Meatballs With Any Meat Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Deb

I have adapted the Alton Brown way of baking them. Roll in fine bread crumbs, place in greased muffin tin. Forms a nice crust keeping plump and moist.

Peter

Saturate the panko (or other) breadcrumbs in milk to avoid having them dry out the meatballs, build depth, and also help bind.

Rob galiardo

Ok here are some secrets to great meatballs. One, add 1 tablespoon of ricotta cheese per pound of meat. Two, mix ground veal, pork, and beef. And lastly, do not bake, fry, sauté or broil. Roll up the meatballs and allow to cook in a simmering sauce. These meat balls will be melt in your mouth soft and I guarantee the best meatballs you've ever eaten.. The author is correct on ratio.. One egg and half cup breadcrumbs per pound of meat. and 1/4 cups grated Romano. Enjoy!

Justician

I bake my meatballs, using a rack to keep them from getting greasy from melted fat. They brown all over, especially if you use a relatively high temperature--400 degrees or so. Cook your vegies before adding them to the meat mix, unless you like them crunchy. My favorite is a mix of onions and fennel. Timing depends on how big you like your meatballs and how hot your oven is.

Maureen

Baked at 425° about 10 minutes.

Ross

When using ground turkey or chicken breast I will add olive oil to the mix to up the fat content with a healthier fat. The extra fat helps captures the flavor of the spices. The other option with poultry is to use thighs that have a higher fat content to begin with.

Rita

To make the meatballs more evenly sized, I pat the meat into a rectangle and cut into even sized squares. Then roll into balls. You could also use a smallish ice cream scoop, but that involves washing it, which is devilishly difficult to do with all the moving parts.

Mara

For Gluten Free: Polenta/Chickpea Flour or a combination; works very well.

Also, try a Thai twist: add finely chopped fresh Thai/Italian Basil, Cilantro, fresh Chilies, fish sauce, bit of brown sugar. Tastes fantastic! I pop them in a Red Curry with Coconut Milk, served with Steamed (Brown) Basmati Rice or Wasabi Mashed Potatoes: Yumm!

Ccarter830

Americas Test Kitchen uses potato flakes in place of bread crumbs and it works well.

Aviva

I used oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs.

LH

Another thought to add:

I've been making meatballs in the oven for decades as described below – – I'd never go back to frying them.

Baking them at 375° on convection is FAR superior to broiling them. If you have a convection feature, definitely use it for baking/browning meatballs. Broiling meatballs can go wrong in a couple of minutes if you're not careful. It can also result in a charred exterior combined with a semi-raw interior. Convection baking is easy and foolproof.

Ritch

With the black pepper, garlic and parsley options, exactly as I have made them for years, though I add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of finely grated Pecorino Romano, and can't recall when I didn't double the recipe.....the best.

Mica

Baked at 425ºF for ~10 minutes.

Peter

Uncooked and then frozen, they will stick to each other and get misshapen. Cooked and frozen, they will keep their shape, and unstick from each other more easily, and besides, they'll be so easy to use on a weeknight. I am using the micro less and less, so I heat them in a pan with just enough water to steam them a little bit.

Roz

I use panko in my turkey meatballs; it is lighter in texture than regular crumbs. Because turkey doesn't have a lot of taste I add a bit of chipotle ketchup and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce to kick it up, along with minced onion.

dimac

ground turkeyGround oats 1/2 cAlmond milk-1/3c?Parmesan Kraft 1/2 cupSpicesGood! Very tender maybe a little less oats and turkey

Carole

Really easy, fast and delicious. Panko and milk is key! I turn baking sheet and meatballs 1/2 through cooking time for more even browning and distribution. Learned better to undercook a little than to overcook-- can always cook more (and when reheated may cook more), but once overcooked...well, smother it in a yummy sauce. Great recipe, ENJOY!

Rebecca Brindza

Used two onions and gf bread crumbs, baked in oven and turned out great!

lg

I made it with half beef and half pork. They were great.

Hoda

Cooked on 1/20/24. I’m late to this party. The ricotta was dated, so I subbed milk. The balls were roasted in the convection oven . Addd cumin, garam masala, garlic, s and p, scallion. It tasted like the Kona from home.

Lena

Could you sub tofu?

Amy

I sub impossible burger for my vegetarian wife- works perfectly! I wouldn't try tofu, not a similar texture

Beth

These were so delicious. I made beef meatballs and used cumin and fresh basil. Since I eat GF, I put flaked oats in the food processor and ground them smaller and used them instead of breadcrumbs. They turned out great!

Lee Norris

Suggestions to drop uncooked meatballs into a sauce you are cooking work only if this is the only purpose for the meatballs. When I make meatballs I make a lot and freeze them for future meals. That means baking them (some people fry, but that's way too much work and fat), spreading them out on a baking tray, freezing, then bagging them for longer-term storage.Why would you want to do all the work of making these little balls only to plop them into a sauce meant for one or two meals?

