The days before Thanksgiving should be a time for reflection, introspection, and conveying gratitude to the people we love. These are wonderful goals; hashtag-blessed, and all the rest of it. But, for those of us who obsess about food to the extent that, say, we read food blogs (ahem), this week is about one thing only: putting the finishing touches on the critical-path analysis that is Thanksgiving meal preparation. 

If you are one of the companies for whom I occasionally perform legal work, you can now skip to another post. For the rest of you: one of my favorite Thanksgiving meal-preparation memories, and a harbinger (though not the first) of my ill-fated trajectory as a full-time lawyer, was when my rain-making,micro-managing, Executive Board member of a boss came into my office on this very day five years ago and found me, not working on deposition outlines or dispositive motions that were imminently due, but, rather, reviewing a professionally-bound (on the law firm's dime) self-prepared recipe collection entitled, in conspicuous bold type, "Thanksgiving 2012: an Esposito Family Culinary Adventure." He looked at me, I looked at him, and in that moment we both knew I was not long for that place. (Disobedient legal clients who continued reading this paragraph: I was not fired. I have never been fired. Nor have I ever been broken up with, for that matter. I have a knack for timely exits.)

This is the part of the show where I tell you the point of the last paragraph. It is: you have your hands full preparing for Thanksgiving, and you do not have time to fuss over what you are having for dinner in the interim. Which is why you need to make these meatballs. They are flavorful, delicious, and easy--no vegetable-chopping required (other than the fresh parsley, which is kind of a pain in the ass, but do NOT use dried); the ingredients are easy to assemble; and, after a relatively brief period of browning, they braise up so nicely in the oven while you go back to pouring over recipes, brining turkeys, or whatever it is that you have on your Tuesday-before-Thanksgiving agenda. If you make the full recipe, which I recommend, you won't have to cook anything for a full five days before Thanksgiving (if you are one fairly hungry person), or at least two days if you're a family of two or more.

I love to enjoy these with a simple side of bucatini in olive oil and red pepper flakes, or with a few hunks of crusty bread. Buon appetito, and good luck with your Thanksgiving preparations! I'm sure your green bean casserole is going to slay. 

Skillet-Braised Meatballs (adapted from Saveur)

Ingredients
10 oz ground beef chuck
10 oz ground pork shoulder
4 oz pancetta
1 1⁄4 cups loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, minced, plus more for garnish
2 tsp dried oregano
1 1⁄2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp crushed red chile flakes
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
1⁄4 tsp ground allspice
7 slices white bread, finely ground in a food processor
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2⁄3 cup ricotta
2 tbsp whole milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1⁄4 cup dry red wine, like cabernet or zinfandel
4 cups canned tomato purée
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup beef stock or water
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Grated parmesan, for garnish

Meatball Prep
In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, pancetta, parsley, oregano, fennel seeds, chili flakes, cumin, allspice, and bread crumbs, and season generously with salt and pepper. For me, seasoning generously means about 2 teaspoons of sea salt and 12 grinds of the pepper grinder (or 2 teaspoons if you're using pre-ground pepper, which you should not!!). 

Using your fingers (or your toes, if you are a non-fingered individual), mix ingredients until combined and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, milk, and eggs; add to meat mixture and use your fingers (or someone else's) to mix until combined. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how hungry and impatient you are. Thirty minutes was sufficient for me. Now preheat your oven to 300 degrees and get ready for some meatball magic.

Meatball Cooking
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in two cast-iron skillets (or one large, high-sided skillet) over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs to each skillet, or all the meatballs to the one large skillet; cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. 

Add wine (I used cabernet, but any dry red will do); increase heat to high and cook for two minutes. Stir in tomatoes and beef stock (dividing evenly between skillets, if you're using two), cover, and bring to a boil.

Transfer to oven and bake until meatballs are tender and have absorbed some of the sauce, about one hour if your meatballs received a lot of heat treatment during the browning stage, and for up to 1 1/2 hours if you are concerned about things like slightly undercooked meat. (You pregnant people are so conscientious.)

To serve, transfer meatballs to a platter; spoon over sauce, and garnish heavily with parmesan and parsley. Now go back to watching that Alton Brown video.