pan or casserole, ready to bake.
we always made these in a crockpot with a can of Campbell's tomato soup and a can of cream of mushroom soup, and then I think we added some water to that.
Sometimes my mom would cut green pepper in them with the tomato sauce and it seemed like a stuffed peppers casserole, really good 😊
My mom always made those! Just remembering makes me smile.
One of my favourite family recipes. Brings back so many memories of dinner with our small but close family of four. Miss you mum...❤
Mom made these for us often growing up in the 70s in PA. THanks for the memory!
This is the first thing my mom taught me to cook. She passed on and I’m starting to make these as a Christmas tradition to honor her
A co-worker heated these up for her lunch and they did smell reminiscent of cabbage rolls. I definitely wanted to find a recipe. That was yesterday, and this just pops up in my feed tonight. It is a sign. :)
I'm a collector of church & women's club cookbooks. The best cooks in town (at least here in the South) are the ladies from church. My favorite is the one I learned to cook from. It was my Mom's from the place she worked from 1960 - 1980, the Wood County Electric Co-op. ❤❤❤
Porcupine meatballs is my favorite dish. My mom made it with Campbell’s tomato soup, no chili powder, and cooked it in a pressure cooker. She put the uncooked meatballs right in the sauce. She used an old metal pressure cooker on the stove. When I used my InstaPot, I lost some of the caramelization of the tomatoes and thickening of the sauce. Following these oven instructions may be a better way for me.
Today I watched another one of your videos where you mentioned this recipe. I was making spaghetti sauce with meatloaf mix and had really just too much meat so decided to make these with the remainder of the meat and of my goodness are they good! I added a lot more spices and used mushroom soup with sour cream and W sauce for the sauce, instead of tomato based sauce. I thought way better than ones I’ve made with breadcrumbs. TYSM Anna
That is awesome! So glad it worked out well for you. ❤
My mom made porcupine meatballs and I loved them. She served them with mashed potatoes. I used to make them when I was first married. Everyone in our surrounding community made a variation of porcupine meatballs.
This is the same mixture my mother would use when she would make stuffed peppers when my sister and I were little we didn't really like this Peppers so she would just make meatballs out of the mixture and that's what we called porcupine balls
Born and raised in Ohio, I have grown up eating these, but with some bread to bind. Browned then baked in a glass 13x9 in the oven. My parents used instant rice (in the '70s) which made the baking time a bit shorter. I learned that I had to drain off the fat after browning. I think the rice and bread helped to extend the meat for a family of six.
I remember when my mom made this she said we didn't have to eat it
Oh my gosh! This is one of the first things I learned to cook!
My mom made porcupine meatballs all the time when I was little! she made them larger, like stuffed peppers and used tomato soup instead of juice. She also used a more of a shallow casserole dish to bake them. The rice on the top was more porcupine-y because the tops were above the soup line and making it slightly underdone.
Made these in the 70s and 80s when I was a young mama, and they were bigger and absolutely spikey. My son in particular loved these. Made mine on top of the stove with slightly different recipe and served over mashed potatoes.
Same recipe, but skip the frying step and cook them in an Instant Pot on high pressure for 16 mins. followed by a quick release. Perfecto. 👌🏻👨🏻🍳
So nostalgic, I loved these as a child
OH this brought back some childhood memories! My mother use to make this and my brothers ALWAYS called them depth charges (bombs that the navy would drop in the ocean meant to destroy submarines). The rice was always crunchy and the meat was always dry. After you ate them, the meat just sat in your stomach, giving you an unpleasant indigestion. To this day, when we talk about my mother's cooking, somehow we end up talking about porcupine meatballs which make every laugh thanks to each of us (there are 6 of us) having a totally different story from the rest to tell about porcupine balls. One has a story about being unable to bite into it, another about how they tried to cut into it and it ended up bouncing off the plate, you get the idea.
I've had these - somewhere and thought they would be cute to make for (can't remember who I suggested it to - my young nieces or my young grandkids) - in any case, they were very apprehensive about eating porcupines!!!
I loved those growing up. When my mom was going to hospice she gave me all her "old" dishes like the ones you're using. I see this coming to my dinner table very soon. Thanks for the memories.
I have been making porcupine balls for many many years. I have never browned them before baking and I think that is why the rice did not poke out. My recipe is a little different than the one you made but they all taste great. Also when forming the meatballs make them gently (not packed firm) that also allows the rice to poke out and become porcupines
They only have spikes if you do not brown the meatballs. The browning adds a crust that inhibited the rice from sticking out..
I am also from Ohio. I still live here in Upper Sandusky. Your videos are great. Very enjoyable.
Years ago no chili pwdr or rice we used italian spices and chopped potatoes. Very good meat and potatoes together. Just add a green veg
My mother made these in the 50’s in her pressure cooker - pre instant pot, huh? This video brings back pleasant memories.
