Video summary

These Meatballs Cook Their Own Rice!

Main summary

Key takeaways

Cooking

Presenter / Channel

  • Back That Yeah (Back That Yeah, fam)

Ingredients (with quantities when given)

Meatball base

  • Beef mince (quantity not specified)
  • Carrot, grated (amount not specified; for sweetness)
  • Celery, fine-ish dice (amount not specified)
  • Mixed herbs / Italian herbs, a pinch (plus more later “a good pinch”)
  • Salt (small amount; “don’t want too much”)
  • Black pepper (a little)
  • Garlic powder (a bit)
  • Onion powder (a bit)
  • Optional: smoked paprika (for smokiness)
  • Egg (1)
  • Long grain rice, rinsed (amount not specified; “this cheap rice”)
    • Key concept: “These meatballs cook their own rice.”

Soup / cooking sauce

  • Condensed tomato soup, a couple of cans (brand unspecified)
  • Water, to rinse out the cans (amount not specified)
  • Worcestershire sauce (amount not specified)
  • Optional/extra flavor: smoked paprika (a little bit)
  • Sugar (a little; amount not specified)
  • Beef stock (a little bit; method: cubes, gravy granules, or bought)

Serving

  • Mashed potatoes (quantity not specified)
    • Butter, milk, sour cream (optional choices/amounts not specified)
    • Salt (optional)
    • Technique: potatoes boiled from cold water, drained, mashed smooth or lumpy
  • Parsley, for garnish (amount not specified; optional)

Equipment / preparation

  • Mixing bowl (to combine meatball mixture)
  • Grater (for carrot)
  • Knife/board (for fine-ish dice celery)
  • Pan for searing meatballs
  • Pot/pan for simmering in tomato soup mixture (with lid)
  • Kitchen towel (to blot excess oil / remove burnt bits)
  • Pot for boiling potatoes

Step-by-step method (key timings/temps/technique cues)

1) Make the meatball mixture

  1. Combine in a bowl:
    • Beef mince
    • Grated carrot
    • Fine-ish diced celery
    • Pinch of mixed herbs / Italian herbs
    • Salt and black pepper
    • Garlic powder and onion powder
    • Optional: smoked paprika
    • 1 egg
    • Rinsed long-grain rice
  2. Add another good pinch of mixed/Italian herbs and mix thoroughly.
  3. Shape into meatballs (size up to you).

Technique note: Meatballs are “soft”—be gentle so they don’t break.

2) Brown meatballs (brief sear)

  1. Heat a pan with oil (olive oil or any cooking oil).
  2. Fry meatballs briefly for color/crust:
    • Cook “all the way around”
    • Keep a “nice and steady” heat
  3. Remove once browned; meatballs finish cooking later in the soup.

Common issue cue: If you see burnt bits or too much oil, remove with kitchen towel—“that is burnt. Not flavor.”

3) Make the condensed tomato soup sauce

  1. In a heated pan, combine:
    • Condensed tomato soup (a couple of cans)
    • Water used to rinse the cans (so you don’t waste any)
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Smoked paprika (a little bit)
    • Sugar
    • Beef stock (for depth of flavor)
  2. Bring mixture to a simmer.

4) Cook meatballs in the sauce (the “self-cooking rice” part)

  1. Place browned meatballs into the simmering soup mixture.
  2. Put a lid on and turn the heat right down.
  3. Simmer gently:
    • Cook for ~40–45 minutes
    • Stir gently within that time and ensure nothing catches on the bottom.

Technique cue: Stir to prevent sticking, but keep it gentle since the meatballs are tender and not fully cooked inside yet.

5) Make mashed potatoes (for serving)

  1. Boil potatoes (from cold water), optionally with salt.
  2. Drain.
  3. Mash with butter, milk, and/or sour cream (smooth or lumpy).

6) Plate/serve

  1. Spoon mashed potatoes onto plates.
  2. Hollow a bit in the center (“nice little hollowing out”).
  3. Add meatballs into the hollow.
  4. Ladle over tomato soup sauce generously.
  5. Optional garnish: parsley (“a little bit of parsley”).
  6. Name callout: “porcupine meatballs” because rice sticks up through the meatballs as they cook.

Chef tips / variation notes

  • Flavor boost: Add “some flavor on those meatballs” before they go into soup (herbs/spices, onion/garlic powders, optional smoked paprika).
  • Beef stock vs plain soup: Claims beef stock adds better depth than tomato soup alone.
  • Do not rush the simmer: Use a gentle simmer for 40–45 minutes.
  • Prevent sticking/burning: Gentle stirring and watch the bottom of the pan.
  • Optional flavoring variations:
    • Use Italian herbs or mixed herbs
    • Add smoked paprika (optional in meatballs and also in sauce)
    • Serve with mashed potatoes (specifically mentioned)

Safety

  • No food-safety guidance mentioned in the subtitles.

Referenced sources

  • None mentioned.

Original video