Anyone make their own meatballs?

[BelemNole]

Making some homemade pasta (cavatelli) for dinner but the meatballs came from the deli. I typically use my moms (she still sends me jars of sauce with meatballs) but I'm out. I have the Rao's cookbook but haven't made their meatballs yet, any good? My wife has made some average ones in the past, but nothing I would make again.

 

[Nole Lou]

Making some homemade pasta (cavatelli) for dinner but the meatballs came from the deli. I typically use my moms (she still sends me jars of sauce with meatballs) but I'm out. I have the Rao's cookbook but haven't made their meatballs yet, any good? My wife has made some average ones in the past, but nothing I would make again.

My wife makes them every single week. And never had anything but homemade meatballs growing up, nor did she.

It's probably not what you are looking for at all, but the best meatballs are made with pork. My wife makes them 100% pork, with some seasoning and some onions which helps retain moisture. I know Pork/Beef blends and Pork/Beef/Veal blends can be good.

I'm sure you are looking for a beef recipe so will allow others to take the lead. But in my opinion,when you are looking for recipes I would think the same way as making a hamburger, less is more. 80% chuck, don't compress them too much, and don't add too much stuff. Unless you're going for a meatloaf type consistency, I would skip too much breadcrumbs and eggs and that kind of stuff, and don't add salt. Some onion and garlic, some italian seasonings, and that's about it. Be careful stirring...one or two will probably break if you made it right.

If you end up with firm hard meatballs, that's not really to my taste.

 

[lonestar50]

Meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper is how I make them (recipe is at home) They're not world changing but the sauce is the star of my pasta.

 

[TarponSpringsNole]

Never really thought there was any other way than making them yourself. Honest.
I use a beef and pork blend. Culturally inept Italian Americans call it “making sauce.” Lol.

 

[alaskanseminole]

Here's what I make:


Meatball Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon coconut flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, and shallot
2. Mix in tomato paste, mustard, coconut flour, salt, pepper, and baking soda
3. Use a ¼-cup scoop to form meatballs
4. Place meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet
5. Bake at 350º for 25 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 175º
6. Serve with marinara sauce over spaghetti squash noodles or zucchini noodles

Makes 12 Meatballs

 

[beanerhawk]

My wife makes them every single week. And never had anything but homemade meatballs growing up, nor did she.

It's probably not what you are looking for at all, but the best meatballs are made with pork. My wife makes them 100% pork, with some seasoning and some onions which helps retain moisture. I know Pork/Beef blends and Pork/Beef/Veal blends can be good.

I'm sure you are looking for a beef recipe so will allow others to take the lead. But in my opinion,when you are looking for recipes I would think the same way as making a hamburger, less is more. 80% chuck, don't compress them too much, and don't add too much stuff. Unless you're going for a meatloaf type consistency, I would skip too much breadcrumbs and eggs and that kind of stuff, and don't add salt. Some onion and garlic, some italian seasonings, and that's about it. Be careful stirring...one or two will probably break if you made it right.

If you end up with firm hard meatballs, that's not really to my taste.

You have meatballs every week? Should mix up the dinner menu a little.

Mixing pork/beef are my favorite also. My grandma had a really good recipe that my wife now uses. Can't remember it off the top of my head though.

 

[QChawks]

OPs mom loves my meaty balls

 

[Fan In Black]

I make porcupine meatballs time to time

 

[Aardvark86]

I do. While I don't profess to have some magical recipe, it's a good recipe and it's easy.

1 lb ground sausage
1/2 lb ground veal or beef
1 egg
1/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

Back at 350 for ~20 minutes.

 

[Wendy79]

I've made my own, but if I'm making BBQ meatballs, I just use Rosina Italian meatballs. If I'm eating just meatballs, get the Rosina angus meatballs.

 

[BelemNole]

My wife makes them every single week. And never had anything but homemade meatballs growing up, nor did she.

It's probably not what you are looking for at all, but the best meatballs are made with pork. My wife makes them 100% pork, with some seasoning and some onions which helps retain moisture. I know Pork/Beef blends and Pork/Beef/Veal blends can be good.

I'm sure you are looking for a beef recipe so will allow others to take the lead. But in my opinion,when you are looking for recipes I would think the same way as making a hamburger, less is more. 80% chuck, don't compress them too much, and don't add too much stuff. Unless you're going for a meatloaf type consistency, I would skip too much breadcrumbs and eggs and that kind of stuff, and don't add salt. Some onion and garlic, some italian seasonings, and that's about it. Be careful stirring...one or two will probably break if you made it right.

If you end up with firm hard meatballs, that's not really to my taste.

I grew up with plain beef meatballs. Rao's recipe has beef, pork and veal. I'm ok with the pork but would probably leave out the veal.

 

[BelemNole]

Never really thought there was any other way than making them yourself. Honest.
I use a beef and pork blend. Culturally inept Italian Americans call it “making sauce.” Lol.

Right, and like a good Italian son I still get jars of it sent home with me. But mom is getting old and doesn't make much sauce these days.

 

[notlongago]

Making some homemade pasta (cavatelli) for dinner but the meatballs came from the deli. I typically use my moms (she still sends me jars of sauce with meatballs) but I'm out. I have the Rao's cookbook but haven't made their meatballs yet, any good? My wife has made some average ones in the past, but nothing I would make again.

