Smoked Meatball Sub!

-Pat dry the chuck roast and pork butt, then cut both into chunks. 

-Place the meat in the freezer to chill while you prep the other ingredients.

-In a mixing bowl, combine the panko, jello stock, buttermilk, salt, eggs, egg yolks, grated Parmesan, chopped parsley, minced garlic, chili flakes, oregano, and fennel. Mix to combine thoroughly and set aside as your panade mixture.

-Using a meat grinder with a fine grind setting, grind the chilled beef and pork. Add the panade to the ground meat and mix by hand until evenly combined. Shape the mixture into meatballs of your desired size (about 100g each if you prefer large meatballs).

-Season the outside of each meatball with black pepper, then arrange them on a wire rack. 

-Fire up the pit to 250-275°F, and place the meatballs on the rack in the smoker. 

-Smoke for about an hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 150-155°F. Once done, let the meatballs rest.

-While the meatballs are cooking, make the tomato sauce. 

-In a hot pan, cook down the pancetta until crispy. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking until soft.

- Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer. 

-Stir in red chili flakes, Parmesan rind, salt, and fresh basil. 

-Let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes. 

-Once the sauce is ready, add the smoked meatballs and simmer together for a few minutes to meld the flavors.

-For the hoagie rolls, in a stand mixer, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar, allowing the yeast to activate. Add the diastatic malt powder, bread flour, and salt, mixing until a dough forms. Add the beef tallow or Crisco, and knead for 6-8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.

-Once risen, divide the dough into 150g portions. Form each portion into smooth balls, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes. Use a rolling pin to flatten slightly, forming logs. Pinch the seams, place on a lined baking sheet, and let rise for another 30 minutes. Lightly mist with water, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and score the top with a razor. 

-Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes or until golden.

-To assemble the sub, slice a hoagie roll, and add some tomato sauce. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, place the meatballs inside, and top with provolone and more sauce. Garnish with finely chopped basil, and enjoy your smoky, savory meatball sub!