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Recipe Provided By
"Cossette's Kitchen"
Ingredients
For the Molasses Barbeque sauce:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small shallot, (minced). (You can also substitute with 3 tablespoons onion)
- 4 cloves of garlic, (minced)
- tomato paste (one 6-oz small can)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
- 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/3 cup maple syrup (can be substituted with honey or brown sugar)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika (sweet paprika is fine too)
- 2 tablespoons ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (stone ground or smooth)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or any vinegar white, rice or red wine would work well)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (can substitute with Aleppo pepper or chili pepper for less heat)
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
Lamb meat balls:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, (diced)
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt, (divided)
- 5 cloves of garlic, (minced)
- 2 teaspoons ground Allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 cup fine bulgur
- 1/3 cup milk, (any type of milk will work including alternatives)
- 2 pounds ground American lamb
- 2 tablespoon dried mint
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 2 tablespoons toum (optional, but recommended)
Directions
Prepare the Molasses Barbeque sauce:
In a medium sized pot heat your olive oil and add your minced onion. Cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes until slightly translucent.
Next, add your minced garlic and heat until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Finally, add your remaining ingredients and whisk to incorporate everything over medium-high heat. The mixture will slightly thicken and bubble after 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper.
In a large skillet, heat your olive oil on medium heat. Add your onion and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt (half if using table salt) and allow to cook and soften for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly translucent.
Add your minced garlic as well as your all-spice, cinnamon and coriander. Allow garlic and spices to cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
In a small bowl add your bulgur or breadcrumbs and milk. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add your ground lamb, cooled onion spice mixture, bulgur mixture, dried mint, ground pepper, remaining 3 teaspoons of kosher salt (half if using table salt), pomegranate molasses and toum.
Using clean hands, work all the ingredients into a cohesive mixture.
**Pro tip : to test your mixture for flavor and salt, take a small bit and pop into microwave for 10-15 seconds or pan fry (in your onion/spice pan) and taste.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop a small portion of lamb mixture and form into a small ball. If weighing for consistency or for an idea how large they should be, each should weigh about 25 grams and measure about 1-1.5” across.
Bake on tray at a time at 425 degrees for 12 minutes in the upper 1/3 of your over. Ground lamb should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove and serve with pomegranate barbeque sauce labheh and pomegranate seeds.
The USDA recommends ground lamb reach an internal temperature of 160F.
