[indianwells]

I absolutely adore meat balls and have been trying for years to locate the best recipe.So far the best i've found is Rocco Dispirito's Mama's meat balls.Has anyone got a killer recipe?

[shel]

Originally Posted by indianwells

I absolutely adore meat balls and have been trying for years to locate the best recipe.So far the best i've found is Rocco Dispirito's Mama's meat balls.Has anyone got a killer recipe?

Why don't you post that recipe so we can see what you like and maybe try it ourselves?

Shel

[indianwells]

Makes 3 dozen
Seasoned stock mix:

- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ large sweet onion
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ bunch parsley, stemmed and coarsely chopped

Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound ground veal
- ½ cup plain bread crumbs
- 2 to 3 large eggs
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- 2 to 3 pinches red pepper flakes
- 2 to 3 pinches salt
- Olive oil for frying
- 4 cups favorite marinara sauce

1. For the seasoned stock: Place chicken stock, onion, garlic and parsley in blender or food processor and purée until smooth.

2. To prepare meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, veal, bread crumbs, eggs, cheese, red pepper and salt with the stock. Mix until the mixture is uniform. Add another egg if the mixture doesn't seem to hold together well. Do not overmix. With lightly oiled hands, form the mixture into balls a little larger than golf balls.

3. Pour about ½ inch of extra virgin olive oil into a straight-sided, wide sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. In a separate large saucepan, heat the marinara sauce.

4. Working in batches, add the meatballs to the oil and brown, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs from the oil and place them into the saucepan of marinara. They should be submerged. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender.

5. Serve alone or over spaghetti. (If serving over spaghetti, increase the amount of marinara to 6 cups.)



</B>

[Mezzaluna]

Indian Wells, what type of flavors or type of cuisine are you looking for? Italian, Greek, eastern European, etc.? Are they for an hors d'oeuvre or a meal? In a stew or for saucing with pasta?



(While I was writing my post your recipe appeared. I don't make this style of meatballs, but I never fry or brown them in the oven first. I just simmer them in whatever sauce I'm using: beef broth that will become egg-lemon sauce, tomato/lemon sauce, sweet and sour sauce.... Then I skim off the grease and go from there.)

[shel]

Meatballs Cooked in Sauce

This recipe uses a relatively low proportion of meat. Some cooks and chefs believe this is the secret to good meatballs.

2 pounds freshly ground beef
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups bread crumbs
6 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 quart of your homemade tomato-based sauce

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, except oil and sauce. Cover and chill thoroughly (at least two hours).

Heat oil and brown the meatballs. Remove from pan. Heat sauce to boiling. Add meatballs. Turn heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes.

I've not tried this one yet, but I'm curious to know if other feel a lesser proportion of meat is desirable.

Shel

[indianwells]

Originally Posted by Mezzaluna

Indian Wells, what type of flavors or type of cuisine are you looking for? Italian, Greek, eastern European, etc.? Are they for an hors d'oeuvre or a meal? In a stew or for saucing with pasta?



(While I was writing my post your recipe appeared. I don't make this style of meatballs, but I never fry or brown them in the oven first. I just simmer them in whatever sauce I'm using: beef broth that will become egg-lemon sauce, tomato/lemon sauce, sweet and sour sauce.... Then I skim off the grease and go from there.)

I like them as a main course with tagliatelle.And definitely Italian flavours.

[indianwells]

Originally Posted by shel

Meatballs Cooked in Sauce

This recipe uses a relatively low proportion of meat. Some cooks and chefs believe this is the secret to good meatballs.

2 pounds freshly ground beef
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups bread crumbs
6 eggs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 quart of your homemade tomato-based sauce

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, except oil and sauce. Cover and chill thoroughly (at least two hours).

Heat oil and brown the meatballs. Remove from pan. Heat sauce to boiling. Add meatballs. Turn heat to low. Simmer 30 minutes.

I've not tried this one yet, but I'm curious to know if other feel a lesser proportion of meat is desirable.

Shel

Thanks Shel,i'll try that one.Interesting it uses a higher ratio of eggs,maybe that'll make a difference?

[shel]

This recipe was featured in a recent episode of Good Eats. It appealed to my sensibilities and might be worth a try.

Baked Meatballs
Alton Brown

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound ground round
5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained thoroughly
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 whole egg
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, lamb, ground round, spinach, cheese, egg, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Using your hands, mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Use immediately or place in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Place the remaining 1/4 cup of bread crumbs into a small bowl. Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1.5-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds, roll in the bread crumbs and place the meatballs in individual, miniature muffin tin cups.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

[kuan]

The important ingredient in tender meatballs is panade, or your "filler" so to speak. Try soaking your breadcrumbs in beef stock and milk.

