premade, frozen meatballs?

[plyeng2ff]

I have tried every brand of Frozen meatballs and could never find any that my family would enjoy. ( Our dogs appreciated them)

So , I baked homemade meatballs which take time (shopping for ingredients etc). One day I was really rushed and I picked up a bag of Italian style meatballs from Sam's club and my family gobbled them up. I always have them in the freezer- let me grab them now. They are Casa Di Bertacchi Authentic Italian Style Beef Meatballs Fully Cooked 5/8 ounce aproximately 153 meatballs.
My family prefers the smaller ones and they make great appetizers.
I doctor up jarred sauce .
.

Funny Story

At my wife bridal shower, someone bought the Sams Club meatball and my aunt comes up to us and wants the recipe for them. We had her convince that they were a top secret family recipe.

 

[ah1126]

They passed the husband test!!! Thanks guys!

 

[laughinplace199]

I use Cooked Perfect Italian Style meatballs, they are in a red and green bag. I've also bought them at BJ's in a brown bag, can't remember the name, but they are very good too.

Just this year I have started to make my own sauce (gravy for my Boston co-workers) and meatballs. I was hearing everyone talk about how easy it is and it's really not bad. I use the kitchenboss recipe, minus the extra bread when I'm feeling adventurous on a Sunday, I will add and this will sound silly that I never thought of making them ahead of time and freezing them.

I buy the Cooked Perfect frozen meatballs too. DH & DD love them. I don't make my own sauce though. I just use a jar of Classico Four Cheese Sauce. I hate to cook.

 

[phamy76]

I BOIL my precooked grocery store meatballs before adding sauce. Takes out a little extra grease. I don't like greasy sauce.

 

[amylynne01]

This is the recipe I use. I make 2 batches at once in my Kitchen Aid and use a cookie dough scoop to form them, so no dirty hands! Two batches easily makes 5-6 meals of meatballs for my family (DDs won't eat them, so we have enough for 2 adults and leftover meal).

You can replace the beef with a mix of beef and pork or maybe even ground turkey or chicken. I also add in salt, pepper, fresh garlic, parmesan, spices, whatever I feel like that day. I have not bought frozen or premade meatballs in years because making them at home is so much cheaper, and it's really not hard.

2lbs ground beef
1 package Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1-1/4 cups water
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together. Form meatballs, and put them on a cookie sheet. Cook at 400 for 20 minutes (depending on size of meatball).

 

[clh2]

I use the Sam's Club meatballs - along with home-made sauce.

The main reason we use the Sam's Club meatballs - 55 high school cross country girls coming over for a pasta party on Wednesday.

Sauce was cooked a couple of weeks ago - and is in the freezer...

 

[leight]

I would love to cut a few corners by getting the sam's club ones but dh knows right away when I change one thing in the recipe. When we got together, I had to learn DMIL's recipe for sauce and meatballs(I grew up calling it 'gravy' on sundays -sauce was a quick marinara- not the sauce that simmered all day with pork and beef). My mom was insulted that we preferred MIL's recipes but I think it is more like dh & I have particular tastes and I took the best from both styles and made my own. I can't post DMIL's recipe (family secret) but oddly we don't use bread or bread crumbs! But they are really so good! My neice was here from NY during the summer and she ate 3 of them in one sitting!

 

[disfan07]

My dad almost dies eveyrtime he sees frozen meatballs in the freezer section...he is Italian and was born and raised with homemade meatballs (along with homemade lasagna, ziti, etc)

I make my own meatballs. But right now, since I am away at college, I am only making them for 1 so I usually only buy like 1/2lb - 3/4lb of meat, depending on how much leftovers I want.

Ground Beef
Italian Seasoning
Garlic
Onion
parmesan cheese
bread crumbs

I don't use eggs because I am allergic

I usually boil them in sauce. But I actually put them in a skillet with oil first and crisp up the outside and then stick them into the sauce to finish cooking.
My grandmother used to pan-fry her meatballs but fully pan-fried meatballs are way too heavy for me but I do like them partially pan-fried.

I also make my own sauce. I use tomato paste, diced tomatos, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Very easy

 

[Angeni11]

We get Trader Joe's frozen turkey meatballs (they have beef as well but the turkey because it is healthier). They are very good. Sometimes I will even microwave a few and eat them when I am craving something savory to eat.

I agree with others that some frozen meatballs are not good but these I love these and they are the only ones we get. We use them on pasta or as a meatball sub. They are also good chopped up and added to scrambled egg with a bit of shredded cheese melted in a tortilla (breakfast burrito) and as a pizza topping.

 

[Halbleib1]

We buy the Sam's Club meatballs also for when I do not feel like making them homemade. I throw them in the crockpot with a jar of Ragu Traditional pasta sauce. A couple teaspoons of sugar to taste and some onion and garlic powder for seasoning. Let it cook on high for three hours and you are good to go.

 

[MEM]

We get Trader Joe's frozen turkey meatballs (they have beef as well but the turkey because it is healthier). They are very good. Sometimes I will even microwave a few and eat them when I am craving something savory to eat.

