Black pudding and pork meatballs cooked in a delicious tomato and reduced beer sauce with a touch of honey, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
This recipe takes around an hour to make, including preparation, but it can be made in advance and reheated and it freezes well too!
Pork and Blood Sausage Meatballs
Who doesn’t love meatballs? Growing up for me they came from a tin because they were cheap.
Now when they appear on my plate are a little more “grown up”, homemade and come with a variety of flavours.
I have dishes as diverse as teriyaki beef meatballs and chicken meatballs in a mustard sauce to minted lamb meatballs and Moroccan-influenced Harissa meatballs with pomegranate molasses.
I’ve even got a chicken kofta meatball curry which should not be a surprise given the number of curries on my website!
My latest variant is very porky, these delicious soft meatballs combine minced pork with black pudding.
Black pudding is a British spiced blood sausage that is an essential part of any Britsh fry up as far as I am concerned.
They are paired with a rich and bold tomato sauce that rocks a bit of beer and the spice of Worcestershire sauce.
If black pudding is your thing then you must try both my black pudding risotto and simply stunning chicken Braemar! Of course, you can just fry it and have it with an old-school full English fry up breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is black pudding?
It’s essentially blood sausage, made from pigs blood, fat and spices… stop pulling that face, I see you!
Blood sausage may seem a little “niche” but there are examples from most European countries as well as most other continents.
Other examples include Sundae sausage from the Korean peninsula and the Navajo tribe were eating sheep’s blood sausage as far back as the 1600’s.
Can this be made in advance?
Yes, the meatballs will be fine in the fridge for a day or two before cooking. Likewise, the sauce can be made up in advance and reheated too.
Can I freeze this dish when it is cooked?
Yes, this dish freezes perfectly and can be cooked from frozen. However, if you are freezing this I would increase the amount of sauce by 50% because things get a little dryer when the dish is reheated.
It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. I freeze this in those small disposable foil tins with a cardboard lid. You can remove the lid, replace it with foil and then chuck the whole thing in the oven.
Cook at 170°C or 340°F until piping hot, this will take 30-35 minutes.
What beer is best?
Well, that really does depend on your tastes, I’ve been making this dish with Newcastle brown ale of late.
As the name suggests it’s a fairly strong medium brown ale with toasty malted flavours and I like cooking with it. But this dish would work equally well with a blonde beer and is especially good with wheat beers.
I would personally avoid stouts or porters.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve served my black pudding meatballs in these pictures with some buttery mashed potatoes and lots of snipped chives.
They are however wonderfully versatile, you could, of course, play with some pasta or serve them on some cheesy polenta.
Sticking with the polenta vibe you could also serve them with my fried polenta chips. This idea also leads nicely to chips, fries or wedges.
I would personally go for some air fryer potato wedges and a nice simple green side salad.
You could even stuff them in a baguette and give the whole meatball marinara sub idea a glorious twist!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- 30cm or 12″ nonstick frying pan with a lid.
- Chopping board.
- Grater.
- Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
- Stirring spoons and kitchen tongs.
Easy Black Pudding Meatballs Recipe
Hearty minced pork and black pudding meatballs seared and then simmered in a rich tomato and beer sauce, they're perfect for a winter warmer, and sure to become a firm favourite.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 200g (7oz) Black Pudding
- 200g (7oz) Minced Pork
- 100g (⅔ Cup) Onion
- ¼ Tsp Salt
- ½ Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ½ Tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 Tbsp Plain Flour
For the Beer Sauce:
- 250ml (1 Cup) Beer, I use Newcastle Brown Ale
- 2 Tbsp Cooking Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 200g (¾-1 cup) Tomato Passata
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1½-2 Tbsp Honey
- Pinch of Salt (to taste)
- Fresh chives to serve
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the black pudding then crumble it into a medium mixing bowl, you want a fairly fine crumb, but don't worry about a few larger lumps.
- Add the minced pork, salt, pepper, thyme and flor to the bowl.
- Peel and grate the onion then squeeze out most of the water and add it to the bowl, then mix to combine thoroughly.
- Form 10 meatballs, using wet hands helps with this, then place them on baking parchment and allow them to firm up in the fridge for 15 minutes. The meatballs should be around 45-50g each or 40-45mm (1½-1¾").
- Whilst the meatballs are resting heat a small (15cm or 6") saucepan over a high heat, add the beer and reduce it by two-thirds. This will take 10-12 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a 30cm or 12" frying pan over a medium-high heat.
- Add the meatballs and cook until nicely coloured on all sides, then remove and set aside for a minute or two.
- Return the frying pan to a medium heat, then bash the garlic cloves with the heel of your hand and add them to the oil and cook for a minute or two.
- Pour in the reduced beer, tomato passata, Worcestershire sauce and honey, stir, then have a taste and add salt to your taste.
- Pop the meatballs back into the pan, roll them around in the sauce and then add a lid and cook on low for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve with lots of snipped chives.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 965Total Fat: 63gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 40gCholesterol: 208mgSodium: 1208mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 2gSugar: 34gProtein: 44g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.
Gonk
Sunday 4th of June 2023
Will certainly make again, but maybe have different sauce
Brian Jones
Monday 5th of June 2023
Glad you enjoyed it, I saw your review, thanks for taking the time to give your feedback, it is always appreciated :)
It is a shame that the sauce was a little too sweet for your wife's tastes, I am glad you like the meatballs and I and sure you can tweak the sauce so that it pleases both of you equally.
Cheers
Brian