Italian Meatball Recipe

Doc

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Wife is making spaghetti tomorrow and I am wanting meatballs. She makes great spaghetti but doesn't care for meatballs so I'm going to give it a shot.

I looked here and didn't find a meatball recipe so I went looking and here is what I've settled on.
Any suggestions or improvements?

from: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a25621572/italian-meatball-recipe/

Italian Meatball Recipe​

Ingredients​

  • 1 c.
    fresh bread crumbs
  • 1/2 c.
    milk
  • 1 lb.
    ground beef
  • 1/2 lb.
    ground pork
  • 1/2 lb.
    Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1
    small onion, finely chopped
  • 3
    cloves garlic, minced
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2
    large eggs, beaten
  • 1 c.
    freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 c.
    freshly chopped parsley
  • 2 tbsp.
    extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1
    (32-oz.) jar marinara sauce, (I'm using wife's homemade sauce)

Directions​

SAVE TO MY RECIPES
    1. Step 1In a small bowl, stir bread crumbs with milk until evenly combined. Let sit 15 minutes, or while you prep other ingredients.
    2. Step 2In a large bowl, use your hands to combine beef, pork, sausage, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, then gently stir in bread crumb mixture, eggs, Parmesan, and parsley until just combined. Form mixture into 1" balls.
    3. Step 3In a large high-sided skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Working in batches, sear meatballs on all sides to develop a crust. Set meatballs aside, reduce heat to medium-low, and add sauce to skillet. Bring sauce to a simmer then immediately add meatballs back to skillet. Cover and simmer until cooked through, about 8 minutes more.
Nutrition (per serving): 438 calories, 28 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 29 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 1113 mg sodium

additional info:


There’s an art to a great meatball. It should be nicely round, packed with flavor, and tender throughout. Making them from scratch is really easy and definitely beats anything you’d buy at the store. Here's how to make perfect meatballs every time.

Use ground beef, ground pork, and Italian sausage.

Don't get us wrong, there's nothing wrong with all beef. But this trio of meats has a much more complex flavor.

Make a panade.

A panade, a binder made by soaking bread crumbs in milk until it becomes a paste, is the secret to moist, tender meatballs. This recipe works best with fresh bread crumbs. You can make your own by pulsing bread (without the crust) in a food processor. Or, you can simply tear bread into super-small pieces. We prefer bread crumbs made from white or sourdough bread.

Mix gently – with your hands is best.

Over-mixing ground meat can make meatballs too compact and tough. Working with your hands lets you incorporate everything more quickly and gently. We also recommend beating the eggs before adding them to the bowl so that it combines more easily with the other ingredients.

Use a cookie scoop.

If you want them all to cook in the same amount of time (and look the same), use a cookie scoop. Just scoop, level, and roll. It’s faster, easier, and you’ll grab the same amount of meat each time for uniformity.

Roll with damp hands.

To keep the meat from sticking to your hands while you roll, keep a little bowl of cold water next to you as you work. Cold water is best as the heat from your hands warms the meat, making it more likely to stick.

First, sear the meatballs.

The browned outsides of meatballs contribute a ton of flavor. Plus, it helps the meatballs to stay together. You need to work in batches, though, since you'll have no chance at a good sear if the meatballs are crowding the pan. (They'll steam instead.) Another way to sear without going on the stovetop:

Simmer the meatballs in the sauce.

After searing, simmer the meatballs in the marinara sauce. Simmering guarantees that they’re cooked through, and ensures that the sauce clings the meatball’s nooks and crannies.

Enjoy them however you like!

Italian meatballs are more versatile than just in spaghetti. Serve over polenta or mashed potatoes; with a vegetable side; top with cheese and broil until bubbling and golden; sandwich between a hoagie roll with more cheese; or just put a fork right into the skillet.

Have you made this recipe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
 

medtran49

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Sounds like good recipe. I changed ours (based on Mama Maronis recipe from a Beat Bobby Flay episode) up a bit the last time i made meatballs because the flavor always seemed muted (that's the best word I can come up with) and my changes made a good recipe better. I used a half and half water and milk mix for the panade because I suspect the milk was the muting agent. The onion was grated and the garlic microplaned, plus i used garlic powder, fresh and dried basil, no parsley. I also used pecorino romano instead of parm as it has a sharper flavor.

