Italian Meatballs

[CowboyScott]

Not sure which "channel" to put this in, but though it was closest to hamburgers.

My son is heading off to college (UT Austin) this week and we have been making his favorite meals (meatloaf, Cincinnati Chili, Picanha, Chicken Wings, Baby back ribs, NY White Pizza, etc.) for the past few weeks to "send him off". His favorite sandwich is a meatball sub and I have never made one, so I thought I'd try.

I searched the web for a while for what looked like a good homemade italian meatball recipe and settled on this one from Rachel Ray and the Food Network. Meatball ingredients are...

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin < I used 90% lean ground sirloin >
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup (3 handfuls), Italian bread crumbs
1 medium onion, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons (several drops) Worcestershire sauce,
1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) grated Parmigiano or Romano
Coarse salt and black pepper

Made it tonight and although they looked great, the polite feedback from the family was "good first try". It definitely needs some tweaks to make it better.

Here's my thoughts and was looking for some feedback...

- Use 80% ground beef instead of 90% lean ground sirloin (was a bit dry- I think this was the biggest issue)
- Skip the red pepper flakes (wife didn't like the, ever so often kick)
- Add in more salt, specifically garlic salt (I used it very sparingly)
- More course ground black pepper (in lieu of the red pepper flakes)
- Maybe skip mixing in the parsley (didn't think it added anything)

Would love to hear some feedback from The Pit on your favorite Italian meatball recipe or what you would do to make this one

[Troutman]

Go 50% - 80/20 ground beef, 25% ground pork, 25% ground veal for the win. Use both Parm and Romano, add a big splash of Sauvignon Blanc wine !!!

[jlazar]

Do you agree on the other ingredients/amounts?

[Troutman]

Yep !!!

[HouseHomey]

Add three times more parsley, prepped,not whole. 2lbs of ONLY HOME GROUND CHUCK. (Many thoughts here but it sounds like you are new to this so stick with chuck for now) 3 large eggs.about 3/4 cup bread crumbs. 1/2 cup sautéed and cooled shallot, about i whole head of garlic sautéed with onion in Butter.

Add any other flavors you like. MOST IMPORTANT, cook offapieces and test for season and flavor. Adjust as needed. Use a scoop for even 1.5 ozmeatballs. Smoke on grill, pull while still rare and smokey, finish in sauce.

i got your back.

[CaptainMike]

Meatball Madness right there!

[jecucolo]

You definitely want to add pork. My family uses white bread soaked in milk or water instead of bread crumbs. After they soak you squeeze the liquid out and add to meat. Not sure why you add worchester sauce.

[EdF]

Yep on all counts!

[EdF]

Yep on all counts!

[CowboyScott]

Thanks for the feedback. Troutman comments about pork and veal reminded me of my wife's meatloaf, which has the same % of each ground meat (with the addition of bacon strips on top). In fact, when I compared her meatloaf ingredients to the meatball ingredients, they are very similar. Her meatloaf is a family and friends favorite- moist and very flavorful.

I will be modifying the original recipe as follows next time...

- 50% ground beef (80 or 85% lean)
- 25% ground pork
- 25% ground veal
- cook the onions and garlic a bit in butter before mixing in to release the flavors
- Keep the parsley and red pepper flakes
- Use Pecorino Romano and Parmesan

Not sure when I'll make the next batch due to constant travel the next 2 weeks, but will post the results when I do.

Thanks again!

[gmascolo51]

CowboyScott, try using 3-4 eggs the more eggs you put the better the meatballs. A litttle bit, 1/2 cup of water also helps and what kind of breadcrumbs are you using? Out here in the East Coast we can get 4C or Progresso seasoned breadcrumbs that helps a lot. Agree with the suggestions on the blend with pork and veal. Good luck

[ssandy_561]

Here is my Kitchen Sink Meatball recipe.

