• Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
• In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and milk. Stir and let sit for 2-3 minutes (panade).
  ½ cup panko bread crumbs, ¼ cup milk
• Add ground beef, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to the bread crumb mixture. Mix until well combined, but do not overmix.
  1 lb ground beef, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 garlic clove
• Roll the meat mixture into approximately 1½-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

  Mom's Tip: Press just enough to form the ball but not more. Try using a 1.5-2 tablespoon cookie scoop for size consistency.
  
• Bake meatballs for 15 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
• While the meatballs bake, whisk together ketchup, pineapple juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl.
  ½ cup ketchup, ¼ cup pineapple juice, ¼ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 teaspoon grated ginger
  
• Remove meatballs from oven and place into an oven-safe dish like a casserole or Dutch oven. Pour the sauce evenly over the meatballs, making sure to cover all surfaces.

  Return meatballs to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and meatballs are glazed.
  
• Optionally garnish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, or cilantro. Serve immediately over rice or butter noodles.
  

Appetizer Sized Sweet and Sour Meatballs

• Roll the meatballs into a smaller size, about 2 teaspoon each.

  Reduce the first baking time to 10 minutes.

  Then glaze with the homemade sweet and sour sauce, return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
• Serve them up with toothpicks for easy appetizer snacking!

Storage

• Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freeze

• Allow meatballs to cool completely, then freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe container or bag. Meatballs freeze well for up to 3 months.

Reheat

• Reheat thawed meatballs in the microwave or oven (covered at 350°F for 15-20 minutes). Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.