50/50 pork/venison, panko or dusted cracker, egg(s) and soft rolling. Hard sear then finish in red sauce. Hard to screw up assuming your spice blend is balanced.

 

[Nole Lou]

You have meatballs every week? Should mix up the dinner menu a little.

Mixing pork/beef are my favorite also. My grandma had a really good recipe that my wife now uses. Can't remember it off the top of my head though.

Yep, we have sauce once a week. My family and my wife's family did growing up. Seems normal to us.

 

[alaskanseminole]

 

[hawksurprize]

I do. While I don't profess to have some magical recipe, it's a good recipe and it's easy.

1 lb ground sausage
1/2 lb ground veal or beef
1 egg
1/3 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

Back at 350 for ~20 minutes.

Looks worth a try.

 

[jasonrann]

This is the last recipe I used, HUGE hit. I believe a fellow HORT poster shared it. Outstanding. I accompanied this with the Clemenza (from The Godfather) spaghetti sauce recipe.

1 lb 80% ground beef
1 lb ground pork
3 eggs
4 tsp corn starch
1 cup of red wine
1/2 cup diced yellow onion

Splash of Asian fish sauce
table spoon of black pepper and salt.
cup of grated/shredded parm/asiago cheese
1 bunch of chopped fresh parsley
2-3 garlic cloves.

Tablespoon dry basil
Tablespoon dry oregano

I started by sautéing the onion and garlic in two tablespoons of olive oil. I salt and pepper as I go. Once they are soft, add the red wine and allow that to reduce, almost to a slurry. Once its reduced, let it cool. Add everything else to a mixing bowl and combine. Form into golf ball size balls and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

 

[BelemNole]

Yep, we have sauce once a week. My family and my wife's family did growing up. Seems normal to us.

Yeah, that's part of the reason we don't. In fact I pretty much avoid spaghetti and meatballs now. I can do a gnocchi or ravioli or cavatelli but I'm way burnt out on S&M. And dont' get me started on lasagna.

 

[jberesford]

Its like marinara sauce, I never do them the same. The only constant to me is mixing different meats together and using breadcrumbs. Sometimes I bake them, sometimes I cook them in sauce. Muffin tins work well for baking.

 

[TJ8869]

mom is getting old and doesn't make much sauce these days.

 

[bhawk24bob]

you guys are missing parsley and mint

 

[Moral]

Clever way to expose the mafia of the board.

 

[dgordo]

I buy my meatballs from Johnny begale at Paulina meat market. $8.75 a lb.

 

[IowaPackFan]

I use this and it’s delicious.

 

[Tenacious E]

This is the last recipe I used, HUGE hit. I believe a fellow HORT poster shared it. Outstanding. I accompanied this with the Clemenza (from The Godfather) spaghetti sauce recipe.

1 lb 80% ground beef
1 lb ground pork
3 eggs
4 tsp corn starch
1 cup of red wine
1/2 cup diced yellow onion

Splash of Asian fish sauce
table spoon of black pepper and salt.
cup of grated/shredded parm/asiago cheese
1 bunch of chopped fresh parsley
2-3 garlic cloves.

Tablespoon dry basil
Tablespoon dry oregano

I started by sautéing the onion and garlic in two tablespoons of olive oil. I salt and pepper as I go. Once they are soft, add the red wine and allow that to reduce, almost to a slurry. Once its reduced, let it cool. Add everything else to a mixing bowl and combine. Form into golf ball size balls and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Screams fsutribe!

 

[Tenacious E]

Making some homemade pasta (cavatelli) for dinner but the meatballs came from the deli. I typically use my moms (she still sends me jars of sauce with meatballs) but I'm out. I have the Rao's cookbook but haven't made their meatballs yet, any good? My wife has made some average ones in the past, but nothing I would make again.

1. 5 pounds of meat (I go 1/2 ground pork 1/2 ground sausage but I could see going all pork)
2. 6-8 eggs
3. Fresh minced garlic (a whole head)
4. 1/3 cup chopped dry basil
5. 1/3 cup copped fry oregano
6. 1 cup Parmesan (grated, powdered, whatever)
7. Enough Italian breadcrumbs to even out the texture. Probably 1 to 2 cups.
8. Bake at 35 for about 30 minutes, but adjust for size of the meatballs

 

[TC Nole OX]

Screams fsutribe!

That clearly isn't traditional but for some reason I suspect it is good.

 

[NoleATL]

I typically use my moms (she still sends me jars of sauce with meatballs) but I'm out.

Sorry I raided your mom's fridge on the way out last time. She worked up quite an appetite in me...

 

[BubsFinn]

My meatballs are pretty good. I sweat yellow onion, garlic, and a bit of rosemary in bacon fat. Once that cools, add it to ground beef and pork. Salt, pepper, egg, breadcrumbs, Romano cheese, and chopped Italian parsley finish out the recipe. Mix everything, allow the mixture to rest for an hour to give the breadcrumbs time to hydrate, roll into balls, and pan fry.
A couple months ago, I had some ground Wagyu scraps from a striploin so I used that and cut back on the pork. Those were some delicious meatballs.

 

[TC Nole OX]

I have been meaning to make this recipe