Hidden Liver Meatballs + Scratch Red Sauce Recipe

Ask, and you shall receive! Our June 2022 Featured Chef, Annika Duden, delivers a tasty recipe that encourages you to incorporate organs into your diet. Organs are an essential part of a well-rounded diet as they provide high concentrations of healthy vitamins, minerals, coQ10, amino acids, collagen, antioxidants, and more. 

Annika created the perfect meatball that masks the organ flavor, allowing the entire family to enjoy the flavor profile in this dish. These meatballs contain the US Wellness Meats ground beef and organ blend and ground pork and are topped with a red sauce that uses our grass-fed, nutrient-rich butter. Simply mix together all meatball ingredients and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, simmer the red sauce ingredients, and combine the two over your favorite “pasta.”

Annika, thank you for sharing this recipe that supports hormone health by nourishing us with REAL food ingredients! Let’s get into the recipe. 

 

Hidden Liver Meatballs + Scratch Red Sauce

Recipe & Photos by Annika Duden | @iamannikanicole

USWM Shopping List: Ground Beef with Heart, Liver, and Kidney, Ground Pork, Butter 

Servings: 4
Prep & Cook Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

Meatballs Ingredients

• 1lb Ground Beef with Heart, Liver, and Kidney, or just ground beef if you prefer
• 1lb US Wellness Meats Ground Pork
• 1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder or 1/4 cup finely chopped/grated onion
• 1egg
• 1⁄2 cup flour (for gluten/grain-free, I use cassava flour)
• 1⁄2 tsp fennel (more if you want it more of the sausage flavor)
• 1⁄2 – 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1⁄2 tsp salt
• Red pepper flakes to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Rosemary to taste

Red Sauce Ingredients

• 3-4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 tsp fresh oregano
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary
• 2 (28oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• Splash of red wine (optional)

Instructions:

Meatball Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly (with your hands is best).
3. Roll into balls and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. I am able to fit 24 meatballs on a large cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, flip meatballs, and bake for another 15 minutes. They should be golden brown.

1. Melt the butter on low heat and then add pepper flakes, garlic, oregano, basil, and rosemary and sauté until fragrant (5-10 minutes).
2. Then add the cans of diced tomatoes, sugar, and salt + pepper, and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes so the flavors incorporate.
3. Add the splash of wine towards the end, allow it to cook down just a bit, and serve.