282786 Sun Jan 29 16:18:18 -0800 2006 44 31 Home Cooking 0 1507895 also, what is the best beef to use? Chuck? Sun Jan 29 16:18:18 -0800 2006 0 cv 1 1507906 I like to use 1:1:1 beef:veal:pork. Recently saw ground buffalo at a store, might try that next time. Sun Jan 29 17:17:32 -0800 2006 1507895 0 semmel 2 4366003 Buffalo is REALLY dry! Wed Jan 28 11:08:55 -0800 2009 1507906 10926 mnosyne 3 4367383 It is IF you overcook it...buffalo are strictly grass-fed...and as I understand it, it does NOT need to be cooked as thoroughly as commercial ground beef.(yuk...sorry, but with all of the e-coli and other food scares recently, I've just about given up on USDA ground beef...consider the fact that the cattle **may be** eating parts of other cattle! totally disgusting and totally unacceptable for USDA to allow us to eat that stuff and for it to even be sold!!!! <stepping down off soapbox>) Wed Jan 28 17:04:59 -0800 2009 4366003 11983 Val 4 4381592 It has a much lower fat content than grain-fed beef, so it's not really suitable for something like meatballs, though, which will be dry and tough -- there's no such thing as a medium-rare meatball! Mon Feb 02 15:51:14 -0800 2009 4367383 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 1507914 There was an article in the San Francisco Chronicle on 1/18 describing a chicken meatball recipe made at Oliveto Restaurant in Oakland. I haven't tried it yet, but it's intriguing. Name of article is FOWL PLAY How to bring out the best in America's favorite meat If you search for "oliveto chicken meatball" it should take you to the recipe. The Chron's website, unlike the NYT, is free with no registration...yet. Sun Jan 29 17:47:22 -0800 2006 1507895 0 oakjoan 1 1507921 Here is a GREAT recipe from Rao's restaurant in NY Link: http://therecipereader.com/meatballs-raos.htm Sun Jan 29 17:56:20 -0800 2006 1507895 0 Marge 1 1507926 I used to use some bread crumbs with the mixture, then friend suggested using oatmeal instead - it makes a world of difference - try with the oatmeal! Sun Jan 29 18:19:48 -0800 2006 1507895 0 Lisa 1 1507936 passed on to me by my wonderful brother-in-law Ken: 5 slices day-old French bread, crustless 2# ground chuck 1 c. freshly grated Parmesean 1 lg onion finely chopped 1/2 c chopped parsley 1 t salt 1/2 t pepper 1 t oregano 2 t dred basil 3 cloves garlic minced 3 eggs 3 T olive oil Tear bread into pieces and whirl in processor to make 2 cup lightly packed crumbs. Place chuck in large bowl, breaking it into pieces. Sprinkle crumbs and seasonings over the chuck, lightly whisk eggs only to blend and add to meat, then mix all with your hands. Shape into 1 1/2" balls and brown, uncrowded, in a large skillet. Turn and brown all sides. Remove to a plate while you deglaze the pan with a little red wine or stock, which then goes into your sauce. Place meatballs into sauce and simmer slowly for 15 minutes. Sometimes I toss some brown mushrooms into the processor first, then add the crumbs and the garlic, cloves, and parsley to get the flavors well mixed before adding to the meat. The mushrooms add moisture, so the meatballs are softer when cooked, and very tender. They're more like the texture of my mom's veal meatballs, which are very tender and juicy. You can sub some of the chuck with veal if you like. It's pricey, but makes a spectacular meatball. Good cooking! Sun Jan 29 20:03:51 -0800 2006 1507895 0 toodie jane 1 1507984 My favorite meatballs are the German ones called Koenigsberger klopse. They are featured at classy little cafes in Frankfurt. Link: http://www.recipeviewer.com/r1/r71.html Mon Jan 30 08:19:05 -0800 2006 1507895 0 Sharuf 1 1507985 As with meatloaf and hamburgers, you don't want to use beef that is too lean. Ground chuck (20-25% fat) is the way to go, but you could make about half of that ground sirloin if you are also using pork and veal, which is to be highly recommended (pork adds an irreplaceable sweetness, and veal assists in creating a lovely texture). Mon Jan 30 08:23:04 -0800 2006 1507895 0 Karl S 1 1507989 This is my favorite recipe. I use a pork-veal-beef mixture sold by my butcher, which I also use for meatloaf. I actually use the same recipe for meatloaf too except I leave out the garlic and oregano. I'm assuming the