Cannon Balls Recipes

HAM CANNON BALLS

Steps:

• Turn on oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking dish with shortening. Save until Step 4.
• Tear the bread into pieces and put in blender container. Cover the blender; blend on high speed until crumbs form (you should have about 1 1/2 cups). On cutting board use a sharp knife to cut onion into very small pieces (you should have about 1/2 cup).
• Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Beat with a fork or whisk until yolks and whites are mixed. Add bread crumbs, onion, milk, 1 teaspoon of the mustard, and pepper. Add ground ham and ground pork. Mix well with wooden spoon.
• Place a piece of waxed paper on the counter or table. Put the meat mixture on waxed paper. Use your hands to divide the mixture into 12 portions. Shape each portion into a ball. Place the meatballs in the prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl stir together brown sugar, catsup, vinegar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon mustard. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour over meatballs.
• Put the baking sheet in the oven. Bake about 35 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Turn off oven. Use hot pads to remove baking dish from oven. Use a large spoon to serve meatballs. Stir sauce in dish. Spoon sauce over meatballs to serve.
• Serve with corn on the cob, dinner rolls, and milk.

APPLE CANNONBALLS

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, raisins, nuts, and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
• Core apples and place on individual sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• Spoon mixture evenly into the center of each apple.
• Place butter on top of each apple and wrap apples tightly in foil.
• Place on a preheated grill and cover.
• Cook for about 1/2 hour or until tender.

CANNON BALLS (POTATO DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Add flour, egg, salt, and pepper to cooled mashed potatoes. Divide into 6 portions and flatten into round patties.
• If making your own croutons, in a skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add bread cubes and toss until lightly browned and crisp.
• Place several browned bread cubes or croutons in the center of each patty and bring potato up around the filling to create a ball. Lightly roll in more flour.
• Cook in a generous amount of boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and sprinkle with buttered browned breadcrumbs and serve with gravy.
• Serve immediately, 3 to a soup bowl.

R&R'S REUBEN BALLS

Steps:

• Pour the canned sauerkraut into a colander, "drain" and "lightly rinse" under running water. (If using fresh kraut, you may not need to rinse, your choice). Using your hands, "squeeze" as much water out as possible. Place kraut on a cutting board, pat it "dry" with paper towels, and chop it up finely. (It is very important to do the "drain, rinse, squeeze and dry", otherwise they will not cook properly or be too tasty)!
• Crumble the canned corned beef into a large bowl, add the 2 cheeses, chopped up sauerkraut and dried onions. Using your hands, mix (smoosh) it all together (like your making a meatloaf). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, to let mixture get firm and the dried onions to soften.
• In the meantime, place 3 plates and 1 bowl on the counter to make an assembly station.
• Plate #1: flour, Bowl: milk, Plate #2: dried bread crumbs, Plate #3: just somewhere for your balls to hang out while waiting for the fry.
• When the meat has been chilled for about an hour and has firmed up a bit, start making BALLS! I usually try to do 1" size. Roll some in your hands, toss 'em in the flour, dunk them in the milk, roll thru the bread crumbs and set them on Plate #3! Easy peasy, but messy! Just be sure that each of these steps are completely covering your balls.
• This is where you can choose to fry them right away, or put them on cookie sheet and place in freezer for an hour, and let them freeze thru. Then toss them all in zip-lock baggies to use as a "when needed" basis. Just be sure to let them rest on the counter from freezer to fry (DO NOT try to defrost in microwave).
• Frying: Heat up the oil over med-high heat.The oil should be hot enough to make a pinch of the flour we used bubble. (I never use a thermo, I always just guess at the temperature. One sacrificial ball goes in at the start of the fry)! Depending on the size of your pot of oil, DO NOT over-crowd it, or the oil temp will drop, and you will end up with very greasy balls (that is why I test one first). Make batches at a time. They will stay hot for a very long time. Fry for approx 1 - 2 mins, turning with a slotted spoon, until the coating gets browned (DO NOT burn them, they will taste "icky" then)! Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
• I serve these with cups of Thousand Island dressing (or Russian) for a dipping sauce, but I don't eat the balls with either. Plain is fine by me! I hope you enjoy these as much as we do.