Chipotle Meatballs - El Naranjo Restaurant, Oaxaca, Mexico
This recipe crafts Chipotle Meatballs, inspired by El Naranjo Restaurant. Ground beef and pork are mixed with breadcrumbs and spices, formed into meatballs, then simmered in a rich, smoky tomato sauce featuring chipotle chiles, ground cloves, and capers. It's a hearty and flavorful Oaxacan-style main course.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven For simmering the sauce and meatballs
- 1 Food Processor or Blender For blending sauce ingredients
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For preparing meatball mixture
- 1 Large Skillet For browning meatballs
- 1 Chef's Knife and Cutting Board For ingredient preparation
Ingredients
Main
- 3 pounds plum tomatoes
- 1 medium white onion
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumb (made from crustless french bread
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried mexican oregano
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons drained capers
Instructions
- Prepare sauce base: Halve plum tomatoes, quarter the white onion, and peel garlic cloves. Gently boil or roast them until softened.
- Blend sauce ingredients: Transfer the softened tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a food processor or blender. Add minced chipotle chiles and ground cloves, then blend until smooth.
- Sauté sauce: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the blended sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare meatball mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, fresh breadcrumbs, large egg, dried Mexican oregano, salt, and fresh ground black pepper.
- Form meatballs: Mix the meatball ingredients gently until just combined. Roll the mixture into uniform, approximately 1.5-inch meatballs.
- Brown meatballs: Heat a separate large skillet with a small amount of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides in batches, transferring them to a plate as they are done.
- Combine and simmer: Carefully add the browned meatballs to the simmering sauce in the pot.
- Continue simmering: Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.
- Finish with capers: Stir in the drained capers during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve the Chipotle Meatballs hot.
Notes
For a deeper flavor, consider roasting the plum tomatoes, onion, and garlic before blending for the sauce. This caramelizes their sugars and adds complexity. When making the meatballs, avoid overmixing the ground meats, as this can lead to a tough texture; mix just until combined. Ensure a good sear on the meatballs before adding them to the sauce to build rich flavor through the Maillard reaction. Adjust the amount of chipotle chiles to suit your preferred spice level. A pinch of sugar or piloncillo can help balance the acidity of the tomatoes and the heat.