One of my family's favorite recipes is the Porcupine Meatballs from the Betty Crocker recipe card library. I notice ypu have one, so you may wish to try that recipe. It's easy and delicious!
My dad used to make porcupine balls for us, his recipe was a little more complex than this one and it's still my go to comfort food. He always served it with green beans and I do also. It is one of my favorite childhood food memories.
I have made these and thought they were pretty tasty!!!! I am also originally from Ohio, so I would certainly love that cookbook as well. Really love your videos
@@cooking_the_books I grew up east of Cleveland in aurora. Also left Chicago for a bit and went back to ohio. Since then lived in Georgia, the U.K. And now living in Oregon, love the west coast- you will too!!!!
I didn’t know you’re from Ohio! I knew there was something inherently likable about you! What part of Ohio?
Great video! I’m a fan of all meatballs! ❤️
I made a version of this as a teenager in the 70’s using a package of Rice-A-Roni and the hamburger. Don’t remember where the recipe originated, but suspect it came from the Rice-A-Roni box. Very tasty, as I recall and my younger siblings loved it. Enjoy your channel so much!
These were so good, I need to make them again. Love the Rice-a-Roni idea!
My mom only made porcupine meatballs a handful of times, not sure why. They were delicious. I think it would be a fun meal train entree for young families. Being able to keep the ingredients clean is a plus and the slight seasoning would probably really please children. (I'd definitely include some red pepper flakes for the grownups!) Another fun video Anna, thank you!
I’ve had a version of porcupine meatballs, but I didn’t make them. Really enjoyed this vintage cookbook review
Acidic ingredients in cast iron can cause it to rust and can make the tomato sauce taste metallic.
I make them and serve with mashed potatoes and a whole lot more spice. Yummy
I loved this recipe, and it would be even better with more spice! 😋
Great review Anna! Hillbilly sounds like my Quarantine Goulash video. Momma called it Stuff and Nonsense lol. On the cast iron…acidic things like vinegar, tomatoes and boiling beans can mess with your seasoning a little. Just season it and keep trucking!! Thanks for the shoutout my friend!!
@@cooking_the_books you’re welcome! No it won’t ruin it but you don’t want to let it soak for hours because it will start to remove what seasoning you have on the pan. Happy cast iron cooking my friend!
Was raised on these! Trying to find the wonderful recipe from my childhood. Let’s try these!
These turned out so well. Really delicious. Some of the other recipes I've found have a lot of different ingredients, but this one is very simple. Simple is best sometimes! Thank you for watching!
Can confirm: these are super tasty!!!
I made these in the 90s for the first time. The recipe I used called for a can of Campbell's condensed tomato soup. 🍅
Porcupine meatballs are a favorite in our house. My recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, 1958 version. By the 1968 version they were using canned tomato soup----just not the same. 1958 version wins.
You can cook acid in cast iron but do not leave it in the pan and try to clean up soon. It will be easier.
My mother use to make porcupine balls. I think the recipe came off of some package
We had these a lot. It was a "stretch" food, along with American Goulash. Cheap, filling, and tasty. These are both still comfort meals for me. I've played with the recipe over the years, adding crushed garlic, onion powder, and a dash of red pepper to the meat, so now they're a tad "fancier". lol Like others in the comment section, we used dressed up tomato soup for the sauce (soup, Worcestershire, and a bit of water); someone suggested I try a bit of brown sugar in the sauce, and it really did give it a nice, sweet undertone.
Yes as a kid it was a fun treat night.
My mom made those porcupine meatballs when I was little
My mom these all of the time, love them and will make them soon. Been years since I had them.
Thanks
Thanks for watching!
I love that you just called them all out in the cook book
When I make them, I make baseball size meatballs…or just a shade smaller…add garlic, etc…and sometimes chopped green pepper…don’t brown them first…they come out spikey and not too soft…we love them!
Hi Anna~ I’ve been making these for many years. I put them in the oven without browning them first. Also I have used jarred sauce too! It’s kind of like stuffed cabbage rolls without the cabbage! (I think it’s true about the acidic foods in cast iron pans… I watched another cooking video and she said something about not to do that, but I don’t really know for certain!)
Procupine meatballs was the first recipe I ever cooked by myself at about 6 years old. I t was basically the same recipe you made, but it came from a children's cookbook. I was so proud to cook a meal for my family. Memories.
Hi Anna. I love your delivery and how you give some background and then get to it. Soothing voice & efficient and that it way you have become my go to vlog. Happy & safe Thanksgiving to you and yours.
My favorite dinner. My mom made this with beef rice a roni. I’ve also tried it with rice pilaf, chicken and wild rice flavors. Brown the meatballs and cover with broth and cook until rice is cooked adding broth along the way as this will be your gravy. Serve with white rice or over mashed potatoes and a veggie on the side. Enjoy!!
Mom made porcupine meatballs frequently when I was growing up. Delicious with tomato sauce and mashed potatoes.
