In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef mince, pork sausage meat, fresh breadcrumbs, grated onion, minced garlic, beaten egg, dried sage, salt, and pepper.

Using your hands, gently mix all the ingredients until they are just combined. Be careful not to overwork the mixture, as this can make the meatballs tough.

Roll the mixture into small, walnut-sized balls. You should get around 30 meatballs. I find that lightly wetting my hands stops the mixture from sticking and makes the rolling process much smoother.

Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan or skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer (you may need to do this in two batches).

Sear the meatballs for 5-7 minutes, turning them occasionally, until they have a lovely golden-brown crust on all sides. They don't need to be cooked through at this stage. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. To the same pan, add the cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, light brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, cinnamon stick, and the sprig of rosemary.

Stir everything together and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes. As it cooks, the cranberries will start to pop and the sauce will begin to thicken into a glossy glaze.

Return the browned meatballs to the pan. Gently stir to coat them completely in the cranberry sauce.

Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for a final 8-10 minutes, or until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened further. The internal temperature of the meatballs should reach 71°C for safety, as advised by the Food Standards Agency.

Remove the cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig before serving. Transfer the Christmas Cranberry Meatballs to a serving platter, garnish with some fresh rosemary leaves and a final grating of orange zest.