Not your Average Meatball

How does dinner go down on a 9th generation Berks County Farm raising pastured grain-fed beef when mom and dad wear many hats? Porcupine Balls.

In a recent “2 Weird Hungry Girls” podcast episode, Jodi Gauker joined us and it was delightful! She and her husband are vendors at the Antietam Valley Farmers’ & Artists’ Market. We talked about farm wife misconceptions and some silly things, too! You can listen and laugh along with us in the Farm Living podcast episode .

Jodi talks a bit about the Porcupine Balls recipe she shared.

“So, let me tell you about one of my favorite meals growing up. We would go camping, and my family would take these for me to eat for breakfast. BREAKFAST?! Yes, breakfast. I don’t like breakfast foods much. Well, I do now, but I didn’t then. And I still don’t like eggs. (Cooked in things, yes. Fried or scrambled or poached for breakfast? Gag me.)

Let me tell you about Porcupine Balls.

Porcupine, what?! Who wants to eat a porcupine?! No joke. These things are deliciousness on a plate. I’m telling you, so easy. I’d tell you it’s so easy my sister could do it, but she burned boiling potatoes once. And then put the scalding pot outside on a rubber mat.

I serve these with a vegetable because we need vegetables in our lives. I prefer corn, green beans or a nice side salad, but go be adventurous if you’d like. After all, you’re eating Porcupine Balls!”

Be sure to visit the Gauker Farm booth at The Antietam Valley Farmers’ & Artists’ Market.

Porcupine Balls

Recipe from Jodi Gauker 

Photo by Phoebe Canakis

Yields 6 servings

If you prefer more texture in a meatball, you may pre-roast or pan fry before baking.

Ingredients

• • 1 pound lean ground beef

• • 1/2 cup uncooked rice, minute or regular

• • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs

• • 1 small onion, finely chopped

• • 1 egg

• • 1 can tomato soup

• • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• • 2/3 soup can of water

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease a 8x8-inch or 9-inch deep dish Pyrex baking dish, not metal.

1. 1. Mix the ground beef, rice, bread crumbs, onion and egg in a large mixing bowl. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and place in the baking dish.

1. 1. In a small bowl mix the soup, Worcestershire sauce, and water. Pour over top of the meatballs.

1. 1. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.

1. 1. Uncover, and eat your heart out! But you may want to wait until they cool a little. But if you’re like me, you have no patience. Don’t burn your tongue, says Jodi”

Recipe tip: Jodi suggests using minute or regular rice. She uses regular uncooked rice because she likes texture, a little crunch. She said, “Lee, on the other hand, prefers mush. So if you’re like Farmer Lee, you’ll want to go for minute rice, or already cooked regular long grain rice.”