One of my favorite recipes of all time. Loved them as a kid and I still make them in the winter.
A staple when I was a kid. Mom always just cooked them on the stove top. Love them!
My mother had a copy of this recipe book and was an avid cook book collector. My oldest daughter got all her cook books when she passed away as she too loves cook books and cook book collecting. I have had this recipe when I was younger but can't really tell you if I enjoyed them as I can't remember.
Lol.... oh, Anna, I recently picked up a community cookbook, and seriously, 95% of the entire book is recipes for “World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies” .... ( which I prefer to organ meats...lol)
A long time ago,, I had V8 juice instead of tomato juice, so I used that and it was delicious. I also added a bit of hot sauce and I really liked that, but I think most foods are better with hot sauce. I am going to try "your" recipe, though, out of curiosity. Thank you!
Nice recipe looks so good!
Thank you for sharing
My husbands gramdma made these, and hers were very simple. I have made them myself a few times. She just used beef and minute rice, plus some salt, pepper, and garlic powder. They were cooked in cream of mushroom soup diluted with beef broth. I can't remember if they are even prebrowned. I think they were just simmered on the stove for a while and stirred on occasion. I know I browned mine a bit for flavor.
always did these in a pressure cooker , AKA Instantpot
OOOOH OOOH, pick me!!! So, about the banana thing they had. There are two main drivers for it in the 50s and 60s. First - the banana variety we had then was completely different than the bananas we have today. They had a different taste and texture. A virus killed them off all across the world, there are only a few left in a museum in England. So, its likely that the recipes just don't translate well with the new banana varieties that came out in the 70s and 80s. Second - Hawaii became a state in 1959 and ANYTHING tropical became all the rage in the 60s.
….oh god no..my parents made this when I was growing up I thought I escaped it 😂 coming meal in Australia. Btw the traditional Australian recipe is the soup with an equal amount of milk, also you’re not supposed to “brown” the balls, cook them in a pan in the oven or in a pressure cooker.
I’m having such nostalgic memories catching up on your videos. I remember first hearing of porcupine meatballs in the 70’s from one of Betty Crockers theme cookbooks. It was the first time I every heard of using celery salt. I have kept it in my pantry now for probably over 50 years. The meatballs were a disaster for me though first time out. They were “spiky” alright. The rice wasn’t cooked. Making these tomorrow for sure. But I’ll add celery salt.
Our school cafeteria made these back in the day. They were in a gravy rather than tomato sauce. This was the one dish that was a fail everytime. The rice never was cooked enough, and was indeed reminiscent of porcupines 😂.
Yes, I grew up eating these. I’m 64.
They're so delicious! I've tried a few other recipes for them, but this is still my favorite.
I have made porcupine meatballs before and they required pan frying which dislodged most of the "spines" and there ain't no reason to make bald meatballs! I'll have to try your idea for baking them instead. Thanks!
These were SO good, I really liked them. The tomato juice thickened up into the perfect sauce in the oven. It might be time for me to make another batch!
We ate banana and Mayo sandwiches when we were kids but never banana and ham.😳
I've heard cowboy cast iron using cooks say not to use acidic sauce or juices in cast iron.
I did something like this a few times. But I made it into a loaf
This seems so fun to make
"Hillbilly" sounds like what we used to call goulash....
I wonder where the Women's Club Leaders of Ohio are from? I tried to look them up. I am just curious because my In-Laws are from a small town in Northern Ohio. Also those type of meatballs are used in Albondigas soup (Mexican meatball soup). That soup is sooo good. If you look up the recipe, make the soup that has mint in it....that is the more authentic version.
I like it! Great video!!
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for visiting!
I ruined my first cast iron skillet the very first time I used it!!! I made a tomato sauce and then left it in and popped it in the fridge. I remember porcupine balls from the early 80’s!!
I am surprised that you did not get violently ill. The acid reacts with the cast iron. Praise the Lord that you were all right. A lot of people do not know that but I grew up using cast iron. They say do not wash either but you run really hot water in your pan. If you need to scrub use some salt then rinse well put pan back on hot stove to completely dry and I rub maybe one half a teaspoon of EVOO on pan with paper towel and take off burner and cool and put away. Ready for next time. Make sure that you use very little oil and that your pan is DRY. It will last forever....
My mom made these and so do i
The Betty Crocker Cook Book from the early 1980s doesn't have eggs nor milk in them.
I think "buying fish in the round" means to buy a whole fish, head on, but gutted. As opposed to buying filets.
Ours were served in gravy
I use my hands as well after washing them
Variety meats is also better than calling it offal, lol.
I've had these meatballs before really good. Also sounds similar to filling for a stuffed pepper🫑 I don't think it was called porcupine balls🦔
Yes, definitely similar to a stuffed pepper filling! These were so good. I really need to make them again.
@@cooking_the_books 💜
Gelatin is made from animals plus gelatin dishes were popular.
Pulling your leg