My meatballs are a disaster.

[Faliciagayle]

Every time I make meatballs, they never turn out the way I want. I've done them simmered in sauce which always turns into a meat sauce. Last night I tried rolling them in corn meal then frying, and they tasted like corn meal.

We keep kosher so I'm not going to add things like parmasean cheese or milk to the mix. I'll make all beef or all turkey. I do use cracker meal, egg, tomato paste, etc etc... so what am I doing wrong???

[es1967]

I would love to know how to make good meatballs. My DS loves the ones from Ikea and I wanted to make them w organic beef for him. They turned out very dry and the dog ate most of them. I don't eat meat myself but would love a good recipe.

[Alyantavid]

I just mix a pound of hamburger with an egg, some seasonings and bread crumbs. Then roll up really good and fry. After they're cooked, I'll add sauce.

[ledzepplon]

I make mine with eggs, bread crumbs, and some onions and spices. Then I bake them in the oven. Yum!

[es1967]

Originally Posted by ledzepplon

I make mine with eggs, bread crumbs, and some onions and spices. Then I bake them in the oven. Yum!

I baked mine and they turned out really dry? I used the same ingredients

[cristeen]

I make meatballs just by mixing meat and herbs/spices - I don't add any binders and haven't had any problems...

What size are you making them? The bigger they are the more likely they are to fall apart. I usually make mine a little smaller than a golf ball - roughly one bite size for an adult.

What type of meat are you using? Obviously beef, but are you using a lean beef or a fattier one?

How are you cooking them before you add them to the sauce? I always pan fry them first, although I know many people bake them. I toss them in my cast iron skillet and brown them on at least 3 sides. They should have a really good dark crust on most of the ball, and you shouldn't see any pink anywhere. Only then do I add liquid ingredients for simmering. Usually I do curried meatballs, so I add coconut milk and curry paste and let it simmer 20 minutes or so.

How long are you simmering the sauce? The meatballs will fall apart if they're in there too long.

[CrunchyChristianMama]

Here's my recipe:

1 lbs. grass fed beef
bread crumbs made from the crusts of my homemade bread (I eyeball it)
fresh oregano, basil, and rosemary (what I happen to be growing this year)
clove or two of fresh garlic
a few tablespoons of diced onion

I brown them in a pan until all the sides are seared. Then I transfer them to a pot of pasta sauce and simmer for 45 minutes. The browning first helps keep them from falling apart in the sauce, as does keeping them relatively small - I use a heaping tablespoon per meatball.

[Magali]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/t...pe2/index.html

Try these. They are so perfect. The secret for this recipe is not using breadcrumbs, but bread soaked in milk. OMG, these are soooo good.

[ledzepplon]

Originally Posted by es1967

I baked mine and they turned out really dry? I used the same ingredients

I don't know, mine haven't been dry . . . maybe try less bread crumbs? Or be sure that you're not using a super lean ground beef? I baked mine at 350 for about 15-20 minutes.

Keep the thread updated if you find an awesome recipe! My dh loves meatballs.

[ledzepplon]

Originally Posted by Magali

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/t...pe2/index.html

Try these. They are so perfect. The secret for this recipe is not using breadcrumbs, but bread soaked in milk. OMG, these are soooo good.

That sounds delicious!

[EdnaMarie]

nak- i bake w/o bread crumbs, just 1 lb meat, egg, spices, then marinate a bit in sauce AFTER they are done, 3 - 8 min.

[mamatoablessing]

Originally Posted by EdnaMarie

nak- i bake w/o bread crumbs, just 1 lb meat, egg, spices, then marinate a bit in sauce AFTER they are done, 3 - 8 min.

YES! Baking them is the key.

[UUMom]

Originally Posted by Magali

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/t...pe2/index.html
Try these. They are so perfect. The secret for this recipe is not using breadcrumbs, but bread soaked in milk. OMG, these are soooo good.

Perfect they might be. Kosher, they are not.

I OP, I think you may need to brown them first. To the meat add salt, pepper, and if you want, dry breadcrumbs, but you don't really need breadcrumbs.

Don't overwork the beef. Just enough to get whatever you want incorporated. Be gentle. Heat the skillet, then add the oil. Then add the meatballs on a med flame. Leave them a bit. Don't force them to turn, or you will break them. When they turn eaily, turn them. When done, take them out. Add them to the sauce.

The other thing you can do is add them to the warming sauce in the skillet. They will not brown, but they will cook.

Baking is also good. Takes a bit longer, uses more engery (unless you do it as you warm the bread) but it works.

[GAjenn]

1.get the sauce to almost a boil
2. lean beef, spices (I use garlic salt, oregano, parsley flakes, celery salt, hot spices if it is just for my husband, anything you like)
3. mix the meat and spices with your hands, then roll all the balls
balls should be about the size of the circle you make when you do the OK sign with your fingers
4. turn down sauce a little so you don't burn your fingers -- drop balls in the sauce around the pot so they are not stacked, give the pot a shake to settle them in DO NOT STIR until the balls are cooked
5. simmer for a while then turn heat to low

[JElaineB]

Instead of cracker meal I would suggest using fresh bread (no crusts unless very soft) torn into pieces soaked in water (I use milk but I am sure water would be fine). That will make them much more tender. I fry them first and then if I'm using sauce I will finish them in the sauce.

[Faliciagayle]

I use bread crumbs from homemade bread - I just call it cracker meal because... I dunno why

Thanks for all the suggestions - I think my problem is gigantic meatballs. I'll have to try making them smaller.

As for fat content, I really don't know. Last time for beef I think it was ground shoulder; last night it was lean turkey. Is greater or lesser fat content ideal?

When I've tried it in the sauce, I have not browned first. I'll try that. And I suppose I've greatly over cooked the sauce as compensation for not precooking the meatballs.

This is making me hungry

[KatWrangler]

Okay, I have to say I make : meatballs. But they wouldn't be Kosher for the OP.

When you pan fry them are you give them enough time to get a crust on them before you turn them? Also don't overcrowd them in the pan.

[RunnerDuck]

I don't like meat sauce... I never make meat balls because the sauce then always ends up being kind of meat sauce... and I don't like any chunks of any kind in my tomato sauce. I have weird food texture issues... Anyway - I do love wedding soup. Some recipes for wedding soup tell you to brown the meatballs first. I have a phobia of cooking meat in a skillet - I always burn it. I have tried baking them instead and ended up with dry meatballs that don't take on the soup flavor. I found it you bake them for a shorter amount of time, then it works OK... but I also found if you just gently drop them in the boiling broth they turn out just fine anyway so I don't bother with the pre-cooking.

I make my meatballs the size of a grape. I use chicken broth for wedding soup but you could use veggie broth, beef broth... it might be an idea. Simmer them in broth, then add tomato sauce?

I might have to try that myself...

[greeny]

These turn out AWESOME. I bake them, then throw them in sauce. This is not my own recipe, but I can't remember where I got it. I hope it's okay to post.

Oven Meatballs

1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon ketchup
A quarter of an onion, minced (or more, if you prefer)
1-2 teaspoons salt (salt makes them really yummy )
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix breadcrumbs, eggs, and water lightly in large bowl. Add ketchup, onion and spices. Mix. Then add meat and make sure everything gets well combined. Shape into 12 meatballs and bake in lightly greased shallow pan (like a 13 x 9 baking pan) for 30 minutes.

[flminivanmama]

I use either whole wheat matzah meal or oatmeal to bind (plus an egg). sometimes I use some flax seeds too

I make them the size of a walnut & generally bake them so I can scrape off the fat