Meatballs - Page 2

OK. Last month I saw a TV show. It featured a restaurant in Chicago that supposedly has great meatballs. I was in that neighborhood a week ago so I tried them. OK, NBFD (you figure it out). Anyway, that same episode was on tonight so it reminded me to make this post. I looked for other "meatball" threads and this one had the most posts.

Here's my "MB" recipe: 

1# 85/15 ground beef

1 link good Italian sausage, casing removed

1 large shallot, minced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 cup ricotta

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs 

1 cup grated parmesan/romano 

1 egg

1 healthy teaspoon each: parsley, oregano and basil, minced

salt & pepper

First I sweat the shallots and garlic in a little olive oil. Next I mix everything up in a stand mixer using a bread-hook. While doing this I pre-heat the bageebies out of a large cast skillet and heat up some smooth marinara. When heated, I turn down the heat to medium. I make my meatballs with a smaller sized ice-cream scoop (golf-ball sized) and add them to the sauce. I brown them for 10 minutes then add water to replace what simmered away, roll over the meatballs and brown the other side. 

Everyone has there own favorite or best meat ball recipe, whatever works for you. I do agree with sweating onion ,garlic, and shallot first as to me it taste better and removes gasses . I also agree that after sauting finish in a sauce .,be it tomato or marinara. By keeping in the sauce the meatball will slightly expand and retain flavor of the sauce plus its own

As of late I have been grinding the oatmeal to flour in my coffee grinder that is used for spices only. Makes for a really moist fluffy meatball/meatloaf.

There are a thousand recipes, pick one that sounds good, don't put any onion in the meat mixture, real Italian meatballs don't have onion....................Fry the meatballs in olive oil with a nice crust until done, put the amount meatballs needed for the meal in a home made sauce and simmer until the meatballs get nice and soft. The secret is a nice crusty outside. Freeze the rest of the meatballs and use for Meatball subs.................Notice the crust, they will soften in the sauce, believe me.....

Meatball sub with melted Mozzarella cheese

LOL BillyB. You can go in a 1-mile radius of any neighborhood in Italy and find 743 recipes for the same dish. Each and every one of them claimed to be an authentic family recipe handed down since forever. Very nice pics. 

I had posted an Italian Meatball recipe awhile back in the this section ... Perhaps, it could interest you.

Happy Holidays.

Margcata.

Cool recipe ... I am a cheeseaholic so of course, it is on list of To Try' s ... I had posted a Meatball recipe awhile back ...

Just one thing, Lucatelli Romano or Aged Cured Fiore Sardo * Sardinian Pecorino would be much tastier ... 200 Grand Street, N.Y.C. is a historic Italian market, where they sell and ship to you.  

My 2 daughters are vegetarians * not vegans, and they do eat fish, turkey and chicken ... so I am going to try it out with Turkey sausage and Ground Turkey  ... Of course, though I eat little red meat, I love my Meatballs made of * ground sirlion or in Spain I buy ground beef called Solomillo which is a filet mignon type steak cut, the difference is that Spanish butchers slice it with 4 sides rounded and French butchers cut 3 sides rounded and 1 side squared,  and of course Spaghetti so, I shall have to follow the recipe when I return to Madrid, where i reside.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koukouvagia 

There are a few things I do to ensure fluffiness:

1. Grate lots of onion (not chopped)
2. Do not use breadcrumbs. Instead soak some fresh bread in milk, then wring out the milk and added the wet bread.
3. Add a pinch of baking soda and wine.
4. Do not overmix - I combine all the ingredients together and then add the ground meat.

My recipe
- 1lb ground beef
- 1lb ground pork
- 1 large onion
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 clove garlic
- handful fresh chopped parsley
- handful fresh chopped mint
- fresh bread soaked in milk
- baking soday and wine
- pinch of cumin
- salt/pepper

After mixing the ingredients I form the meatballs and then roll lightly on a thin layer of flour, and dust off so there is a very light coating. Place the ready formed meatballs on a cookie rack and allow to sit for atleast 15 minutes before cooking. It will almost seem as if the meatball drank the flour. Heat 1/2 inch of extra light olive oil in a skillet and fry your meatballs without overcrowding the pan. The bigger the meatball the lower the heat to ensure the inside gets cooked while not burning the outside.

Ah the resurrection of old threads.  I love seeing my old recipes.  Since then I've added another egg, I now sautee my onion and skip the cumin.  If I'm feeling adventurous I add some grated kasseri or kefalograviera cheese but usually not.  I make my meatballs small so they fry until cooked through, I still never "simmer" them in sauce because I like them crispy on the ourside. 

