2 teaspoons sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- To make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the
ground pork with the salt. Mix thoroughly with your
hands, then set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. - Meanwhile, pour the buttermilk into a large bowl and
sprinkle the gelatin over it. Allow to hydrate for 10
minutes. Add the bread and allow to soak for 10 minutes,
turning the bread occasionally until completely saturated. - After the meat has rested, add the soy sauce, Marmite,
anchovy paste, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, the red pepper
flakes, egg, sugar, fennel, and pepper to taste to the bowl.
Add the bread and buttermilk mixture and mix gently
with your hands until well combined; do not overknead.
Pull off a teaspoon-sized portion of the mixture, place it
on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave it on high
power until cooked through, about 15 seconds. Taste for
seasoning, and add more salt and pepper to the meat
mixture as desired. - Using wet hands, form the mixture into meatballs about 1
inch in diameter (a generous tablespoon per meatballs—
you should get roughly 30 meatballs), placing them on a
large plate as you go. - Heat the vegetable oil in a 10-inch nonstick or cast-iron
skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (a
meatball should sizzle vigorously when you dip the edge
of it into the hot oil). Set aside 4 meatballs and carefully