Recipes with ground meat

Cheese-stuffed meatballs simmered in a roux-thickened tomato sauce with white wine. Made with ground sirloin and cheddar, served over spaghetti or rice.

This was a common meal in German blue collar working class families. It is still very popular on buffets, and even used to become "hip" recently for people who got bored with mussels, salmon or caviar on buffets. People in old times often did not use ground meat, but ground cheap meat leftovers. This used to be pub food in the very old times in Germany as you could store it for a long time - no fridge was around at that time, only a pantry. It is perfect as a cold snack for long road trips.

"Kohlrouladen" used to be a staple on the menu for regular people in Germany during winter time. The relatively long preparation and cooking time pays out, because it can be easily reheated over a couple of days and gets even better and tastier then. Fried potatoes complete the picture, but you can cook the potatoes also in the pot with the sauce, if there is space left. This recipe can be varied in many ways, be it the stuffing (ground meat here), or the sauce. The recipe is as traditional as it can be; the ingredients are adjusted to availability in North America (like Savoy cabbage in lieu of "Weisskohl", bacon to replace "Speckwuerfel"). For sure the ground meat can vary depending on preferences or diets - I bet quite often in the "good old times " regular people did not exactly know what's in the ground meat they got from the butcher - at least it was some meat, for most of the families only once a week.

Albondigas soup with small browned meatballs simmered in stock with garlic, parsley, and white wine. Serve as a Mexican-style meatball soup or a saucy main dish.

Hearty vegetable beef soup packed with potatoes, barley, winter squash, carrots, celery, peppers, and green beans in a tomato-thyme broth. A big-batch fridge-clearer that feeds 12 and improves overnight.

Crispy Mexican style dumplings, like super-mini burritos.

Mexican cornbread is a Texas-style layered skillet-style cornbread with browned ground meat, onion, jalapeños, and melted American cheese sandwiched between golden cornmeal batter.

Perogie puffs are deep-fried dumplings with cottage cheese dough stuffed with mashed potato, cheddar cheese spread, and optional bacon. A crispy Prairie twist on traditional pierogies.

Easy Coney sauce: a smooth, no-bean meat sauce simmered with tomato, mustard, and a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. The classic Coney dog topping that turns a plain hot dog Detroit-style.

Indiana farm sausage is a homemade country breakfast sausage seasoned with sage, marjoram, thyme, and a kick of chili. Shape into logs or marble-sized balls for easy freezing.

Homemade steamed dim sum dumplings with a seasoned ground meat filling in four flavor variations: chili garlic, brown bean, hoisin, and orange zest. A fun Chinese appetizer project that freezes well.

A traditional German stuffed pork belly filled with breadcrumbs, smoked ham, ground meat, and marjoram. Scored, seasoned, and roasted until the rind turns shattering crisp. Served with roasted turnip.