seeking the perfect meatball..... I've tried 3 different recipes and non of them

R

randi

Well-known member
are anything I'd make again. just not tasty enough and sometimes not tender enough (to dry). I've searched for recipes and most of them seem to just about the same, meat, bread crumbs, milk & eggs & Parm.

I got tired of square meatballs and deep fried the last batch, not impressed. the recipe below is about the same as most I've found. Rao's (same meat & egg proportion as below) called for 2 cups of day old bread crumbs. ya mix it all together and 4 cups of water.... ahem, no way it would have held up with that much water!

does anyone have a T&T for a tasty, tender meatball? TIA

MEATBALLS IN RED SAUCE

You can use purchased sauce here, your own homemade or the versatile Tomato-Sausage Sauce. This is terrific over pasta.

2 large slices white bread, crusts trimmed, torn into pieces

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 1/2 pounds ground pork

2 large eggs

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

2 26-ounce jars prepared tomato pasta sauce (about 6 1/2 cups)

3 cups water

Combine bread and milk in small bowl. Let soak 10 minutes. Squeeze bread to release excess milk; discard milk.

Place beef, pork and next 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add soaked bread and mix thoroughly. Using moistened hands, shape mixture into meatballs, using about 1/3 cup for each.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Working in batches, add meatballs to pot and brown on all sides, turning often, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer cooked meatballs to bowl.

Pour off all but 4 tablespoons fat from pot. Add pasta sauce, water and meatballs. Simmer over medium heat until meatballs are tender and sauce thickens to desired consistency, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.

Makes 18.

Bon Appétit

July 1997

 
Hi Randi. Cook's Illustrated had the same issues you now have with most recipes.

Here is their solution. I've used this recipe for meatballs many times and it always comes out tender, moist and well-flavored.

Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs
1/1998

This streamlined recipe can be on the table in under an hour.

Serves 4 to 6
Meatballs

2 slices white sandwich bread (crusts discarded), torn into small cubes
1/2 cup buttermilk or 6 tablespoons plain yogurt thinned with 2 tablespoons sweet milk
3/4 pound ground beef chuck ( or 1 pound if omitting ground pork below)
1/4 pound ground pork (to be mixed with ground chuck)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 large egg yolk
1 small clove garlic , minced (1 teaspoon)
3/4 teaspoon table salt
Ground black pepper
vegetable oil for pan-frying (about 1 1/4 cups)

Simple Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
Table salt and ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
grated Parmesan cheese


1. For the meatballs: Combine bread and buttermilk in small bowl, mashing occasionally with fork, until smooth paste forms, about 10 minutes.

2. Mix all meatball ingredients, including bread mixture and pepper to taste in medium bowl. Lightly form 3 tablespoons of mixture into 1 1/2-inch round meatballs; repeat with remaining mixture to form approximately 14 meatballs. (Compacting them can make the meatballs dense and hard. Can be placed on large plate, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for several hours.)

3. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large pot for cooking pasta.

4. Meanwhile, heat 1/4 -inch vegetable oil over medium-high heat in 10- or 11-inch sauté pan. When edge of meatball dipped in oil sizzles, add meatballs in single layer. Fry, turning several times, until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes, regulating heat as needed to keep oil sizzling but not smoking. Transfer browned meatballs to paper towel--lined plate; set aside. Repeat, if necessary, with remaining meatballs.

5. For the sauce, discard oil in pan, leaving behind any browned bits. Add olive oil along with garlic; sauté, scraping up any browned bits, just until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, bring to boil, and simmer gently until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil; add salt and pepper to taste. Add meatballs and simmer, turning them occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over low flame.

6. Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente, drain, and return to pot. Ladle several large spoonfuls of tomato sauce (without meatballs) over spaghetti and toss until noodles are well coated. Divide pasta among individual bowls and top each with a little more tomato sauce and 2 to 3 meatballs. Serve immediately with grated cheese passed separately.


Michael

 
REC: Eggplant Meatballs

Randi, I've been using these for years. They freeze well, eggplant makes them moist and fluffy. No one knows it is in there!

Eggplant Meatballs

1 eggplant, peeled, diced and blanched, drain
well and let cool. (You may need to gently
prees out some of the water)
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesean cheese
3 or more garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good quality bread crumbs
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tablespoons dried basil or use fresh and
add more
salt and pepper

Mix ingredients well and make meatballs. Fry
in olive oil, drain on paper towels. Serve
with your favorite pasta sauce. You can also
put on a baking sheet, freeze, then put into
freezer bags for use later on. These are
great if you make small ones, combine with a
red sauce in a chafing dish and serve on a
buffet as an appetizer.