ETTA: I think I'll use either red or white wine in place of the water in the panade next time. Just thought of that!

I used a scoop. In fact, I ordered a size 40 scoop, 1-1/2 inches, slightly over filled and ended up with about 1-3/4 to 2 inch meatballs. Craig used to make much larger meatballs, but it seemed like by the time the inside was done, the outer layers were kind of dryish. A tip is to do all your scoops first and then roll BTW.

We've been baking instead of browning in the pan, slightly under baking. I put them on a rack to bake, but you don't have to. Spray the rack with Pam if you use one though. They don't break apart when baked like they do at times when you pan fry. Also, they don't get over browned like they do sometimes if you get distracted while pan frying. They go in sauce to finish.

20230109_173812.jpg
 
Last edited:

Ironman

🍺
That sound pretty close to the recipe I used a few days ago minus the Italian sausage and pork (her request).
Only problem I had was they were sticking to my enamel coated cast iron pan almost breaking apart. I’d use nonstick next time to cook them, or bake them. Next time I’ll grate the onion like metran suggested.
As long as they’re homemade I think you’ll be fine. 👍
 

QSis

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I read some of the reviews of Doc's recipe and lots of them say they bake the meatballs, too. I do, too.

Lee
 
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Doc

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Any ideas on what temp to bake at and approx how long?
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
I bake mine. I make small meatballs. Heat oven to 425 °F and bake about 15 - 20 minutes (+ or -) or till internal temp is 160 °F turn pan halfway through. Check temp after 15 minutes.
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Sounds like good recipe. I changed ours (based on Mama Maronis recipe from a Beat Bobby Flay episode) up a bit the last time i made meatballs because the flavor always seemed muted (that's the best word I can come up with) and my changes made a good recipe better. I used a half and half water and milk mix for the panade because I suspect the milk was the muting agent. The onion was grated and the garlic microplaned, plus i used garlic powder, fresh and dried basil, no parsley. I also used pecorino romano instead of parm as it has a sharper flavor.

ETTA: I think I'll use either red or white wine in place of the water in the panade next time. Just thought of that!

I used a scoop. In fact, I ordered a size 40 scoop, 1-1/2 inches, slightly over filled and ended up with about 1-3/4 to 2 inch meatballs. Craig used to make much larger meatballs, but it seemed like by the time the inside was done, the outer layers were kind of dryish. A tip is to do all your scoops first and then roll BTW.

We've been baking instead of browning in the pan, slightly under baking. I put them on a rack to bake, but you don't have to. Spray the rack with Pam if you use one though. They don't break apart when baked like they do at times when you pan fry. Also, they don't get over browned like they do sometimes if you get distracted while pan frying. They go in sauce to finish.

View attachment 55556
Thanks Medtran. :tiphat: Those look GREAT.
I like the wine idea too. :D
 

medtran49

Well-known member
Gold Site Supporter
I cooked at 350 for 25 minutes then simmered in sauce for 15 to 20.

I used ground chuck and there was a good bit of fat on sheet pan. If i used a leaner ground beef, would cut down on bake time.
 
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Doc

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Thanks again.
My wife makes the sauce and lets it simmer for 3 or 4 hours. It would not hurt the meatballs to simmer hours instead of 15 or 20 minutes, right? I'm concerned they might fall apart if simmered to long.
 

medtran49

Well-known member
Gold Site Supporter
We simmer the sauce for a long time before adding meatballs at end. I wouldn't simmer the meatballs for hours because they would be over cooked, as well as possibly fall apart.
 

medtran49

Well-known member
Gold Site Supporter
We're actually having spaghetti and meatballs tonight. The last time I made them, there were a lot left over so I froze the meatballs and sauce. Easy dinner tonight!
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
I never put my meatballs in the sauce until I drop the pasta. Otherwise they get mushy, break up and I have meat sauce.
 
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