Although beef meatballs used to be one of my favorite snacks, I just realized I haven't even published a recipe for them on my blog yet… Since there are so many delicious things to try every day, it's easy to forget about good old recipes. You'd practically need a thousand lifetimes to enjoy even a fraction of all the culinary delights this world has to offer. Well, there's a reason they call it YOLO (you only live once)!
I can remember the first time I ate meatballs perfectly. I was about seven, eight at the most… Maybe they weren't even my first, but I can say with certainty that they were the best. I was spending my school holidays with my grandmother in Foumbot , my mother's birthplace. One of my aunts earned her living by making meatballs and selling them as a snack with baguette. As a welcome gift, she offered me half a baguette with " saucisse "—as she called her meatballs back then. I was simply overwhelmed by the aroma, not to mention the taste. Tears of joy and emotion even welled up in my eyes…
Several decades have passed since then, yet I haven't forgotten that delicious taste, nor have I ever had the chance to try anything quite like it again, because sadly, my aunt took her recipe to the grave. May her soul rest in peace. The recipe I'd like to share with you today is very similar to my dear aunt's, with the tiny difference that I've taken advantage of modern technology by using an air fryer instead of a pan or pot.
It's very important to me that I share this recipe so it's never forgotten. All in honor of my dear Aunt Njouheretou! Try it yourself, I'm sure you'll love it too!
And this is how it's done
Boulettes de boeuf | Beef meatballs
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 600g minced beef
- 2-3 onions
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 fresh egg
- 2 tbsp Magic Sauce (herb mix) ( Magic Sauce | The Origin * Chez Fadi (chez-fadi.com) )
- 1/2 peppercorns each , black & white
- Salt
- 1 tsp dried lovage or parsley
Instructions
- Peel and finely chop the onions, and grind the pepper fresh using a mortar and pestle or pepper mill
- Place the ground meat in a large bowl, then add, one after the other, salt, ground pepper, chopped onions, garlic paste or pressed garlic cloves, lovage or parsley, Magic Sauce (or your own herb mix) and finally the egg.
- Mix everything well, preferably with your hands, to ensure it's thoroughly blended. Then, if desired, form small balls from the mixture and place them side by side in an air fryer basket (if you don't have an air fryer, you can use the oven or a lightly greased pan)
- Place the meatballs in the air fryer basket and cook for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Remove the meatballs and enjoy hot or cold
