Meatball Fans Check In
 

Hi,
I am looking for the best meatballs. Have tried straight burger, 80-20, 1/2 pork 1/2 burger,
100% ground chuck, and 100% rib eye.

What is your best recipe, spices, and what cooking method do you do. Have tried frying before baking or sauce baking.

Most meatball recipes produce mushy, soft, meatballs....trying to find a meatball not a mush ball or bread ball. Manja

The perfect meatballs are made along with the sauce. But on days when I am thawing out sauce I've frozen after making it, and need to make new meatballs, I use the microwave oven. As long as you don't TELL your Italian guests you did this, they won't know the difference. So here's what I do:

You need a glass casserole dish, the biggest one that'll fit in your microwave oven.
You'll also need a jar to drain off however much fat you want to drain off. I usually drain around 3/4 of whatever melts into the dish. The other 1/4 adds extra flavor and texture to the sauce.

In a bowl, add:
a couple of palmfuls of italian bread crumbs, for each pound of meat.
a splash of milk
1 egg per pound of meat
a healthy pinch of oregano, smushed into near-powder between your fingers.
1 clove garlic per pound of meat, minced/pressed
half a palmful of grated parmesano reggiano cheese (it's around 1 cubic inch of ungrated cheese)
a few turns of a black pepper grinder
ground beef - 79-85% lean (ground chuck is perfect)

Wash your hands, and smush all that stuff together in the bowl til it's well-blended. Hand-form meatballs around 50% larger than the size of a golf ball. Don't compress them, keep them relatively loose. Place them in the glass dish. If making 2 pounds, you might need to split this into two dishes. Most microwaves won't accommodate a dish big enough for 2 pounds worth of meatballs.

Nuke on high for 3 minutes. Remove from oven, turn them and take the ones in the middle of the dish, and put them on the outer edges, putting the ones that were on the outer edges into the middle.

Nuke again on high for 2 minutes. This is when you would remove the excess fat if you want to (there will be plenty) before adding the sauce.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs, turning them to make sure each one is well-coated. I cut my meatballs in half for this step, but it isn't necessary. I just prefer them to be drier inside rather than juicier.

Nuke again 2 more minutes.

When the macaroni is ready to put in the strainer, nuke again for another minute while you're straining the macaroni.

Try Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza, 729 Kristine Way, The Villages, FL 32163,Located in: Lake Deaton Plaza

They have a large meatball platter that is excellent.

Just realized you were looking to make your own, but I still recommend above if you want some in a restaurant.

Also a tip for making meatballs (whether you do the microwave or the stovetop version): less milk, fewer breadcrumbs. If you have a recipe that calls for an exact amount of either, make it less. You don't need a half cup of breadcrumbs for a pound of meat. Just a couple palmfuls to keep them from being hard as rocks. And ALWAYS use a splash of milk directly over the breadcrumbs to soften them before adding the meat. Just a splash. Not a measured amount.

I always use pulverized Ritz Crackers instead of bread crumbs.

The Sunny Pint on 44 offers a very tasty pesto meatball sandwich. I've never had anything else like it.

I would like to know if there is a decent brand of frozen, cooked meatballs. The older I get, the lazier I get.

Sams had a good one, took two years to finish all 5 pounds and last week they were gone.

Bought a turkey one and hope it will be good.

When it comes to recipes be it meatball or sponge cake just go to YouTube, they'll have dozens and dozens of recipes on whatever food you want to make.

Ive been making 100 meatballs at a time. Roughly getting 20 mb per lb. Mixing together randomly a mix of organic beef,bison,lamb, turkey, chicken. Been different every time . I have not figured out a recipe yet because I beleive everyone has their own taste. If quality is there when you start and use cooking methods that you prefer best for crust or firmness you will always be happy. If there is quality, I never met a meatball that I couldn’t eat. Met some that I didn’t like but probably ate anyway. Buts that’s me. Enjoy your meatball journey. They are about 5 grams of protein in each meatball!!!! Eat up. It’s a great choice. Always have them in refrigerator. Eat between 5-10 for breakfast every morning, snack on them all day long . Throw them in a bowl , 40 seconds heat up in microwave . Pop um. Even eat them cold. Been eating them with different flavored mustards also. Quite fun!!!!

WTF??? Macaroni? oh yes that's why it's sauce not gravy. that's why you nuked what should be. can't call these perfect by any means.

