CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Meatballs on the grill? You’re kidding.

That was the typical reaction I got when I told people I was working on this recipe. I’ll concede it’s an odd idea, but I was convinced that a quick recipe could pack tons of flavor and be cooked entirely on the grill.

Mind you, there were obstacles. First, the meatballs needed to be more than rotund burgers. Second, they needed to be grill-friendly. Finally, they needed to be infused with tomato to suggest the marinara bath most meatballs cook in.

The first problem was an easy fix. The best meatballs generally sport a blend of meats. After reading a few dozen recipes, the consensus seemed to call for equal parts pork, beef and lamb.

For savory undertones, I also added anchovies (which almost “melt” away during cooking) and a bit of garlic for bite. With the remaining ingredients, tradition reigned. That meant Dijon mustard, bread crumbs, parsley and an egg.

I’d hoped the egg would solve problem No. 2, making sure the meatballs would stand up to grilling. This took a few attempts. The first few batches crumbled, fell through the grill and burst into flames.

Upping the egg count to two helped, but to offset the added liquid, I also needed to increase the bread crumbs.

Grill technique also proved key. My efforts were miserable failures. But grilling expert-food photographer Larry Crowe tinkered with the recipe and found that 15 minutes of indirect heat followed by five minutes of direct were perfect.

Now for the missing marinara. I started by simply mixing in tomato sauce, but this again added too much liquid, resulting in more flaming chunks of meat at the bottom of my grill. Tomato paste had far more favorable results.

But I still didn’t have that assertive tomato flavor I wanted. Adding finely diced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes did the trick. Of course, this also added more moisture. I upped the bread crumbs yet again.

We had a winner: meatballs with distinct tomato and savory notes that also are perfect for summer grilling.

For a great sandwich, toss slices of provolone cheese over them during the final minute of grilling.