meat mixture has roughly equal portions of each. For each pound of meat I add 1 beaten egg, 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs, 1/2 cup water, 1 small onion and 2 cloves garlic, minced, 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley, plenty of freshly ground pepper, chopped fresh oregano if I have it, 2 tsp salt, several dashes of Tabasco or other hot sauce. Mix together by hand and form into 1 1/2 " balls. Brown in olive oil and finish cooking in red gravy. This looks to be basically the same as Rao's recipe except I don't add parmesan cheese. I may try that next time. Mon Jan 30 09:15:14 -0800 2006 1507895 0 Ellen 1 1508010 I have a great Swedish meatball recipe if you are interested - tastes just like the ones I remember as a child in Sweden. Uses pork & veal. Also a Spanish recipe for lamb meatballs. Mon Jan 30 10:49:19 -0800 2006 1507895 0 MMRuth 2 1508014 MMRuth- Please post the Swedish meatball recipe. Funny- as I was reading these posts, and the posts for the sweet n sour meatball, I was thinking of swedish meatballs. My grandmother used to make them, but I do not have a "tried and true" recipe. Would greatly appraciate it- and may add it to my Superbowl snacks- along with Das's jfried lasagna noodles. TIA Mon Jan 30 11:11:25 -0800 2006 1508010 0 macca 3 1508254 Sorry for the delay: 1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs 1/2 cup light cream 1/2 cup water 8 oz ground beef 8 oz ground lean pork 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp ground allspice 2 T grated yellow onion 1 egg, beaten 3 T butter (for frying) Mix bread crumbs, cream & water, set aside for 5 minutes. Work together meets, salt, allspice & onion. Gradually add bread crumb mixture and then egg. Blend well, fry a sample and adjust for seasoning. Shape into balls. Heat part of butter in a skillet, add meatballs when foam starts to subside. Cook over moderate heat until brown and cooked through. This mix is very "soft" - sometimes I lightly dust the balls with flour which seems to help them keep their taste. Served them Christmas Eve as an hors d'oeuvre - with lingonberry sauce on the side. Tue Jan 31 06:48:52 -0800 2006 1508014 0 MMRuth 4 1508258 Forgot to mention how many they make - recipe doesn't say. When I made it as appetizers, I made them quite small, there were 8 of us, and they were almost all gone (there were other hors d'oeuvres as well). Tue Jan 31 07:44:51 -0800 2006 1508254 0 MMRuth 4 1508265 Thanks so much. All printed out and ready to go. Love that I will have a new offering for Superbowl treats. Will make a double batch, as I know my brothers remember my grandmothers Swedish meatballs, and they will be all over this! Tue Jan 31 09:05:20 -0800 2006 1508254 0 macca 5 1508271 Just FYI - They can be a bit time consuming, in terms of forming the meatballs, esp. if you make them small. No reason you can't make ahead & reheat. Thought I might want gravy w/ them, but the nice coating of meat fat and butter made them plenty moist. Tue Jan 31 09:32:09 -0800 2006 1508265 0 MMRuth 6 1508303 Thanks for the tip. Will be preparing on Saturday, too. Will probably make these on Saturday. Thanks Tue Jan 31 13:53:13 -0800 2006 1508271 0 macca 4 4365603 I wanted to add to this - the recipe calls for 1/2 tsp all spice, but I use at least the tsp referenced above, maybe more. Wed Jan 28 09:35:36 -0800 2009 1508254 10985 MMRuth 5 4373138 I just mixed up a batch, and 1 tsp was just right. Fri Jan 30 10:59:10 -0800 2009 4365603 10985 MMRuth 6 4373257 MM, I know that you have made the most delicious burgers in the world, Suzanne Goin's Pork, Applewood smoked bacon and chorizo sausage burgers...well, I made meatballs, essentially using this as a base but with a combo of pork and ground veal, adding breadcrumbs and egg, and they were delicious. Fri Jan 30 11:36:51 -0800 2009 4373138 110819 bakerboyz 7 4373280 Oh how clever - I bet those were amazing. Fri Jan 30 11:44:27 -0800 2009 4373257 10985 MMRuth 8 4373433 I just used a standard sweet and sour sauce to simmer them in: Heinz Chili Sauce, jellied cranberry sauce, brown sugar and fresh lemon juice. Really Good. Fri Jan 30 12:26:45 -0800 2009 4373280 110819 bakerboyz 4 4373267 I wonder why it calls for 1/2 c light cream