γεια σας! Hello! Today's recipe is a tried and true Greek classic......Lamb Meatballs! With just a few simple ingredients, some quick preparation, and a little know-how anyone can create these wonderful, delicious lamb meatballs at home! Sure to impress all your friends, these meatballs are a step up from those everyday beef or pork sausage meatballs most people have come to expect. Lamb may seem a little out there for some of you, but it's a go-to meat around the rest of the World, particularly in the Middle East and down under in Australia/New Zealand. A livestock that is easy to raise and process, lamb has become a global sustainable protein source full of flavor and remains quite affordable! It is nutrient dense, full of vitamins, and packed with healthy Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Why wouldn't a person want to add such a meat to their diet? Check out this recipe, give it a try yourself, and let me know how you will be using lamb in the future....just start cooking!
The likelihood of finding ground lamb at your local grocery store may be slim, but both Sam's Club and Costco carry boneless legs of lamb that work perfect for this recipe and many more. I decided to grab one and grind it myself rather than searching for pre-ground lamb, but you should be able to ask the butcher to grind it for you if necessary. My leg of lamb came in a little over 3 pounds so I decided to make a few different recipes, grinding about 24 ounces for these amazing Lamb Meatballs! Begin by getting your ground lamb, Greek yogurt, and seasonings ready. Fresh chopped cilantro really brings these meatballs to life, so go ahead and chop the stems and leaves all together for the full flavor package!
Toss everything in a mixing bowl and get down and dirty with your hands. Mix everything thoroughly, but try not to overwork the mixture as it will dry out during cooking the more you mess with it now. A couple minutes using your fingers to get all the seasonings and fresh cilantro spread throughout the ground lamb meat should do the trick. Believe it or not, that's just about it, folks! Using an ice cream scoop or just your hands, portion out and roll the lamb mixture into equal sized meatballs, about the size of a golf ball. 24 ounces of ground lamb should end up making about 16-18 meatballs!
Now there are a few different ways we could cook these, so I decided to combine the most popular methods and do a quick sauté/sear in a frying pan then finish them off in the oven. Being careful not to overcrowd the pan, heat up some olive oil over medium-high heat and carefully place in the meatballs. Let them sauté for a minute or two per side until browned all over, about 5-7 minutes maximum. This sear will help retain the moisture in the meatballs provided by the Greek yogurt since lamb has such a low fat content.
After the initial searing, place the meatballs in a baking dish and pop them into a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. You are trying to achieve an internal temperature around 160-165 degrees, so they should take no longer than 15 minutes in the oven to finish cooking. Be careful not to overcook the meatballs because they will inevitably dry out. Whole muscle lamb cuts can be eaten at 140 degrees, but like most ground meats, we want to ensure food safety measures and get these meatballs up to that safe 165 degree final temperature.
At this point your kitchen should be full of those wonderful cumin and garlic aromas....and just like that you have made some amazing lamb meatballs! Since we seasoned these somewhat "Greek" style, I suggest pairing them with some fresh tzatziki, a cucumber yogurt sauce common to the Middle East and Southern Europe. It can easily be made at home or like I chose this particular time, be lazy and buy the premade stuff from the store. It's surprisingly great and works well with various other recipes and meals. These meatballs are great as is and stand on their own quite well, though! As long as you minimized the mixing/portioning step and didn't overcook them, they should be plenty moist and juicy to be eaten plain. These lamb meatballs make a great appetizer alone, or try pairing them with this Easy Caprese Salad! Light, fresh, and satisfying, these lamb meatballs are sure to become a family favorite. Give them a try and let me know what you think, especially if trying lamb for the first time.......just keep cooking!
LAMB MEATBALLS
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