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Four large lion's head pork meatballs in a dark ceramic bowl, resting on braised napa cabbage in a glossy broth, topped with shredded ginger and sliced scallions, a bowl of steamed rice and chopsticks to the side

Lion's Head Meatballs (Chinese Braised Pork Meatballs)

Lion's head meatballs are oversized, cloud-tender Chinese pork meatballs braised on a bed of napa cabbage in a light savory broth. This leaner version uses 90% lean pork and egg whites to land 35g of protein per serving, with the classic bounce and juiciness intact.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 410
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb ground pork, 90% lean about 680g; 90/10 keeps the meatballs juicy without the fat of the classic version
  • 3 large egg whites the binder that holds the big meatballs together
  • 0.5 cup water chestnuts, finely chopped about 75g; canned is fine, adds the traditional crunch
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch, divided 2 tbsp in the meat, 1 tbsp for the finishing slurry
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce, divided
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 stalks scallions, whites minced and greens sliced (kept separate)
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 lb napa cabbage, cut into 2 inch pieces about 450g, roughly half a medium head
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce for color; skip if you only have light soy
  • 1 tsp sugar

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl combine the pork, egg whites, water chestnuts, 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch, Shaoxing wine, 2 tablespoons of the light soy sauce, ginger, garlic, scallion whites, sesame oil and white pepper. Stir hard in one direction with a spatula or your hand for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture turns sticky and paste-like and starts pulling away from the bowl.
  2. That one-direction stirring is the whole trick. Working the mince in a single direction lines up the proteins so the meatballs turn springy and bounce instead of falling apart, the texture that gives lion's head its name.
  3. Divide the mixture into 4 and shape each portion into one big meatball, about the size of a tennis ball. Wet your hands and toss each ball firmly between your palms a few times to compact it and knock out air pockets. The large size is not for show, it is what keeps the centers juicy through the braise.
  4. Heat the neutral oil in a wide Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high. Gently lower in the meatballs and brown them on two or three sides, about 4 minutes total, just to set a skin. They will not be cooked through and they are fragile at this stage, so turn them carefully with two spoons. Lift them out to a plate.
  5. Add the napa cabbage to the same pot and stir for about 2 minutes, until it starts to wilt and picks up the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Spread it into an even bed.
  6. Pour in the chicken broth, the remaining 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sugar. Nestle the meatballs on top of the cabbage. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low for 40 minutes, spooning some broth over the tops once or twice along the way.
  7. Lift the meatballs and cabbage into a serving bowl. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water, whisk it into the simmering broth, and cook for about a minute until the sauce lightly coats a spoon. Pour it over the meatballs, scatter with the scallion greens, and serve with rice.