Fallout 76: Cranberry Meatball Grinders

Originally, a lot of Fallout 76’s storytelling was in logs and notes scattered around the world. One of the more interesting set pieces in Beckley is Sal’s Grinders and Big Papa Moe’s Lip Smackin’ Sandwiches. Before the war, Sal Jefferson opened Sal’s Grinders, which was a sandwich shop that specialized in sandwiches with the use of cranberry. At one point, a rival sandwich shop was opened directly across the street by Sal’s rival, Charlie. This shop had the audacity to even specialize in cranberry sandwiches. For some reason, all of Sal’s loyal customers were addicted to Big Papa Moe’s Lip Smackin’ Sandwiches.

Sal began to lose business and several of his employees even left to work at the new shop. Sal later discovered why the customers suddenly became addicted to these sandwiches. Charlie was using cranberries grown in a radiated quarry. Sal knew he had to get revenge. That is all the information we are given about these feuding sandwich shops.

With such an interesting story, I knew I had to attempt to make the cranberry meatball grinder. This is an item that can be currently made in game with the use of scorchbeast meat and topped with cranberry sauce. This sandwich was likely the main item sold at both of the shops, well… minus the scorchbeast because those weren’t a thing prior to the war. Today, we will be making the version that was likely served at the shops, minus any irradiated cranberries. The sweetness of the cranberries plays extremely nicely with the savory meatballs. One way to take these up to the next level is to top them with giardiniera.

Cranberry Sauce
2 cups cranberries
⅓ cup orange juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp lemon zest
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup honey
6 oz tomato paste
15 oz tomato sauce
½ cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder

Combine the cranberries, orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, lemon zest, sugar, and honey in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the cranberries to split open, as pictured above.

Lightly mash the cranberries. Add the tomato paste and mix together well. Add the tomato sauce, water, salt, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside until the meatballs are cooked.

Meatballs
2 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground lamb
1 lb ground chicken
½ cup panko
1 egg
1 tsp salt
2 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup parsley, minced

Heat a pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and place on a plate with a paper towel to drain the excess oil. Allow to cool completely.

TCombine the ground lamb, ground chicken, panko, egg, salt, fennel seed, pepper, parsley, and cooked shallots in a large bowl. Stir together until just combined. Split into 80 gram meatballs, you should end up with about 15 to 17.

Heat a large pan with canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown each side and cook through. Add the cranberry sauce to the pan and simmer over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve on a bun and top with giardiniera.

Print Recipe

Cranberry Meatball Grinders

Ingredients

Cranberry Sauce

• 2 cups cranberries
• ⅓ cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 6 oz tomato paste
• 15 oz tomato sauce
• ½ cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder

Meatballs

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 lb ground chicken
• ½ cup panko
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼ cup parsley minced

Instructions

• Combine the cranberries, orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, lemon zest, sugar, and honey in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, allowing the cranberries to split open.
• Lightly mash the cranberries. Add the tomato paste and mix together well. Add the tomato sauce, water, salt, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside until the meatballs are cooked.
• Heat a pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until just softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and place on a plate with a paper towel to drain the excess oil. Allow to cool completely.
• Combine the ground lamb, ground chicken, panko, egg, salt, fennel seed, pepper, parsley, and cooked shallots in a large bowl. Stir together until just combined. Split into 80 gram meatballs, you should end up with about 14 – 17.
• Heat a large pan with canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and brown each side and cook through. Add the cranberry sauce to the pan and simmer over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve on a bun and top with giardiniera.