Do you ever just crave a meatball? Do you ever just crave a meatball with peaches? How about bourbon? Yes I was craving all of these things at once. I promise you I am not a lush. I do not sip on tumblers of straight bourbon every night. Only days that end in “y.” Ha, no I am really kidding. I don’t drink the stuff t0o often, but bourbon is just one of those ingredients that brings a lot of flavor into the dishes you so love. I decided to go out on a limb today and make turkey meatballs with a bourbon, peach BBQ sauce. I threw it on a ciabatta slider bun and topped that bun with an Asian slaw. The result…oh…my…God. There were so many flavors going on, I don’t even know where to begin!
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I like to think of these little sliders as a dish that brings Asia, Italy and the United States together. It’s like the United Nations of meatball sliders! The meatball is a combination of the great flavors of Italy with parmesan, parsley, bread crumbs and more. The slaw is totally Asian through and through. With a mixture of tamari, peanut butter, edamame, pine nuts and more. The BBQ. Well I’m not sure about that. I think it’s mostly a basic description of all of the ingredients I love and enjoy. BBQ is American. I’m an American, so let’s just call it an “American” sauce =). At first glance, the flavors don’t seem like they mesh, and seriously while I was making them, I was scared for the outcome. They ended up being one of the best meatball sliders I’ve ever had. I was so pleased…and so was Zach =).
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This recipe is confusing, I’m not going to lie. There are a ton of ingredients (many of which I’m sure that you have in your pantry), and there are literally three recipes in one. I tried to make it as easy to follow as I could, so hopefully it works out for everyone!
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I wanted to go with a beer that wasn’t going to take over this slider. I didn’t see how it really could happen because there are so many bold flavors going on I don’t think there is a beer out there that would take over. Except for maybe Green Flash’s Palate Wrecker. Although delicious, it literally wrecks your palate. You should try it though! I’m sure it will be the hoppiest beer you’ve ever had! Anyway, at first I was thinking an IPA. The dish is a bit spicy. Spicy and IPA go very well together, but there are too many other flavors going on. An IPA wasn’t enough. I decided to go with a simple porter, but a good one, and Founder’s Porter
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I hope everyone enjoys the holiday weekend. We have lots of fun recipes cooked up for the weekend and I can’t wait to share them with you! Have a great night!
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce (for slaw)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (for slaw)
- 1/4 cup sesame oil (for slaw)
- 2 tablespoons sriracha (for slaw)
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (for slaw)
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (for slaw)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (for slaw)
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (for slaw)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (for slaw)
- salt and pepper
- 2 cups coleslaw mix (carrots, cabbage, etc), or make your own (for slaw)
- 1/2 cup frozen edamame, cooked per manufacturer's instructions (for slaw)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts (for slaw)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds + extra for garnish (for slaw)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (for BBQ)
- 3/4 cup minced shallots (for BBQ)
- 1 bag frozen peaches (about 16 ounces) (for BBQ)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (for BBQ)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (for BBQ)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar (for BBQ)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (for BBQ)
- 2 tablespoons ketchup (for BBQ)
- 2/3 cup chicken stock (for BBQ)
- 2 teaspoons dried basil (for BBQ)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (for BBQ)
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice (for BBQ)
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder (for BBQ)
- pinch of cayenne (for BBQ)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (for BBQ)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (for BBQ)
- 1/3 cup bourbon (for BBQ)
- 1 pound ground turkey meat (for meatballs)
- 1 medium spanish onion, minced (for meatballs)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (for meatballs)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for meatballs)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (for meatballs)
- 1 egg (for meatballs)
- 1/4 cup panko and italian bread crumbs, mixed + extra (for meatballs)
- 3 tablespoons ketchup (for meatballs)
- 8 ounces goat cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (for meatballs)
- slider buns, toasted
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the tamari, brown sugar, sesame oil, sriracha, red pepper flakes, peanut butter, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt. Set aside. In another larger bowl, combine the coleslaw mix and edamame. Begin spooning your dressing over the coleslaw mixture until it reaches the consistency you desire (refrigerate any extra you may have). Top with pine nuts and toasted sesame seeds. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- Now you will prepare your sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt your butter. Add the shallots and let sweat for about 2-4 minutes. Add the peaches and let cook for about 7-8 minutes or until the peaches begin to soften. Add the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire, ketchup, chicken stock, basil, nutmeg, allspice, cumin powder, oregano, ginger and a pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the bourbon and let cook 10 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.
- While your BBQ sauce is simmering, you will prepare your meatballs. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and spray a muffin tin with a non stick and set aside. In a large bowl, combing the ground turkey, shallots, garlic, parsley, parmesan, egg, 1/4 cup bread crumbs, and ketchup. Mix with your hands until everything is incorporated. Pinching off about 3-4 tablespoons at a time of the meat mixture, start forming balls. Before you actually get the ball shape, dig a little well and place a cube of goat cheese in the center. Close up and roll into 1 1/2 - 2 inch balls. Pour bread crumbs onto a plate. Roll the meatballs in another layer of panko bread crumbs. Place the meatballs in your prepared muffin tin. Repeat this step in another muffin tin, if you have extra. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Allow the meatballs to cool for about 10 minutes then transfer to a large bowl. Pour your desired amount of BBQ sauce on top and toss to coat. Add your desired amount of toasted sesame seeds for garnish. Taking your slider buns, pinch about a teaspoon of bread from the inside of the bun (from both ends) so that there is a place for the meatball to nestle. Place about a tablespoon of slaw on the bottom half of the bun, then place the meatball on top. Top with the other bun top and insert a toothpick so they stay together.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Notes
Hardware: * Bowls (large, medium and small) * Whisk * Plastic Wrap * Large Spoon * Muffin Tin * Non-Stick Spray * Sharp Knife * Cutting Board * Saucepan * Blender * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Toothpicks * Plate *
