Habanero BBQ Pork Meatballs for a Spicy Super Bowl Party

Every week, we’re spotlighting a different food blogger who’s shaking up the blogosphere with tempting recipes and knockout photography. Below, Dan Whalen of The Food in My Beard shows us what happens when you cross a meatball sub with a pulled pork sandwich. (Spoiler: Good things!) The finished product would be a spicy, hearty addition to any Super Bowl party.

Photo: The Food in My Beard

Habanero BBQ Pork Meatballs
Serves 4 (makes about 20 meatballs)

I was recently debating whether to do riff on a meatball sub or a pulled pork sandwich, but then I thought, “Why not combine the two?” This spicy BBQ meatball sandwich is delicious and was inspired by ingredients I had lying around. (Habanero and feta actually go together really well!) The final sandwich is crunchy, sweet, salty, and—obviously—tasty.

For meatballs:
1 lb. ground pork
3 habanero chili peppers, carefully de-seeded (use gloves!) and minced
1 2-square-inch cube of feta (about 4 oz.)
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1 tsp. honey
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

For sandwich:
1 cup tomato sauce (store-bought or homemade)
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (store-bought or homemade)
3 cups coleslaw (store-bought or homemade)
4 good-quality bulkie rolls

Using hands, mix meatball ingredients together, being careful not to compress them too much.

Form about 20 meatballs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on rimmed baking sheet 1 inch apart. Broil for 5 minutes on one side, then carefully flip using tongs, and broil for 5 minutes on other side. They should have crisp, brown marks.

Combine tomato and BBQ sauce in medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Bring to simmer. Add meatballs and cook for 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens and sticks to meatballs. Serve on bulkie rolls with coleslaw.

More ways to love meatballs:

Extra-tender meatballs with twice-baked potatoes

Light, healthy ginger-chicken meatballs

"Lazy" but satisfying sausage meatballs

What’s your favorite food mashup? Tell us below!