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Reheat meatballs

post #1 of 15
11/5/12 at 10:13am
Thread Starter 
Hate to use a microwave to reheat meatballs and have heard that some restaurants use a steamer for dry balls but I need to reheat balls in their sauce a portion at a time during off hours. Thought about boil bags, or is gentle stove heating & then covered in the oven 5 mins the way to go?! Want them to hold their shape, be moist, up to temp & be out quick'ish! Am I asking too much?!
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post #2 of 15
11/5/12 at 11:28am
Why can't you hold them?
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post #3 of 15
11/5/12 at 12:24pm

Roast them off until just barely done then get them cooled and stored, then give them a few seconds in the deep fryer on pickup and youre good to go.  It works surprisingly well.  Dont sauce them til its time to plate.

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post #4 of 15
11/6/12 at 2:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twyst View Post

Roast them off until just barely done then get them cooled and stored, then give them a few seconds in the deep fryer on pickup and youre good to go.  It works surprisingly well.  Dont sauce them til its time to plate.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....excuse me?  Did you just admit that you use the fryer for things like that?

 

OMG!

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post #5 of 15
11/6/12 at 2:55am

Deep fryer version is Hash House style. You can keep them in sauce in steamtable or I have seen holding them in a pot on the stove set to simmer with tomato juice. I do not like microwave, it toughens them.

CHEFED
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post #6 of 15
11/6/12 at 5:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chefross View Post

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....excuse me?  Did you just admit that you use the fryer for things like that?

 

OMG!

Shallow pan fry.  That's code for deep fryer.

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post #7 of 15
11/6/12 at 6:39am
Thread Starter 
I only hold them during main service - lunch and dinner, but during the afternoon or after dinner until about midnight I don't like to. Microwaves do make them hard plus I cook my balls in the sauce and want them to be sucking up all that goodness while in the fridge!
Fryer doesn't appeal to me...
No one likes the bag n boil idea?
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post #8 of 15
11/6/12 at 7:07am

How many meatballs are you selling in a shift? I don't see the problem with holding for a couple of extra hrs. Is there a point where they start to deteriorate from hot holding?

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post #9 of 15
11/6/12 at 7:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chefross View Post

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....excuse me?  Did you just admit that you use the fryer for things like that?

 

OMG!

Its a trick i learned in a really high end respected restaurant so dont knock it til you try it!    I was shocked when I saw them get dropped into the fryer too, but 20 seconds in a 410 degree fryer and they came up beautiful and golden brown.   A 400+ degree  fryer is also gaining a lot of popularity as a way to sear things like 72 hour sous vide short ribs etc as well since David Chang released his momofuku book a few years ago.


Edited by Twyst - 11/6/12 at 7:40am
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post #10 of 15
11/6/12 at 8:17am

I have seen them breaded as well as ravioli and deep fried

CHEFED
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post #11 of 15
11/6/12 at 11:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twyst View Post

Its a trick i learned in a really high end respected restaurant so dont knock it til you try it!    I was shocked when I saw them get dropped into the fryer too, but 20 seconds in a 410 degree fryer and they came up beautiful and golden brown.   A 400+ degree  fryer is also gaining a lot of popularity as a way to sear things like 72 hour sous vide short ribs etc as well since David Chang released his momofuku book a few years ago.

Thanks for clarifying.........I suppose the fryers are kept just for these purposes and the oil changed and filtered regularly.

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post #12 of 15
11/6/12 at 7:45pm
Thread Starter 
I don't think they'll break down its just that I'm really strict about my 4 hour holding period and my team break down the holding stations at the end of each service. I like my system. Went to my friend who is the chef at the Wolfgang Puck bistro here and he says the bags work great on WP's goulash so I guess I've made my decision. Better go buy a decent vacuum sealer... So my next question will be... In another thread I guess! Thanks for the input, wish we could do this in real life over beer!
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post #13 of 15
11/8/12 at 10:24pm

Another easy way to do it is to put a single order in an omelet pan on the stove, cover with another pan (or even a lid if you have them), add a little water and reheat them in the sauce for 3-4 minutes. I don't like heating anything in plastic. Plastics break down with heat and release carcinogens into the food. Plastic should only be used for food storage, not cooking.

Brandon O'Dell

 

Friend That Cooks Home Chef Service

www.friendthatcooks.com

O'Dell Restaurant Consulting

www.bodellconsulting.com

 

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post #14 of 15
11/12/12 at 6:07am
Why is it so difficult to just start em in a pan on the stove, baste with a little butter and drop in a blazing hot oven for a few minutes? Unless its a fast food place or the meatballs are meatloaf sized, it's a super easy pickup.
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post #15 of 15
11/12/12 at 2:23pm
Thread Starter 
Not at all fast food, no butter, kosher issues (big Jewish crowd) plus they are already cooked in their sauce. It's ok I've got it sorted now. Awesome company that makes SAFE boil in bags + vacuum seal = moist, quick, hot, fluffy balls. Thanks for all the help everyone.
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