While the meatballs must still remain 'moist' as no one likes a dry meatball, if the recipes you've used turn out soft and mushy there is one of 2 problems. Where that recipe came from aka it's wrong/bad OR you didn't have the proper technique.

I'd give you the long time family one but.... unless I know exactly what you are looking for I won't. there is more than mushy to it. Oh and perfect requires Beef/Veal/Pork

Try Aldi's meatballs in the fresh meat section, and cook them on the grill

Some 15 years ago I saw a Food Network show that featured Mamma Maroni's meatballs from a family restaurant in Northport NY. The recipe is over 100 years old and straight from the old country. I've been making these ever since and they are foolproof perfect. Everytime we have them for guests people rave about them.


1 pound ground chuck

4 ounces dried bread crumbs

4 large eggs

4 ounces whole milk

6 ounces grated Romano

3 ounces grated Spanish onion

2 ounces finely diced fresh garlic

2 ounces finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

2 ounces finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.
Mix all ingredients thoroughly in large bowl. If mixture seems a little loose add more bread crumbs.
Roll meatballs loosely about the size of a golf ball and place on baking sheet.
Place into preheated oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
Finish in the sauce before plating.

Homemade meatballs are the best - when people bring those store bought as an appetizer in some type of sauce - ugh! Anyway I presume poster knows how to make meatballs. Just looking at variations. Tastes vary tho so that's hard to do! Flavor is most important. I like to put some parsley in mine along with breadcrumbs or squeezed bread, parmesan grated, garlic, an egg or two, S&P. Ground chuck too. Now whether they are baked, fried, made in sauce, is simply a preference one has.

Pork, Beef & VEAL
(Turkey WTF)
Seasoned Bread Crumbs
Fry (or bake) to brown
Finish in the simmering sauce all afternoon.

I cook mine on the bbq - indirect heat method. They brown on all sides and excess grease drips off. My husband loves them cooked this way no matter what I put in them. Then use whatever sauce or gravy that you want.

Trader Joe's and IKEA have nice tasting meatballs with recognizable ingredients listed.

Equal parts ground beef, pork, and Italian sausage, about half pound of each
1 to 1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs
1 to 1 1/2 containers of shredded parm/romano cheese
About 5 heavy shakes of garlic powder
About 5 heavy shakes of Italian seasoning
About 2 regular shakes of ground cloves
About 2 regular shakes of ground cinnamon
Mix well, form into golf ball size
Cook in the sauce in a crock pot for 2-3 hours on low. I’ve started using jarred tomato basil sauce (gasp!) from Aldi.

All this is to taste. Add eggs or don’t, increase or delete certain spices, make your own sauce/gravy or use a jarred. There is no ONE TRUE WAY to cook anything. To each their own.

I’ve also found that cooking the pasta in either beef or chicken broth adds a whole new flavor dimension to your meal. Buon apetito.

Yes, and also try Facebook. I found many groups on there with recipes for my crock pot. I would bet there are meatball recipes on FB as well.

To the OP: Thank you for your post. I’m sure I’ll learn something from the responses as well. And who doesn’t like a good meatball?

Rao makes meatballs. Frozen food section at Publix

I think the following makes all the difference:
2/3 beef, 1/3 pork
Fresh breadcrumbs from day old Italian bread.
Then whatever your favorite recipe calls for.
Don't over mix.
Brown the meatballs, drain most of the grease, deglaze the pan with red wine and add to sauce.

Anyone ever try boiling meatballs before finishing them in the sauce, frying pan, grill or whatever? Seems to leave them juicier with no worries about them being undercooked.

They need to have pork in them and seasoning. After browning them a little I let them cook in a crockpot in sauce for many hours. Tender and Delicious!

Married to an Italian and my M-i-L makes the BEST meatballs you can imagine. She only uses veal. so much softer. And she only cooks them in her sauce. Sauce on for only 90 minutes. More Olive Oil than you normally add. Handle the meatballs very little and with a light touch.

Costco!

I do to get rid of excess fat. Than heat them in tomato sauce.

I said the perfect meatballs are made along WITH the sauce.

BUT if you already have sauce, and just want to make meatballs, you can nuke them.

