This divine Spiced Meatball Stew can be left to cook in the slow cooker whilst you’re out at work, or simmered gently on the hob for around an hour. If you cook it on the stove, do keep an eye on the sauce, and add more water stock, or even more red wine to stop it from drying out or burning.
Before I started hanging out with Jonny, I had this thing where I couldn’t eat minced beef or pork. Or sausages, or burgers,or pretty much any processed meat (apart from bacon, obviously).
If I were to eat something mincey and found a ‘miscellaneous bit’, it was game over. My meal was done.
However, I have since come to understand that when you buy decent mince, from a decent butcher, the quality of the mince goes way up and the likelihood of miscellaneous bits goes way way down. Go figure.
Anyways, now I’m all mince happy I’d like to welcome you to the very first meatballs I’ve ever made (or ever eaten!)
The spice used in the meatball mixture is earthier than the ones used in the stew, and they complement each other superbly. They are spiced rather than spicy, so if you’re after heat, notch up the chilli powder. You can always fry up a little bit of the pork mixture for a couple of minutes before tasting to make sure you’ve got it spot on.
Slow Cooker Spiced Meatball Stew
- 500 g pork minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1. 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon hot chilli powder
- A little fat for frying the meatballs
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 small aubergine diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 250 ml red wine or stock
- 4-6 dark green cabbage leaves such as Savoy or Cavolo Nero shredded
- 1 tin butter beans drained
- Pop the minced pork into a large bowl. Add all the meatball spices and mush together with your hands until everything is well combined.
- If you want large meatballs (about the size of a golf ball) divide the mixture into 10 and squeeze, then roll into balls. If you prefer smaller meatballs (about the size of a walnut) divide into 20.
- Heat up a little fat (butter or dripping would be choice, but oil is fine too) and when it is hot, add the meatballs. Let them sit a while before moving, then try to get that same good colour all over, but without cooking them all the way through.
- Meanwhile add all the stew ingredients, minus the cabbage and butter beans, into a slow cooker. Add the meatballs and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 hours (if you need to cook it longer, that's fine. there's plenty of juice so it won't dry out).
- Add the shredded cabbage and butter beans for the last half hour of cooking so they retain some bite and texture.
- Because no steam escapes from the slow cooker, the sauce sauce doesn't reduce so will be quite thin. If that doesn't appeal to you, mix a heaped teaspoon of cornflour with a splash of cold water until combines and pour that into the stew 10 minutes before the end of cooking and mix through well. This will thicken it up.
Glamorous Glutton says
I know what you mean about the miscellaneous bits! But like you I learnt that they don’t have to be there. These meatballs look delicious and I’m sure there’ll be more forays into mince. GG
Jane Sarchet says
Gross aren’t they GG! #Barf :)
Janie x
Judy says
what is aubergine .Jane, I never heard of that, but the meatballs sound really yummy
Carol Ann says
It’s eggplant
Jane Sarchet says
Hey Judy, so sorry – aubergine is known as eggplant in the rest of the world :) I’ll go and translate the recipe!
Janie x
Rosie @Eco-Gites of Lenault says
This sounds and looks divine. We produce our own pork, turkey and lamb mince so no risk of any unwanted bits slipping into our meatballs! I briefly worked in a meat analysis factory many years ago and like you, I didn’t eat processed meat for a very long time!
Jane Sarchet says
Oh gawd, really? You must have some really interesting stories to tell, not sure I really want to hear them though! :D
Janie x
Simone says
Perfect dish! I am in love with my slow cooker anyway but for some reason I kind of tend to forget to use the thing. And it’s soooo easy. I’m gonna make this for sure!
Jane Sarchet says
I adore my slow cooker and what it can do to a lump of stringy old meat! Turns anything, however tough into the most divine, tender and juicy delicacy!
Janie x
Bintu @ Recipes From A Pantry says
I know exactly what you mean – F insists on mince form the butcher. Lovely looking stew Janie. Stumbled and shared
Jane Sarchet says
Thanks so much Bintu :)
Janie x
Carol Ann says
Looking forward to making this!
Jane Sarchet says
Awesome! Please do let me know what you think Carol Ann!
Janie x
Janice says
What a brilliant warming winter dish, the colours look so rich and tempting. A keeper!
Jane Sarchet says
Thanks Janice, it’s definitely going onto the regular cold weather menu!
Janie x
Karen says
What a FABULOUS recipe and as a meatball addict,this would suit me just fine Janie!
Jane Sarchet says
Hehe, thanks Karen!
Janie x
Heidi Roberts says
Beautiful looking meatball stew – looks delicious!
Jane Sarchet says
Thanks Heidi :)
Janie x