Skinny CrockPot Porcupine Meatballs | Weight Watchers Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do my porcupine meatballs fall apart? ›

It's important to let the rice cool a bit before adding it to the meat so that it does not release any excess moisture and make the meatballs fall apart. Another important element to getting the right texture is to not overwork the meat when mixing.

The name comes from the appearance of the meatballs, which appear prickly when the rice pokes out of them as they cook, resembling a porcupine. Porcupine meatballs can be made in the slow cooker or baked. They can be served with relish such as red cabbage or radish and mashed potatoes.

After removing the quills, if you choose to do so, you can roast the porcupine whole over the fire or butcher as you desire prior to cooking. Some cultures and primitive skills practitioners will also bury the whole porcupine in a pit of coals to roast, steaming it overnight and waking up to a delectable meal.

Of the five species, only the Sunda porcupine Hystrix javanica is currently protected and that too, as recently as 2018. However, there are no harvest quotas for any porcupine species which makes all hunting and trade in porcupines illegal.

They do make a tasty meal. Porcupine meat is perfectly healthy to eat raw.

However, the meatball is thought to have originated in ancient Persia. The earliest recorded meatball dish, called kofta, was created by rolling leftover ground lamb into large balls (we're talking orange-sized or bigger). The balls were glazed with egg yolk and saffron before cooking.

Although meatballs cooked in tomato sauce and served with pasta is likely what most Americans first imagine when they think of them, this meatball preparation is virtually nonexistent in Italy. In most regions, meatballs are just fried and eaten as is—enjoyed as a snack or served as a second course without any sauce.

Is it OK to eat spaghetti and meatballs? ›

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Thanks to the iron and protein from the beef, lycopene from the tomato sauce and energy-producing carbs from the pasta, this dish a healthy trifecta. If you stick to modest portions and lean beef, you can enjoy its benefits without overdoing it.

Porcupine meatballs are ground beef-rice balls cooked in tomato sauce. The meatballs, a staple during the Great Depression because of the few ingredients required to make them, get their name from their appearance to porcupines (the rice makes the balls appear prickly).

The only time it is okay for you to attempt removal is if there are only a few of them. You need to use some needle nose pliers and grab the quill as close to the animal's skin as possible and then remove quickly and straight out of the body. Again, this is only advisable if there are only a few of them.

Use oil or butter: Adding a small amount of oil or butter to the pan or skillet before cooking the patties will help to prevent them from sticking together. Do not overcrowd the pan: Make sure to use a pan or skillet that is large enough to accommodate the two patties without them touching each other.

When this happens, it's because you didn't use enough. Next time, try adding in an extra egg and/or some more breadcrumbs. Alternatively, rice, barley, corn flakes, crackers, and dried soup mix can also stand in as binding ingredients as well. Including larger quantities of these items should help solve the problem.

One of the most common mistakes people make with meatballs is overworking them, which can happen during both the mixing and rolling stage. While you should, of course, sufficiently mix your ingredients together, over-rolling your meatballs and tightly packing the mixture into a dense ball will make the meat rubbery.

Chill your meatballs: refrigerating your meatballs an hour before cooking helps them hold their shape throughout the cooking process. They can chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking, making meatballs a great make-ahead dish, too.