My sauce is always made with meatballs and sausage, I make 6 quarts at a time, and make lasagna the same day. Then, I portion control the rest of the sauce in containers and freeze it for later use. So when I want to make meatballs and macaroni or chicken parm, I just take a container out and thaw it in the fridge.

I also portion-control and freeze the leftover lasagna. A full lasagna tray will last for 4 meals for 2 people (8 meals total). The leftover sauce will last another 8 meals for each of us (16 meals total).

Total cost for the pot of sauce and the lasagna - around $50. Total yield on that $50 - 24 meals.

About how many does this make?

I usually can't stand commercially frozen meatballs, nut Aldi's is surprisingly palatable.

1. Use either Pork or Beef. But the meat should have at 25% fat in it. Otherwise the meat is super dry.

2. No need to add a bunch of other items into the meat. at most salt and pepper, may be a little rub.

3. He is the key. Work the meat real good with your hands (just like you need bread) minimum 8-10 minutes. The meat will bind. Meaning it will stick together. So the meat will not fall apart when forming into balls.

4. End result you will get a tasty juicy meat ball. Same holds true for making burgers.

Meatballs
 

All of the premade meatballs are loaded with salt and are barely passable as meatballs.

I haven't tried it yet, but I was surprised to find that Aldi's Specially Selected Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil was highly rated by Consumer Reports. It was right up there with two of my favorites. I'll have to put their meatballs on my list too. Thanks.

You have tried all of them?

Meatballs
 

Chopmeat - amount up to you
1 egg per pound
Breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup per pound of meat
Chopped Fresh Garlic, I like a lot so use to taste.
Grated Parmesan cheese, good Parmesan, not box kind.
1/2 cup per pound or more. You can also use Romano cheese but I prefer Parmesan.

Make into balls, fry in olive oil until brown, turn over and fry other side. Do not over fry because they will finish cooking in sauce. Then add to pot with sauce. Add garlic and some oil (a few tablespoons) from the fried meatballs to the sauce. You can also fry sausage and add to sauce.
Olive oil is hot enough when you drop a piece of garlic in it and it rises to the top. I put a small meatball in the batch so I can taste it. I do a lot of this by eye but have tried to make measurements out of what I add.

Sauce
2-3 cans tomatoes or more if you making a bigger batch. I use Italian tomatoes and mix Purée with crushed and if in the mood, I blender a can of plum tomatoes.
1 or 2 cans of Contidena tomato paste
Add a bay leaf or two, sprinkle top with basil or add fresh basil.
Start cooking sauce on medium before frying meatballs. Then raise the temp. This stops the meatballs from falling apart. Add the meat, when the sauce comes to a slight boil lower it to a temperature where it will cook slowly. Cook about 1 to 2 hours stirring gently and frequently so the sauce doesn’t burn on the bottom. After cooking,
I skim the oil off the top. You will see the sauce change color and consistency and that’s when it’s done. I usually eat a meatball in the process.
If the sauce is a bit bitter, I add some Parmesan cheese, not sugar to it.
I don’t add salt to the meatballs because the cheese is salty.

Hmmmmm.....

Cajun Fried Alligator Meatballs

Cajun Fried Alligator Meatballs Recipe. Finely chopped alligator meat, that is seasoned, rolled into balls and fried in hot oil.
Recipe Ingredients:

1 lb. of finely chopped alligator meat
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/2 teaspoon salt
Flour for dredging
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Combine all ingredients, except vegetable oil and flour. Form into 1-inch balls. Allow to set for 1 hour.
Dredge with flour and fry until brown.
Serve hot.

I vote for this, and thank you for using weights instead of measures. More and more recipe developers have switched to weights. Kitchen scales are so inexpensive now. For baking, this method can't be beat.

I also like the recipe submitted by sdeikenberry, but would like confirmation on using 4 eggs for one lb. of meat. That seems like a lot.

What is your best recipe, spices, and what cooking method do you do. Have tried frying before baking or sauce baking.

Most meatball recipes produce mushy, soft, meatballs....trying to find a meatball not a mush ball or bread ball. Manja[/QUOTE
These are the BEST

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Yeah, I question the 4 eggs too, but that's what the online Maroni recipes say.

My brother was a fan of Mike Maroni's meatballs. I remember stopping with him at Maroni's place to pick up a pot of meatballs. It must have been about 20 years ago. I don't remember anything about the meatballs, good or bad.