Years ago I was looking for a sauce for cocktail meatballs. One of my woman students from the south gave me this and I have been using ist since, and it could not be easier.  Equal parts of grape jelly and bottled or canned chili sauce and a  drop of worchestire Just heat together and let cooked anykind of meatballs sit in this for a while. People always ask how I made sauce, I laugh at the simplicity of it

Ironic that she was from the South, Ed. I first learned to make that sauce when I was a kid in Brooklyn. And I don't think the lady I learned it from had ever been further south than Coney Island. Go figure.

BTW, it works great with cocktail franks too.

I still never "simmer" them in sauce because I like them crispy on the ourside. 

Funny thing, KK, is that when I was growing up nobody I knew sauteed them. The meat etc was mixed, shaped into balls, and dropped directly into the simmering sauce. And I grew up in a neighborhood where you had to know seven languages just to say good morning to your neighbors.

Later, when I was off on my own, I learned about sauteeing and browning them first. What I can say is that there's a trade-off, and how you do it really depends on your end goal.

There's no question that searing the balls (or browning them with flour) adds a flavor note. And it might, in some cases, help he balls stay together. But there is a danger, too, of heavy, dense balls.

Skipping that stage always results in light, fluffy meatballs. I don't care how much you work the meat, when they're cooked directly in the sauce they absorb proportionately more of it. You can see the difference just in how much they expand.

Most of the time I do a combination of them. I'll brown the balls, cooking them just enough to develop a slight crustiness, then transfer them to the sauce for completion.

But, as others have said, everyone has their own preference.

First Meatball recipe I learned and liked was when I was apprenticeing in the Hotel Negresco .They were called Quennels and were made on a spoon and served A La  Smitane (similar to strogonoff style.and boy were they good. Closest thing here is a fricasee type concoction like the Jewish Deli s used to make in NY with chicken and tiny meatballs. That was good to.

Not having come from an area where Italian food was very big, I got my first lessons on meatballs from my husband's older sister. 

Their family uses the basic "meatloaf mix" ground beef-pork-veal along with fresh garlic, flat leaf parsley, parm, oregano, bread of some type moistened in milk (what is that called again?), an egg and s&p.  Mix gently, form the meatballs, brown lightly to form a crust and finish the cooking process in your sauce. 

I never did it this way and have tried it mainly other ways since to test the theory and I have to say the end result of my sister-in-law's method is the most tasty of the group.

I know it sounds kinda' gross to "boil" meat, but you aren't really boiling the sauce anyway, right?  It's more of a low simmer for hours which imparts flavor to the meat as well as the meat to the sauce. 

From what I gather , your recipe is the standard one that almost all of the Italian Families I know in NY used to use.Some added other spice or herbs but basicaly it was like yours and it was delicious. It was passed from grandma to mama  to daughter.

True ... My Grandmother had left me all her documented recipes and I still recall the aromas of her meatballs and her Bolognese amongst other sauces and her Lasagna ... 

Happy Holidays,

Margcata

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaneohegirlinaz 

Not having come from an area where Italian food was very big, I got my first lessons on meatballs from my husband's older sister. 

Their family uses the basic "meatloaf mix" ground beef-pork-veal along with fresh garlic, flat leaf parsley, parm, oregano, bread of some type moistened in milk (what is that called again?), an egg and s&p.  Mix gently, form the meatballs, brown lightly to form a crust and finish the cooking process in your sauce. 

I never did it this way and have tried it mainly other ways since to test the theory and I have to say the end result of my sister-in-law's method is the most tasty of the group.

I know it sounds kinda' gross to "boil" meat, but you aren't really boiling the sauce anyway, right?  It's more of a low simmer for hours which imparts flavor to the meat as well as the meat to the sauce. 

Oh no, not oregano!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer 

But, as others have said, everyone has their own preference.

I know it sounds a little odd, but I've never really enjoyed my meatballs with any sauce.  On any kind of meatball, I just want to eat the meatball, I don't want to sauce it, dip it, or make it wet in any way. 

Oh no, not oregano!!!

I'm thinking, KK, that we need to either drop this or explain it.

Your call.

No Oregano, No Garlic, No Chianti,  Or no crisp warm bread on the table ? Sorry then No Italian cuisine . I have been all thru Italy and thats the way it was.

Last night I made Meatloaf, I just use the same recipe as my Meatballs, a pound of each meat (can't find meatloaf mix here). 

Half is for the loaf and the other for meatballs at a later time.

Since we are having house guest for the Christmas Season, I will save these "Baby Meatballs" that I maade up and froze in the deep freeze on a tray over night. 

They keep nicely for just about any thing. 

I thought of you KK, we like Italian Wedding Soup with the tiny meatballs in a flavorful broth and some pasta with a dark green of choice.  YUM!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KYHeirloomer 

Oh no, not oregano!!!

 

I'm thinking, KK, that we need to either drop this or explain it.

 

Your call.

 

Only if someone asks.  Otherwise only those who are in stay in.