Get Creative And Bind Meatballs With Crushed Graham Crackers

You might be familiar with using breadcrumbs in your classic meatball recipe but what about swapping them out with graham cracker crumbs instead? Bread is a crucial component for your meatballs since the starch helps them retain moisture and acts as a binder that prevents them from crumbling apart. Crushed graham cracker crumbs work the same way as regular breadcrumbs but add a sweetness that balances well with the savory flavor of meatballs. 

The inspiration for using graham crackers as a meatball ingredient isn't as uncommon as you may think. In fact, graham crackers are commonly used in recipes for ham balls — specifically Iowa ham balls, a midwestern favorite. Iowa ham balls are made with a combination of ground ham and other meats, most commonly ground beef and/or pork. They also have a unique sauce that incorporates tomato soup, brown sugar, vinegar, and mustard. The sweet nuttiness of the graham crackers pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the ham — this, combined with the sugar, makes these meatballs more on the sweet side. But graham cracker crumbs work equally as well in regular meatballs if you enjoy a touch of sweetness alongside more savory components; you can either use all graham cracker crumbs or half graham cracker, half regular breadcrumbs for a more subtly sweet flavor.

Before adding graham crackers to your meatballs you will have to crush them into tiny crumbs, which will require more than just crushing them up with your hands. The easiest method is using a food processor or blender. Simply add a few graham crackers into your machine (tearing them into small enough pieces so that they fit) and pulse until they are entirely crushed into fine crumbs. Food processors are ideal for grinding up all kinds of food in no time and the best part is they require no physical exertion — just the touch of a button and your graham crackers will be crushed and ready to add to your meatballs.

For another method that requires a bit of elbow grease but also works well, especially if you don't own a food processor, try using a rolling pin to crush your graham crackers. Simply place the crackers in a plastic storage bag and use the rolling pin to crush them into pieces. It might be more difficult with this method to get finely crushed crumbs but it still works in a pinch and should suffice for your meatball recipe. If you'd rather save a step, you can also buy graham cracker crumbs from the store but they often cost more than buying them whole. 

Hawaiian meatballs are another ball variation that often uses graham cracker crumbs as a binder instead of regular breadcrumbs. These tasty meatballs are made with a sweet and sour sauce, incorporating ingredients like pineapple and green pepper. If you're a fan of Hawaiian pizza you'll love Hawaiian ham balls which are made with ham and ground pork instead of ground beef. No matter what type of meat you use, these sweet and tangy meatballs can be served over rice for a meal or by themselves alongside pineapple slices as an appetizer. 

Crockpots or slow cookers work great for keeping meatballs warm for party appetizers. After making your graham cracker crumb meatballs from scratch, you can pan-fry them or stick them in the oven to cook. If you're short on time, consider using a blender to mix your ingredients for the most flavorful meatballs in record time. Once cooked, add them to the crockpot, pour on the sauce, and set it on low for a few hours — once the sauce is hot they'll be ready to serve. In addition to sweet and sour pineapple sauce, grape jelly with barbecue sauce and cranberries with chili sauce are other sauces that taste great with graham cracker crumb meatballs.