 
This is one that I like. I am not sure about tender...

but they are full of flavor. I think I usually add a little more garlic. Try not to overmix the meat mixture when mixing all your ingredients. I have to restrain myself from a tendancy to overmix it.

* Exported from MasterCook *

McCall's Italian Meatballs (1973)

Recipe By :McCall's (1973) / Amy/CT
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beef Ground Beef

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

2 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup dry -- flavored bread
crumbs
2 cloves garlic -- crushed
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs -- slightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 cup chopped parsley or chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup olive oil

In large bowl, combine all ingredients, except oil. Mix well with hands to combine.
With moistened hands, shape into meatballs1-1/2 inches in diameter.Saute meatballs in skillet with oil until browned all over. Remove from skillet, add to simmering sauce for 30 minutes longer.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 
this probably defeats the purpose but

I like Trader Joe's frozen turkey meatballs. I haven't tried the beef ones but I heard they're good as well.

 
The meatballs from the "Meatball Minestrone" (Posted by Michael in Phoenix?) . . .

they are good, especially if you add extra minced garlic. That spinach in them adds a certain something that is pretty tasty.

And since I usually do not have dry bread crumbs around, Italian or not, I usually whirl old bread heels around in my VitaMixer till I get crumbs and then dry them some in the oven--or I whirl toast in the mixer and make crumbs from that.

Beat the egg lightly before you add to the meat mixture and mix the meat as little as you can. I like the procedure below of baking them in the oven. It's easy and I can do other things while they are baking.

MEATBALL MINESTRONE
1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/3 cup dry Italian breadcrumbs
1 egg (I usually use 2 eggs)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
4 (14-1/2) oz. cans beef broth
1 (1-lb.) can tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 (1-lb.) can red kidney beans
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup rotelle or elbow macaroni


With hands, squeeze as much moisture from spinach as possible. In large bowl combine spinach, beef, crumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Shape into 1-inch balls. Bake on oiled cookie sheet for 20 minutes at 350º F. Drain and set aside.

In drippings from meatballs, sauté onions, stirring occasionally, until soft. Stir in broth, tomatoes (break up with spoon) and their liquid, beans and their liquid, oregano and basil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add carrots and celery; cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Stir in pasta; cover and simmer until pasta is cooked al dente—about 10 minutes. Place meatballs in soup and heat through.
Makes about 14 1-cup servings.
Source: Sunset magazine

 
addendum: I almost always add extra breadcrumbs as I usually have . . .

more than I need because I make them. The meat mixture is pretty dang loose and I just barely pat them in a rough ball shape before I bake them.

 
way cool, thanks everyone! I'm going to make the first two this weekend and just keep

going down the recipes. I'm guessing the buttermilk enzymes make a difference? I'm sure I'll get an all time favorite from one of these recipes, they all sound so good.

Don has been happy with the ones I've made but he's a west coast country boy who was raised veggan. for this NYC gal, used to good Italian cooking, they just don't measure up. I'm looking forward to trying all of the recipes smileys/smile.gif

thanks so much.

 
we love eggplant. do you salt the eggplant and let it sit for an hour to

release the extra moisture? annnd, do you make your own bread crumbs or are you using the progresso brand of dried crumbs.

making yours and Michael's this weekend and the the rest the next weekend. I guess I should plan on having company for spaget & meatballs... '-))

Karen, can you email me...

Randi
at
newportnet.com

thanks

 
thanks, I think I'm going to try searing them in the oven for about 10 min so

they can set-up and then plunk in sauce. did you see the recipe for spinach arancini on the link? arancini is my fav thing to do with leftover risotto.

 
Randi, I went back to the issue it came from and this is the paragraph pertaining to the buttermilk.

"My colleague Pam Anderson found that yogurt adds a delicious flavor to meat loaf. Yogurt is too thick to properly soften bread by my method so I tried thinning it with some milk. Meatballs made with thinned yogurt wre even richer, creamier, and more flavorful than those made with plain milk. I also tried buttermilk and the results were equally delicous, and there was no need to thin the liquid before adding it to the bread."

Don't know about any enzyme thing, but they sure are light and tasty.

 
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