Meatball recipe help ..

[disneyred]

Hi to all the cooks here :

I have seen a simple recipe somewhere long time ago which made great
meatballs..
Can someone out there help with one ??
I have veal minced meat and hamburger meat. How can I combine these
2 items to make meatballs...
TIA.

 

[pumba]

mix the meat together thoroughly and add one egg and your italian seasonings....then some italian breadcrumbs and mix up good......I add my meatballs directly to the simmering sauce and plop them in one at a time around the rim of the pot and then in the middle....do not stir for about five or so minutes and then gently move them around so they are all under the sauce.....cook in your sauce about four hours and you will have some awesome meatballs....

 

[disneyred]

great.. thanks pumba...

is it ok to skip the breadcumbs... what does this do for the recipe ??
Can I use a substitute ??

thanks.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Always brown your meatballs in olive oil before adding to the sauce. We brown the meatball in a dutch oven and then make the sauce in that same pot.

 

[pumba]

the breadcrumbs sort of keep the meat together so it wont fall apart.....I use very lean beef and also either venison or moose burger....so I need a little to keep it together...
Some people do cook their meatballs first but I have never done that....just a matter of choice.because I cook my sauce most of the day .....the meatballs are well cooked.....

 

[Dina]

I bake the meatballs before adding to the sauce. Just put them on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven. I think I usually do 350-375 for 30 minutes. I used to brown them in a pan, but that was a pain when I was making alot for a party, and I found that baking was easier.

My great grandmother (Italian) didn't bake or brown them either before putting in the sauce, just put them right in. I think that may be the real Italian method-- that's also why they call it gravy rather than sauce because they meatballs cook so long in the sauce it gives it a meat base.

 

[disneyred]

Much appreciated for all these tips !!

 

[mickeyfan2]

the breadcrumbs sort of keep the meat together so it wont fall apart.....I use very lean beef and also either venison or moose burger....so I need a little to keep it together...
Some people do cook their meatballs first but I have never done that....just a matter of choice.because I cook my sauce most of the day .....the meatballs are well cooked.....

The breadcrumbs are to make them lighter, the eggs hold them together. The meatball will cook in the sauce, but will have a grey color. To get the brown color you need to brown them in oil first. Browning is really only for color.

 

[Dina]

They actually do get brown when you bake them as well-- like a meatloaf. Less fat since you don't need the olive oil, I line my sheet with aluminum foil, and just spray some fat free pam.

 

[ncbyrne]

If you don't have prepared store bought breadcrumbs, you can always just dampen a peice of bread and squish it in with the meat and egg mixture. You can also make your own breadcrumbs by tossing a few pieces of bread in a blender or food processor.
I always make my own bread crumbs out of the ends of bread and keep it in a zip lock bag in the freezer.

 

[mickeyfan2]

They actually do get brown when you bake them as well-- like a meatloaf. Less fat since you don't need the olive oil, I line my sheet with aluminum foil, and just spray some fat free pam.

Yes we do this too, but dearly departed Italian Grandmother would fry the. I was referring to just putting the raw meat in the sauce. Those turn out grey.

ETA: Same GM would put out some slices of bread the night before and then break them up into the meat. This is better than bread crumbs (what I usually do) but you need to plan for this.

 

[castleview]

For every pound of meet, I'll use 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese - it's so good. I like tout mine in a baking dish and add water to the bottom. Steaming's a little bit healthier than frying them.

 

[Zandy595]

1 to 1½ lbs of ground beef or combination of beef, veal, pork (whatever you like. I use ground chuck)
1 egg
¼ cup milk
½ cup dry bread crumbs ( I use Progresso Italian)
2 Tablespoons finely minced onion ( I use 1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes)
¾ teaspoon salt

Beat egg, add milk, bread crumbs, onion & salt, mix. Add meat and combine. I use my KitchenAid stand mixer on low speed because I hate putting my hands in raw meat. Form meatballs, place on foil lined, greased pans and bake at 375º for 25 minutes (for ping pong ball size). I let them drain on papertowels before putting them in sauce.

 

[krcit]

I make meatballs all the time, using my Italian MIL's recipe. I have no measurements though, sorry. I mix an egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, grated cheese and bake for about 20 minutes. Then I throw them rigfht in my sauce to cook for a few hours.

 

[disneyred]

Great ideas here !!! I will be passing these tips along to one of my
friends whom have been talking and talking about making homemade meatballs for the longest time ... now she has no excuse with all the
tips I have found here !

 

[imsorry]

I use lean ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, finely chopped onion and garlic, chopped fresh parsley and a little milk. Mix well and bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, then add to the spaghetti sauce to simmer.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

DO NOT OVERMIX YOUR MEAT!! It will make your meatballs tough. Just mix until ingredients are combined.