As a Thanksgiving extra or for any time of the year, Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce is a savory dish with a light tang of cranberry sweetness.
As of earlier this month, I have a new found love and appreciation of cranberries! I have always enjoyed its tart flavor in sweets such as pies, crisps, cakes, bars as well as in frosting, but now my eyes are opened to enjoy cranberries even further, into savory foods.
On November 3rd, Ocean Spray®, a grower-owned cooperative of more than 700 grower owners, invited several farmers, food bloggers and others, to attend their 11th time- Bogs Across America held at Rockefeller Center® to celebrate their 85th Anniversary. I must say, this goes down as one of the coolest and unforgettable experience I have had and I am grateful to have been able to participate here in the city of New York.
Yep, that’s me! This urban chick in waders about a foot in depth inside the bog surrounded by thousands of floating cranberries! If you think this is awesome, it gets better! I had the chance to eat a formal Thanksgiving menu right inside the bog. Now that’s AWESOME!
Just to point out, to the right of me in the picture above, is Australian Celebrity Chef Curtis Stone.
WAIT! I think this just got even better, especially for many of you ladies. Can you say eyecandy?!
CRANBERRY FARMER GLEN (LEFT). CHEF CURTIS STONE (RIGHT).
Ocean Spray’s special guest and host, Chef Stone, shared some of Thanksgiving’s most delicious dishes incorporating traditional tastes, modern tweaks and influences from around the globe. Sure to satisfy Thanksgiving traditionalists and Turkey Day daredevils alike.
Year after year, my family celebrates Thanksgiving with traditional dishes of turkey and mash with a side of green beans and sliced jellied cranberry sauce. There is more served but in general, this is pretty basic, huh? Fortunately for me, I can rev up the creativity and flavor of these holiday meals after seeing and tasting the difference between a Then & Now Thanksgiving.
I was fully impressed by Chef Stone’s new take on the holiday classics. For one, in my family, pork has always been served as the main entrée for Christmas. As of approximately 3 years ago, we started to incorporate glazed pork roast onto the table as an alternative from turkey. This goes to show, as traditional my family once was, we as a whole are slowly accepting a more modern approach. As a side note, truth be told, I was never a fan of jellied cranberry sauce. Couldn’t understood why anyone would eat it straight from a can but boy, was I wrong. The decisions of what to make using jellied cranberry are practically endless! Which leads to my first savory cranberry feature, Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce.
IN FRONT WITH WHITE TABLECLOTH SHOWS A CONTEMPORARY PLATE SETTING AND DÉCOR WHEREAS IN THE REAR, IT SHOWS THE TRADITIONAL PLATE SETTING.
FUN FACTS!
Ocean Spray® conducted a Thanksgiving Survey and here are the results:
- 6 in 10 Americans say their Thanksgiving is a combination of old traditions and new favorites
- 49% of Americans can be described as Thanksgiving daredevils. They’re open to dishes that are healthier, spicier and more internationally inspired
- “The more the merrier” is the motto when it comes to Thanksgiving gatherings: more than 70% of Americans celebrate the holiday with 7 or more people at the table.
- It’s not just about the sauce at Thanksgiving – Americans enjoy cranberries in beverages, stuffing, desserts and salads
- 61% of Americans say their last Thanksgiving dinner was just like their childhood Thanksgivings
- More than 3/4 of all guests will bring a traditional dish to share
- More than 50% of Americans currently serve Italian and Latin inspired dishes on Thanksgiving
- 67% of Americans say they can’t live without their Turkey
- 27% of hostesses will offer a main dish other than Turkey
- 73% of Americans prefer their cranberry sauce jellied in the shape of a can
- Pies account for 68% of all desserts served on Thanksgiving
- 30% of Americans say they enjoy cranberries in their dessert
- BONUS! See what the NYC bog is like & learn more fun facts from a cranberry farmer HERE
Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 30 meatballs 1x
- Diet: Low Salt
Description
As a Thanksgiving extra or for any time of the year, Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce is a savory dish with a light tang of cranberry sweetness.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic or 3 cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil or cooking spray
- 1 (14 oz.) can Ocean Spray® Jellied Cranberry Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- finely chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl using both hands, thoroughly mix all ingredients together and shape meat into 1 to 1 ½-inch balls; set aside.
- Grease a large skillet with oil or generously coat with a cooking spray. Set over medium heat. Place each meatball into skillet, cover, and cook for 8 minutes or until bottom of meatballs are browned. Rotate meatballs and cook for another 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F and the turkey is cooked throughout.
- Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan set over medium-high heat, whisk cranberry sauce and water until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour sauce over meatballs and reduce heat to simmer. Allow meatballs in cranberry sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot with added finely chopped parsley sprinkled over meatballs. ENJOY!
Notes
Ground turkey with a higher fat content may be substituted for 93% lean ground turkey. Oil may not be necessary.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Poultry
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: turkey recipes, turkey meatballs, cranberry sauce, thanksgiving side
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post brought to you by Ocean Spray®. All opinions within this post are and will always be my own. Thank you for following along with the trusted brands I use to help me bring to you more fun and delicious recipes!
Turkey or Chicken?
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