Lion’s Head Meatballs (狮子头, Shi Zi Tou)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Servings
4 to 6 servings
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Calories
285 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Lion’s Head Meatballs (狮子头, Shi Zi Tou)
Description
Lion’s Head Meatballs combine ground pork with Shaoxing wine, light and dark soy sauces, salt, sugar, grated ginger, chopped green onions, finely chopped water chestnuts, eggs, and panko breadcrumbs. Sesame oil added at the end enhances their aroma. The mixture is deliberately quite soft, which results in tender, juicy meatballs once cooked.
They are shaped carefully in 1/3 cup portions and browned in batches in a skillet with peanut or vegetable oil over medium heat. Browning gently on all sides creates a golden crust while maintaining a delicate interior. Cooking them like thick burger patties and then turning on edges can help keep their shape without breaking.
These meatballs pair well with sautéed or steamed greens or can be served with rice. The seasoning level can be adjusted depending on the meal context; slightly more salt benefits serving with rice. Handling the soft mixture carefully during shaping is key to success, and the added water chestnuts provide subtle crunch within the soft texture.
Gentle cooking and shaping techniques help keep the meatballs intact despite the loose texture, and the method produces a richly flavored dish with a tender bite.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork
- 4 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or soy sauce, light
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt (*Footnote 1)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons ginger grated
- 4 green onions , minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 12 water chestnuts finely chopped, one 8-oz / 227-g can
- 3 egg
- 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
Instructions
Prepare the meatballs
- Add ground pork into a large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of water. Mix well with a spatula until water is fully incorporated.
- Add Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, sugar, grated ginger, cornstarch, and scallion. Mix well.
- Add water chestnuts and eggs. Mix a few times. Then add panko. Mix well.
- At the end, add sesame oil. Mix until it forms a soft paste.
Cook the meatballs
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Turn to medium heat.
- Brown the meatballs in batches. Scoop 1/3 cup of the ground meat mixture and shape it into a meatball. The meatball will be quite soft, barely able to hold its shape (so the finished meatballs will be tender and juicy). If the meatballs are too hard to handle and cannot hold their shape, add a bit more panko and mix again.
- Carefully place 3 to 4 meatballs in the skillet and make sure to leave enough space to flip them. When the bottom side turns golden brown, carefully roll the ball with a spatula to cook the other sides. Continue to do this until at least two sides are set and browned (*see footnote 2). Transfer to a deep plate or a bowl that can fit into your steamer rack. Continue to brown the rest of the meatballs.
- Steam the browned meatballs in batches. Heat water in a steamer until boiling. Place the plate of meatballs on the steaming rack and place the steaming rack onto the steamer. Cook covered until the meatballs are cooked through, 30 minutes or so.
- Cook the rest of the batches using the same method. After cooking the first batch, check the water level and add more if it runs too low. Serve hot as a main.
Storage and reheat
- Store the meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. After steaming, the meatballs will render some fat and liquid. Drizzle it onto the meatballs before storage, to keep them tender and moist.
- The best way to reheat the meatballs is by steaming, the same method used to cook them. The meatballs will be heated evenly and still be moist inside. Alternatively, you can use the microwave. Make sure the container has some liquid (leftover grease or 1 teaspoon water) in it. Place a loose lid on top and heat it up in the microwave.
Notes
- The meat mixture is quite soft; handle meatballs gently to avoid breaking while shaping and cooking.
- If the mixture is too soft to hold shape, add more panko breadcrumbs and mix again.
- For serving with rice, consider increasing salt slightly to about 1 1/2 teaspoons.
- Cook meatballs by browning top and bottom first, then use spatulas to brown edges carefully to maintain shape.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4to 6 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 285 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 285kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 19.2g | 6% |
| Protein | 24.2g | 48% |
| Fat | 12.2g | 19% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 137mg | 46% |
| Sodium | 922mg | 38% |
| Potassium | 463mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 0.5g | 2% |
| Sugar | 4.6g | 9% |
| Calcium | 32mg | 3% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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