Baked, broiled or seared, meatballs are handy to have in the freezer.
Here are some tips for making tasty, moist meatballs.
Don’t overwork the meat when making meatballs. Use a large fork to toss the ingredients rather than squishing with your hands and don’t overcrowd or compact them in the saute pan or baking sheet.
Baking in the sauce for 45 minutes to one hour will also tenderize and develop the flavours.
One egg per pound (500 g) of meat can be added for binder, but you’ll need breadcrumbs to soak up the liquid. This adds extra body and fat to the meatballs.
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You can also add 1/2 to one cup (25-250 mL) water or milk per pound (500 g) of meatballs. Add about the same amount of breadcrumbs to soak up the water and tenderize the meatballs.
Rolled oats can be substituted for breadcrumbs.
For Asian flavours, you can add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, lemon grass or fish sauce. For Middle Eastern flavours, use a mixture of onion, garlic, allspice, cilantro, mint and cinnamon.
Serve with tahini or yogurt sauce on the side. For Mexican flavours, add chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, cilantro and cumin.
Fat also tenderizes and adds flavour. Add ground pork or bacon fat to your ground meat.
Baked Parmesan Meatball Casserole
- 1 1/2 lb. ground beef, pork and veal combination 700 g
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/2 c. chopped parsley 125 mL
- 1 c. bread crumbs 250 mL
- 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese 250 mL
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 24 oz. tomato sauce 700 mL
- 10 oz. mozzarella cheese 300 g
Mix ground meat, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt, pepper and Parmesan. Form into large meatballs about three inch (7-8 cm) in diameter.
Brush a nine x 13-inch (22×33 cm) baking pan with cooking oil.
Pour some tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan. Lay meatballs on top of the sauce. Cover with more sauce and lots of mozzarella cheese.
Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes or until cooked through and browned on top. Serve immediately. Serves eight.
Cocktail Meatballs
- 3 tbsp. olive oil 45 mL
- 1/4 medium red onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp. milk 30 mL
- 3/4 c. fresh breadcrumbs 175 mL
- 1/2 c. cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated 125 mL
- 3 tbsp. chopped cilantro 45 mL
- 1 tsp. chili powder 5 mL
- 2 tsp. ground cumin 10 mL
- 1 tsp. oregano 5 mL
- 1 lb. ground beef 500 g
- 1/2 lb. spicy Italian sausage casings removed 250 g
- salt to taste
Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). Drizzle two tablespoons (30 mL) oil on baking sheet.
Heat the remaining tablespoon (15 mL) of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for three minutes, stirring frequently until onion is transparent.
Meanwhile, beat egg and milk together in a bowl. Add breadcrumbs, grated cheese, cilantro, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Mix thoroughly.
Add sauteed onion and garlic to egg mixture along with beef and Italian sausage. Salt if desired and mix together. Using dampened hands, roll about one teaspoon (5 mL) of mixture into a ball about 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) in diameter. Arrange the meatballs on baking sheet.
Cook in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Makes about 40. Serve immediately. Apricot jam makes an easy dipping sauce.
Italian Wedding Soup
- 3/4 lb. ground turkey 340 g
- 1/2 lb. turkey sausage, casings removed 250 g
- 2/3 c. fresh fine white bread crumbs 160 mL
- 2 tsp. minced garlic 10 mL
- 1/4 c. chopped flat leaf parsley 60 mL
- 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese 125 mL
- 3 tbsp. milk 45 mL
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil 30 mL
- 1 c. finely chopped yellow onion
- 1 c. diced carrots 250 mL
- 1 c. diced celery 250 mL
- 10 c. chicken stock 2.5 L
- 1/2 c. dry white wine 125 mL
- 1 c. small pasta 250 mL
- 1/4 c. finely chopped fresh dill 60 mL
- 8 oz. fresh baby spinach, trimmed, washed and patted dry 250 g
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
Prepare meatballs: Place ground meats, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Parmesan, milk, egg, one teaspoon salt (5 mL) and 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop one inch (2.5 cm) meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Set aside. Makes about 40.
Prepare soup: Heat oil over medium-low heat in a large stockpot. Add onion, carrots and celery and saute until softened, about six minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add pasta to the simmering broth and cook until pasta is tender.
Add fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for one minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in spinach and cook for one minute, until spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 10. Source: Adapted from Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.
Sausage Stuffing Balls
- 6 pork sausages, good quality, plain ones
- 1 lb. ground pork 500 g
- 1/2 c. dried cranberries, soaked and drained 125 mL
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 c. sage leaves, finely chopped 125 mL
- 2 eggs
- 4-5 slices of stale white bread, to make breadcrumbs
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp. olive oil 30 mL
- 1 small Granny Smith apple, grated
Heat oil in a frying pan and saute onions and sage leaves until onions are translucent and have softened.
Remove sausage meat from its casings and place in a large mixing bowl along with the ground pork.
Combine ingredients in the mixing bowl.
Plump up cranberries in hot water for 20 minutes, drain and squeeze out all water. If they are large, roughly chop them.
Using a small ice cream scoop, turn them out onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet with about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) distance between them. They will look like lumpy meatballs. Let these chill in the fridge at least an hour until ready to cook.
Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) and bake for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
Serve hot with gravy and a spicy cranberry chutney or cranberry sauce. Makes about 50. Source: Ginni Kathuria-Kelley, www.ginniskitchen.com
Sarah Galvin is a home economist, teacher and farmers’ market vendor at Swift Current, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. She writes a blog at allourfingersinthepie.blogspot.ca. Contact: team@producer.com.