[panini]

I prefer a fork tender meatball.
Like Kuan, I soak my bread crumbs,cheese, in a milk,water,egg mixture.
Never overmix, overroll, or overhandle, at the shop I actually use an ice cream scoop and directly into the pot.
I simmer mine in a quasi light gravy.
Making couple of hundred tomorrow
pan
is there any other type of meatball other than Italian?
oh, BTW I use a romano cheese in the meatballs and parm in the gravy

[greenawalt87]

The trick for tender meatballs is add the same volume of bread crumbs usely fresh to the amount of meat. As 3 cups meat 3 cups bread crumbs then add your other igridients in your recipe

[shel]

Meatballs in Tomato-Serrano Chile Sauce

Meatballs
4 crustless squares of firm white sandwich bread torn into small pieces
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb lean ground pork
1 cup finely chopped seeded tomatoes (about 4 medium)
2 large egges
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Sauce
4 medium serrano chiles, stemmed
2 medium-sized cloves garlic, unpeeled
4 14 1/2 cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup water
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/4 cup oil (high-heat safflower or other veg oil)
1 cup water
1 tsp fine sea salt

Mexican White Rice (see recipe below)

FOR MEATBALLS: Combine bread, milk, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper in a large bowl. Mash with fork until thick paste forms. Mix in beef, pork, tomatoes, eggs, and mint. Mixture will be soft.
Using 1/4 cupful for each, form mixture into 2-inch balls. Place on baking sheet and chill while making sauce.

FOR SAUCE: Line heavy small skillet with foil, add chiles and garlic. Over medium-high heat cook until skins start to blister and blacken, turning frequently, for about 15-minutes. Allow garlic to cool a bit, then peel.
Working in batches, puree tomatoes with juice, whole chiles, and garlic until almost smooth. (Meatballs and puree can be prepared up to six hours ahead).

Heat oil in heavy large wide pan over med-high heat, add tomatoes (from meatball ingredients) to puree, 1 cup water (or reserved juices from other canned tomatoes), and salt. Bring to a boil. Carefully add meatballs, bring to simmer, reduce heat, cover and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Uncover and gently boil until liquid id reduced to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 18 - 20 minutes.
Spoon Mexican While Rice into shallow bowls, top rice with meatballs and tomato-serrano sauce.

MEXICAN WHITE RICE
2-Tbs vegetable oil (Safflower, canola, etc.)
3-med garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1 1/2 cups medium-grain white rice
3 cups hot water
2 large, fresh, Italian parsley sprigs
1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, saut until deep brown, about 3 minutes. Discard garlic. Add onion and saut until tender, about five minutes. Add rice, stir five minutes. Add 3-cups hot water, parsley, and salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to med-low, cover and simmer until almost all the liquid is gone, about 15-minutes. Stir rice, recover, and simmer until almost all the liquid is absorbed, about 15-minutes. Stir rice, recover, and continue to simmer until rice is tender, about five more minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, about 10-minutes. Remove parsley, fluff with fork.

[Jayme]

Originally Posted by panini

I prefer a fork tender meatball.
Like Kuan, I soak my bread crumbs,cheese, in a milk,water,egg mixture.
Never overmix, overroll, or overhandle, at the shop I actually use an ice cream scoop and directly into the pot.
I simmer mine in a quasi light gravy.
Making couple of hundred tomorrow
pan
is there any other type of meatball other than Italian?
oh, BTW I use a romano cheese in the meatballs and parm in the gravy

Couple hundred meatballs? Ok everyone to Pan's for dinner- BYOF (bring your own fork) I thought you owned a bakery? (would be a unique cake top..???LOL)
and yes there are OTHER kids of meatballs...LOL I make a nice asian ginger sauce/glaze for mine sometimes.....

[shel]

Originally Posted by Jayme

and yes there are OTHER kids of meatballs...LOL I make a nice asian ginger sauce/glaze for mine sometimes.....

Mmmm .... sounds nice. Care to post a recipe?

And let's not forget the ubiquitous Swedish meatballs, Kottbullar (sp?) and Mexican meatballs, Albondigas - I'm sure there are lots of others <LOL>

Shel

[Mannlicher]

for my tastes, Rocco Dispirito's Mama's meat ball recipe is way to 'busy'. There seems to be a trend these days that the more stuff you put into a recipe, the better it is.
That is a false assumption. Simple is almost always better.