I agree with others that some frozen meatballs are not good but these I love these and they are the only ones we get. We use them on pasta or as a meatball sub. They are also good chopped up and added to scrambled egg with a bit of shredded cheese melted in a tortilla (breakfast burrito) and as a pizza topping.

Try using them in Italian Wedding Soup! Along with TJ's baby spinach leaves.

 

[DisneyCher]

Are there really any pre-made frozen meatballs that don't taste like sawdust and have the consistency of a sponge? I've had a few different kinds (once purchased by me, I must shamefully say, and other times at friends' houses and/or potlucks) and no matter if they are "Italian" style, all beef, turkey, or some supposed "gourmet" variety, they are always gross to me.

I just make up a big batch of homemade, and freeze them in small batches, so I can pull some out when I want them.

 

[Natalie's Mommy]

frozen ones are junk IMO...i buy them when they run BOG2 free at the grocery store and use them for holidays and parties in the crock pot with cocktail franks and BBQ sauce. for actual meatballs i wanna eat and taste the flavor i make them. i make turkey meatballs or beef meatballs and do it pretty much the same way except i dont have an ice cream scoop so i use a serving spoon to scoop, or sometimes i'll just eyeball it and they all end up being different sizes.

Meatballs have got to be darn near the easiest thing to make. I buy a 6lb pack of ground beef at BJs. I throw it in a giant bowl with a few eggs, garlic, parm cheese, salt, pepper and seasoned bread crumbs. Mix with my hands. I drizzle olive oil onto a baking sheet. I scoop the meat into balls using a medium sized cookie scoop (like a small ice cream scoop). Packing down with one hand after scooping then releasing onto the baking sheet. When they're all scooped I roll each one briefly in my hands and then back onto the baking sheet. 6lbs will about fill one sheet. Then I drizzle olive oil on the top and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, depends on the size. I allow them to cool and then freeze flat in plastic baggies so the bags will stack. I then have meatballs for spaghetti dinners, grinders, etc. for weeks and weeks. SO worth it!

Really, you CAN do it! (Or if your kid is over 10, HE can do it!)

making your own sauce is easy too, get a couple large cans of tomato sauce (or crushed tomato's if you like it chunky) and in the bottom of a large pot WITH A LID saute some onions, garlic, beef, whatever flavor sauce you wanna make, add pepper and any dry seasonings and then dump the contents of the can and let it simmer for an hour or so. Then split up into containers you can pop in the fridge or freezer. if you took an hour a day once a month and did this you could make what you need for a whole month and save a boatload!

 

[Sugardimples]

We really like Mamma Lucia Meatballs. I was raised to believe that anything but homemade was not good, but I no longer believe this. Just simmer them in sauce and they are just fine.

 

[debknight]

The problem I have with most premade frozen meatballs is that they contain Soy Protein. Can not tolerate it -- causes gastrointestinal upsets (as a previous poster mentioned).

 

[punkin]

The problem I have with most premade frozen meatballs is that they contain Soy Protein. Can not tolerate it -- causes gastrointestinal upsets (as a previous poster mentioned).

a lot of bread and bread crumbs also have soy in them. You have to be very careful if you have a sensitivity.

 

[mich4]

I know, sacrilege, lol! Anywho, my DS wants 'meatballs' for subs and pasta. I do not make meatballs and I don't want to spend days trying to perfect my recipe and technique if there are some out there that are worth buying. Weigh in. To all you Italians who make them every Sunday and have been doing it since you were little kids-bravo! but I'm challenged.

Oh, and what sauce do you buy?? (don't throw things at me, please!)
I've gotten along all these years by doctoring sauce with sauteed onions and garlic, a cup of good wine and a good long cook.

hi!
I make MamaMancini's meatballs for my family at least once a week. It's easy to add to other recipes and the best part is that the ingredients are all natural.. so hard to find nowadays!! They always post coupons on their web site mamamancinis.com which is a huge help. It's a quick and easy family dinner that everyone always enjoys. There is a store locator on the MamaMancini's website so you can find what stores sell the meatballs but I usually never have a problem.
Enjoy!
Michelle-NJ

 

[TLuvsD]

I make the meatballs or buy them at the Italian deli. Usually just make them in big batches. I bake them, as the previous poster, no need to pre-brown.

For sauce, I make my own, but in a pinch Classico Tomato and Basil, cooked for a while with some additional spices (fennel seeds) is ok. Or Trader Joes. Or just read the label, we don't like sauce with sugar as an ingredient (well, mostly we only eat homemade, but for pizza or an emergancy....)

 

[tinytinkmom]

We buy our frozen meatballs at Costco & love them!

 

[Poohforyou]

We get Trader Joe's frozen turkey meatballs (they have beef as well but the turkey because it is healthier). They are very good. Sometimes I will even microwave a few and eat them when I am craving something savory to eat.

I agree with others that some frozen meatballs are not good but these I love these and they are the only ones we get. We use them on pasta or as a meatball sub. They are also good chopped up and added to scrambled egg with a bit of shredded cheese melted in a tortilla (breakfast burrito) and as a pizza topping.

I also recommend the trader Joe's turkey meatballs. We eat them with trader Joe's tomato basil sauce in a jar. I don't like handling raw meat more than absolutely necessary. It gross Imo.