Finally after 20 years I found it

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Well as a kid growing up my grandmother used to make the best spaghetti and meat balls I've ever had regardless of where. Well I did get her sauce recipe committed to memory however never could match her meat balls until last weekend. I guess because I though there was more to it than there was. Now I cook them in the sauce without browning them and don't over work the meat when forming into balls. I also let them sit once formed in the refrigerator for 30 min. to 1 hour before putting them in to a sauce on medium simmer. At any rate I got the exact same taste and texture this time after as the title says 20 years of trying.

Grandma's Meat Balls

Ingredients:
1 lb ground Beef
1/2 lb of Italian Sausage (skinned or loose mild or hot is up to you)
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 whole egg
1/3 Parmigiana cheese (fresh grated)
salt and pepper to taste
garlic optional

Instructions:
Add all ingredients in large bowl and mix by hand. Form by hand, don't over work. Once formed put in refrigerator to firm up, about 30 min to 1 hour.

I cook in sauce which is heated to a medium simmer and submerge meat balls in sauce. It takes about 2 hours to cook completely however the sauce should be stirred every so often but do it gently as to not break up the meat balls.

Serves 8 large (between a golf ball and tennis ball in size)

Notes: If you don't use Italian bread crumb you will need to add some flat leaf parsley and a bit of basil to the bread crumbs. They can be made smaller just the size she made them however. Oh and she often would do one with a hard boiled egg in it similar to a Scottish meat ball and who ever got that one did the dishes that night.
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
the Grandmas' foods were so rustic, yet delicious. congrats on getting the recipe correct.
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
Isn't it great when you FINALLY find that long lost taste?
It took me 15 years or so to get the refried beans from my
now-closed favorite Mexican restaurant flavor duplicated...
and it too was a super simple recipe!
(I cheated... did a Hail Mary post on Craigslist in the restaurant's
town, and by golly the former cook sold me the recipe, with the
owner's blessing. Had to promise not to divulge until he passed away.
He's 82 and going strong, last I heard.)

I have copied your recipe and am loooking forward to trying it
next Spaghetti night!
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Isn't it great when you FINALLY find that long lost taste?
It took me 15 years or so to get the refried beans from my
now-closed favorite Mexican restaurant flavor duplicated...
and it too was a super simple recipe!
(I cheated... did a Hail Mary post on Craigslist in the restaurant's
town, and by golly the former cook sold me the recipe, with the
owner's blessing. Had to promise not to divulge until he passed away.
He's 82 and going strong, last I heard.)

I have copied your recipe and am loooking forward to trying it
next Spaghetti night!

As for the recipe I for the most part complicated it too much knowing my grandmother, however the exact taste was so simple so I didn't seem to get it.

When we first moved to Jennings, Louisiana we moved right around the corner for a place called Boudin King and their hot boudin was to die for. Well a few years later we moved back to S. Florida but no such thing sold there. So jonesing for real boudin I called them one day to see if they shipped. Well as it would be they didn't but I was speaking to the founder and he gave me the recipe with the same promise. He has since died but he evidently gave it to others also. Well it took me about 2 times before getting the right taste then I nailed it down. Then I moved to Kentucky and I guess all the pigs here drink their Kentucky whiskey since it was hard to find pigs liver which is used in the making of boudin or something they call savoy dressing with is cooked pigs liver. At any rate I finally found a butcher with it and made 20 pounds which will keep up to a year frozen. A basic batch though is simple also a 4 lb pork butt, 1 lb of pork liver in a flow through bag, spices such as cayanna pepper, lots of scallions etc. Boil it all until is starts to fall apart then run it though a meat grinder after draining most of the liquid. Now mix it with cooked rice, more scallions and spices then back into the meat grinder and sausage maker then into skins. Now hang them till they dry and store. To serve you can grille then or simply boil them which I prefer. A pound will feed me for a lunch with crackers. I like the hot so have tissues for your nose. :blush:
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
interesting, eh? I'm on a similar not-yet-ended quest.

one of the 'extended family holiday dishes' was something like a custard cornbread / spoonbread pudding with kernels, served as a hot (oven baked) casserole.

not gotten it right, yet....

meatballs ala "nothing but sauce" sounds interesting - certainly is not the typical brown or bake or xxx or yyy aproach.

don't forget to share the rest - grind, seasonings, etc.....
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
Congratulations Joe! I'm glad you perfected it! I love it when that happens. It's not just the taste but the memories that make them so special.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
interesting, eh? I'm on a similar not-yet-ended quest.

one of the 'extended family holiday dishes' was something like a custard cornbread / spoonbread pudding with kernels, served as a hot (oven baked) casserole.

not gotten it right, yet....

meatballs ala "nothing but sauce" sounds interesting - certainly is not the typical brown or bake or xxx or yyy aproach.

don't forget to share the rest - grind, seasonings, etc.....

