Meatball recipe.. (turkey, bake, meatloaf, pork)

[burdell]

Soaking the bread and/or crumbs in milk or half & half works well.

I like to add some finely diced Crimini mushrooms both for moisture and flavor.

[Chinolala]

These are good and on the moister side...trick is to not make them too big.

1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground beef
1 egg
fresh crushed basil
1 minced garlic clove
salt
1/2 - 3/4 cup romano (more flavorful than parmesan, trust me on this)

Combine all ingredients really well. Form meat into small meatballs. Saute them in 1 can of Italian seasoned stewed tomatoes and 1/2 cup of red wine, on a very low heat, for about 20 minutes. Be sure to turn them so they cook evenly. Add them to your pasta sauce. They will be moister cooked on the stovetop than in the oven.

[mommytotwo]

here's one my aunt got from an Italian lady at the laundromat years ago:

mix of ground beef and pork (or just beef)
fresh Parmesan cheese
FRESH basil
fresh parsley
fresh garlic
S & P
egg (one or more dep. on quantity of meat)
chunk of italian bread, wet with warm water, then squeeze all the water out and squish it through your fingers till all mushed up.

roll into small balls bake on cookie sheet w/olive oil. if going into sauce, bake on high for short period of time rather than low for long period of time.

This makes absolutely wonderful, moist & flavorful meatballs.

The key is the fresh basil, fresh garlic, fresh parm. and bread. Do not substitute dry for any of those ingredients.

[CoastalMaine]

1 lb. burger
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 - 1 cup water
1 large egg
1 medium onion chopped small
1 small pepper chopped small
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 ground black pepper

In a small bowl mix the bread crumbs with the spaghetti sauce and 1/2 cup water. See how much the mixture coagulates. If it's still thick, continue adding a little more water at a time until you have a thick hot oatmeal type consistency. Then mix in vegetables and garlic.

Next, in a large bowl, mix the burger and egg together, then add the bread crumb mixture. Add the spices last. Do not overblend as it will mascerate the mixture.

Make meatballs about 2" around and place in a shallow roasting pan. Bake at 350 for a half hour, then using tongs, turn the meatballs over. Continue to cook an additional 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and drain on a paper plate topped with a couple paper towels to absorb the fat.

Cool meatballs completely. I like to add just a couple to the spaghetti sauce so they will flavor the sauce. They will break down in the sauce which is why I only put a few in.

The next day, you may add the meatballs to the sauce if you like. They won't fall apart then.

Enjoy~

Gale

[Supplies]

Does anyone just drop their raw meatballs in the sauce to cook ? I hear most Italians do, my Italian friend also cooks her sauce with a large pealed raw onion which she discards after the sauce is done.

I haven't done meatballs & sausage for ages but this cold weather has me looking for some new recipes

[Pikantari]

I don't know. I brown mine and cook throughout in a pan and then add the sauce and let them simmer for a while...

[momtothree]

I always cook mine in the sauce. It gives the sauce such a rich flavor and depth. I do use a leaner cut to cut out the grease. I find precooking dries them out personally.

[meemy]

Originally Posted by Pikantari

I don't know. I brown mine and cook throughout in a pan and then add the sauce and let them simmer for a while...

Yep. That's mostly how I do mine too. When I have a large amount I simply pop them in the oven on a slightly oiled cookie tray.
.

[Supplies]

I think I'm going to brown the meatballs fast so not to cook the inside then finish them off in the sauce for an hour or so. I'm soo hungry now.

[7G9C4J2]

We've done them both ways. Kind of depends on how greasy the meat is, how fast we want to get supper on the table, and what else is going alongside.

Pluses to dropping them raw in the sauce: you get lots of good umami mouth-feel from the grease in the meat. The meatballs stay softer (can be a plus or a minus, depending on your viewpoint). Fewer pans to wash.

Pluses to browning them ahead of time, or baking them on a rack in the oven: lower fat result. Meatballs are firmer, can be almost crunchy if you really brown them. We do this if we're including ground pork in the meatball mixture.