L

Cook at 400 for about 15 minutes. Using rack.Use 1/4 cup parm.Make two pasta dishes to accompany:1. vodka sauce with big macaroni we already have2. marinara rigatoni with cheese and spinach

Tom D

Seared in a pan on medium heat until crispy. Flipped and seared the other side. Then finished in the oven at 375 for several minutes until cooked through.

natalie

Best meatballs I’ve ever made

Warren

It's a great template, I had 1/2 cup milk to the panko to form a paste before mixing to add moisture and I roast them at 400 for 15-20 minutes, depending on the protein.

Libby

Never thought I'd be so excited about meatballs, but...WOW, literally some the best meatballs I've ever tasted! Truly a meatball like...more than the sum of its parts. Stuck to the recipe, used ground beef, plenty of garlic+onion, and chopped parsley, baked 10min at 425 (no convection) and they came out perfectly moist, savory, and aromatic.

Mika

I followed the recipe but it was VERY salty. I will recommend reducing to half.

Melissa

In place of breadcrumbs I used cauliflower rice. It worked really well with these meatballs, lightening them up. It wasn't a 1:1 substitution, I just poured in a bunch of cauliflower, maybe 1 cup.

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Meatballs With Any Meat Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best binder for meatballs? ›

Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

What not to do when making meatballs? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
  1. Not seasoning the meat.
  2. Not adding any moisture to the meat.
  3. Over-mixing the meat.
  4. Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
  5. Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
May 1, 2019

What binds meatballs together? ›

Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

What's the difference between meatballs and Italian meatballs? ›

American meatballs are the biggest in size, with Italian and Swedish meatballs following on the depth chart. Italian meatballs call for seasonings like grated parmesan and oregano, while Swedish ones use seasonings like nutmeg and allspice. While it doesn't sound like a huge distinction, you'll notice it in the taste!

What is the secret to making tender meatballs? ›

The Key to Tender Meatballs

One trick to making sure meatballs are totally tender once they're cooked is to use a binder. Here, we're soaking fresh or dried breadcrumbs in a little milk until the bread becomes soggy, then mixing that right into the meat.

How to stop meatballs from falling apart? ›

Start with just a few meatballs in the pan, and if they fall apart, adjust the mix before doing more by either adding some breadcrumbs (to soak up extra liquid) or adding some more egg. (It doesn't have to be a whole egg; lightly scramble an egg in a bowl and then you can decide how much to pour in.)

Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›

You can bake meatballs at both 350°F and 400°F. Baking at a higher temperature (400°F) will result in a golden brown outside and juicy inside in a shorter amount of time. A 350° F oven will still result in a juicy center too, it will just take longer to cook all the way through.

What happens if you put too much breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

Bread crumbs are another popular binder for meatballs that can become problematic if used incorrectly. Adding too many bread crumbs to the mix will cause your meatballs to become loose and fall apart.

Why do you put milk in meatballs? ›

Milk: Milk adds moisture, ensuring the meatballs don't dry out during the cooking process. Onion: An onion lends bold flavor. Meat: You'll need a pound of ground beef and a pound of ground pork. Egg: An egg adds moisture and helps bind the meatballs together.

Is it better to fry or bake Italian meatballs? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

What are Sicilian meatballs made of? ›

Sicilian meatballs are a delightful alternative to traditional meatballs. Raisins and pignoli nuts are combined with ground chuck, Pecorino Romano cheese, garlic, parsley, and breadcrumbs and cooked in a tomato sauce until tender.

What is a homestyle meatball? ›

This simple, mouth watering recipe is just ground beef, milk, finely diced onions, bread crumbs, eggs, worcestershire sauce and salt. These savory meatballs can be served immediately, or can even be made ahead of time and frozen for easy meal prep later.

What can I use as a binding agent instead of eggs for meatballs? ›

Thankfully, mashed potatoes work as an excellent egg substitute for meatballs. The function of egg in meatballs has very little to do with flavor and more to do with its binding properties, similar to why you might use breadcrumbs in meatloaf or burgers: to help everything hold together.

What can I use as a binder for meatballs instead of breadcrumbs? ›

The Best 10 Breadcrumb Substitutes
  • Rolled oats. Rolled oats are the perfect gluten-free binding ingredient, replacing breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf and many more recipes when you need to bind meat and eggs. ...
  • Potato chips. ...
  • Cornflakes. ...
  • Almonds. ...
  • Croutons. ...
  • Crackers. ...
  • Seeds.
Oct 18, 2022

What are the binding agents in meat balls? ›

Eggs: Eggs keep the meatballs from drying out and they act as a binding agent, which means they help hold the ingredients together. Cheese: You'll need a cup of freshly grated Romano cheese. If you can, avoid the pre-grated stuff for this recipe. Italian bread: Slightly stale Italian bread is preferable.

Do you have to use a binder for meatballs? ›

When making meatballs — whether with beef, turkey, or another meat — it's essential to get the textural balance right. You want them firm enough so they don't fall apart when cooking, while still keeping a tender, juicy texture. That is why it is key to use a binder or two.

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