2 lbs ground CAB
1 lb Italian Sausage
1/2 lb ground Pepperoni
2 eggs
1/4 cup Ketchup

1/2 head garlic
4 oz. Parmesan cheese
1/2 green pepper
1/2 can black olives
1/2 onion

2 Tbls dried Parsley
1 Tbls Italian seasonings
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Bread Crumbs

Use a food processor to grind up the pepperoni. Just pulse so you don't make pepperoni paste.

Chop up the garlic, Parmesan cheese, green pepper, black olives and onion in the food processor.

Fresh parsley in my opinion is overrated for things you cook. Dried parsley has a stronger flavor. Save the fresh parsley for a topping on something that you've already cooked.

I add bread crumbs until I get a consistency I'm happy with. Can range anywhere between 1/4 cup to 3/4 cup.

Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes turning once.

[JeffJ]

If you can't grate your own meat try to find a meat department that has loosely ground meat behind the counter, or better yet, pick out a chuck roast and ask for it to be ground right there for you. For the pork you definitely want pork shoulder over tenderloin (higher fat content). If you can't find ground veal, add gelatin (powdered, flavorless jell-o). I like to grate in some parmesano reggiano and I also like some dried oregano. This past weekend I made Italian meatballs on the grill. I first seared the meatballs over the SnS and then put them in a roasting pan I had sitting on the indirect side of the 26. I topped it with some marinara I made and cooked it uncovered until the meatballs hit 165 or so internal. I like 1 beaten egg + 1/4 cup of bread crumbs per pound of meat.

[EdF]

This is a great Italian cookbook. The meatballs are the best; the lasagne is incomparable. My wife thinks they locked a bunch of Italian Nonna's in the basement to get them to share their recipes. You may only be able to find it used, but it's a treasure! https://www.amazon.com/Recipes-Cooki.../dp/B000VSYILS

Here's the lasagne recipe to give you an idea: https://ridingthecatskills.com/2017/...e-life-recipe/

This one is pretty close for the meatballs. I'd just make it a 3/4 beef, 1/4 pork mix. https://silviascucina.net/2011/05/23...ble-meatballs/

[CowboyScott]

Yes, Thanks! For $1.99, how can you go wrong!

[Troutman]

Nonna's rule....but you gotta have veal (sorry little cows)

[Willy]

Ah! Chicken livers! I ain't a liver fan, but I use chicken livers--about 15% of the total of the weight of the other meats in my Bolognese. I bet they'd jazz up meatballs and meatloaf too.

[Willy]

Soak the bread crumbs in red wine--just enough to moisten them all. Definitely use ground pork. Don't skimp on the grated cheeses. Don't pack 'em too densely. Supposedly Mario Batali once said that meatballs aren't really just about the meat. You can pan cook them to get a nice crust before finishing in the oven--or finish 'em in the sauce itself.

Edit Add-on: I have used veal before, but, IMO, it's so mild it just gets lost in the mixture. Then again, I'm German and Scandinavian, not Italian, so...FWIW.

[EdF]

I pretty much always pan-fry, then finish in the sauce (because a happy wife makes a happy life). The meatballs are legendary! My Italian aunt would be proud.

[JeffJ]

The veal is really for the gelatin. Substitute powdered gelatin and you'll never miss the veal.

[HouseHomey]

I don't understand why everyone uses ground pork? I NEVER, EVER, EVER Add ground pork to a beef product. WHY, WHY, WHY??? I understand tradition, getting great recipes from others, texture, structure and pork fat. I'm all in, I drink bacon grease for fun. I get it.

it just seems like if you could make a good, pure beef meatball you wouldn't need the pork. Technique is the key here. I'm not criticizing others and their skill. I simply don't get it. I've had plenty o mixture that was delicious.

my point. If it's beef, then make it beef. Beef and pork for me....Meh..

[JeffJ]

I think tradition is your answer, and personal preference. I never really gave it much thought. Perhaps a side-by-side all-beef vs a beef-pork medley is in order.