Are you talking about the boudin, if so I posted it here earlier, however I will post it now if not.

Boudin King

2 1/2 lb Pork butt or shoulder, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 lb Pork liver, rinsed in cool water
2 quarts water
1 cup Finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers (optional)
1/2 cup chopped celery (optional)
1 cup chopped green onion tops, (green part only)
2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne (to taste I use tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper (to taste)
4 teaspoons salt (to taste)
6 cups cooked medium-grain rice
1 1/2-inch diameter, casings, about 4 feet in length

Method :
In a large sauce pan, combine the pork butt, pork liver, water, onions, garlic, bell peppers, celery, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until the pork and liver are tender. Remove from the heat and drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the broth. Using a meat grinder with a 1/4-inch die, grind the pork mixture. 1/2 cup of the parsley, and 1/2 cup of the green onions, together. Turn the mixture into a mixing bowl. Stir in the rice, remaining salt, cayenne, black pepper, parsley and green onions. Add the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix thoroughly. Either using a feeding tube or a funnel, stuff the sausage into the casings and make 3 inch links.. Bring 1 gallon of salted water up to a boil. Poach the sausage for about 5 minutes, or until the sausage is firm to the touch and plump. Remove from the water and allow to cool.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
one of the 'extended family holiday dishes' was something like a custard cornbread / spoonbread pudding with kernels, served as a hot (oven baked) casserole.

not gotten it right, yet....

.

Hey, Chowder .....

I am not a fan of cornbread (sorry, Mama!), but I do love this recipe of a friend of mine.

Sounds like something you would like.

Lee

DrBBQ’s Corn Bread Casserole
This is a side dish that is a cross between corn bread and a corn souffle.
You can also eat this as a leftover for breakfast....just heat it up and serve with some maple syrup!

3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 1/4 cups yellow
corn meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 cans creamed corn

Mix together eggs, milk and butter.

Blend in corn meal, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Mix in creamed corn.

Spray 9 x 13-inch
baking dish and pour in.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.

 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Joe, I like meatballs simmered, raw, in the sauce ... no browning. And it's not just because I'm lazy, I just prefer the texture.

I will try some sausage in my meatballs, the next time I make them. Sounds wonderful!

Thanks for posting!

Lee
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
JoeC - I wuz think the seasoning / etc for the sauce cooked meatballs.

my usual is to brown them, finish in oven, then into sauce to (re-)heat. the browning brings a lot of flavor to the party - hence my question on how heavily the should be seasoned...
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
JoeC - I wuz think the seasoning / etc for the sauce cooked meatballs.

my usual is to brown them, finish in oven, then into sauce to (re-)heat. the browning brings a lot of flavor to the party - hence my question on how heavily the should be seasoned...

I've done meat balls in the oven as well as in a pan however the sauce cooked ones have a better texture at least to me. I also cook Italian sausage in my sauce also when I use it for this kind of dish. With sausage I do a quick pouch first, until the sausage takes a white ting then into the pot cut into bit size pieces usually about 1" between cuts.

Sorry I misunderstood. Well the sausage has seasoning already in it as does the bread crumbs. Now if you use plan ground pork you and regular bread crumbs then you will need to add seasoning. For that I would use the following however some like different things so this is just mine.

2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted fennel seeds
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne (if you want hot or could use red pepper flakes)
1/2 teaspoon ground anise
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoons dry red wine

Other options are oregano, marjoram or a store bought blend Italian seasoning.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
>>misunderstood
whats'amatta u? everything I type is perfectly understood.
by me.
nadda' problem (g)

((((
heh, I'm serious! - it's all a matter of communication.
I've been know to 'fail' at that
)))

ground beef in my world goes as follows:
Hi! - could you double grind this package for me, please?
for pork, it's "where's Granny's hand cranked meat grinder?"

no, you're right, don't trust any of them there twits with that kind of stuff....

>>store blend
ah.... that's primarily salt.
no go there, I season wit' whot I know, or starve. nadda problem....

>>anise
okay, that's got my attention

standby, meatballs going into orbit comma shortly . . . .
 
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