and 1/2 c water, instead of whole milk, or another variation. I'm going to give this a try today but don't have light cream. I usually use milk in meatballs and meatloaf. Fri Jan 30 11:40:34 -0800 2009 1508254 39874 chowser 5 4373286 I don't know - though I've noticed that a number of Swedish recipes call for light cream - I just finished making a hazelnut cake that did so as well. Fri Jan 30 11:45:03 -0800 2009 4373267 10985 MMRuth 6 4379723 MMRuth--is this an older recipe? Perhaps it was written for the era where it was more typical for people to have only small ice boxes (rather than the full-blown fridges we have today) and, because they wouldn't have had room to store milk, they would just keep a small container of cream and dilute it with water when they wanted milk. I know that was a typical practice in some places a couple of generations ago. Also, I know a generation or two ago, dairy producers in the U.S. got the best price for cream, so, that's what they produced for sure. Oftentimes, they wouldn't have the facilities to produce grade A milk (for human consumption), but only grade B milk (used for making cheese, butter, etc.). In those case, the producers just sold the cream, the grade B millk, and the remaining skim milk was fed to the hogs or consumed by the family. ~TDQ Mon Feb 02 07:42:17 -0800 2009 4373286 12005 The Dairy Queen 7 4379858 The book was published in Sweden in 1971 - and there are recipes that call for milk, as well. Mon Feb 02 08:21:17 -0800 2009 4379723 10985 MMRuth 8 4379871 Well, the presence of other recipes calling for milk would seem to disprove my theory! ~TDQ Mon Feb 02 08:24:32 -0800 2009 4379858 12005 The Dairy Queen 1 1508061 I really love the Italian braised meatball recipe from A16 in the link below. Scroll to the middle of the page. I have made it with turkey meat (not breast, but the dark meat ground turkey), adding a little bit of organic shortening to make up for the lower fat, and it is also excellent. Link: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/09/FDGO9B4IL81.DTL Mon Jan 30 13:48:22 -0800 2006 1507895 0 nja 2 4365620 Yum, I agree the A16 meatballs are fabulous! I used different link though: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pork-and-ricotta-meatballs-in-tomato-sauce Wed Jan 28 09:40:00 -0800 2009 1508061 75862 newfoodie 1 1508177 These italian meatballs are very moist. They don't have a lot of spices in them. But they hold their own. 1 lb. ground chuck beef 1/2 lb. ground pork 1 medium onion, diced very small 3 cloves garlic, minced fine 2 Tablespoons olive oil 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3 slices italian bread, crust trimmed off Milk to soak bread 1/2 teaspoon oregano salt, pepper to taste 1. Cover bread with milk and let soak. 2. In a frying pan, heat oil, add onion and garlic and cook slowly till onion releases it juice (you want some evaporation). Remove from heat. 3. In large bowl add beef and pork. Take bread out of milk and squeeze it lightly. You don't need excessive milk. Add soaked bread, eggs, onion and garlic, oregano and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Mix together and form meatballs. Fry in olive oil, several at a time, till browned, put in favorite sauce to continue cooking. Mon Jan 30 19:32:57 -0800 2006 1507895 0 TrishUntrapped 2 4365955 Agreed . . . the operative bits are a mix of pork and beef a little bread, soaked in milk minced onion fresh italian flat leaf parsley generous salt and pepper good parm I like the recipe in Biba's Taste of Italy as a starting point http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/2001/bibaitaly/meatballs.html Wed Jan 28 10:59:16 -0800 2009 1508177 11989 pitu 1 4365905 All the others recipes posted here sounds great. I've been using this recipe from epicurious for a couple of years and it turns out great. The meatballs are nice and tender. I usually pan fry them, but other reviewers of the recipe have baked them or put them right into their tomato sauce. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Classic-Spaghetti-and-Meatballs-105546 Wed Jan 28 10:49:43 -0800 2009 1507895 95489 mschow 1 4366375 http://www.channel4.com/food/recipes/chefs/nigella-lawson/pasta-with-meatballs-in-tomato-sauce-recipe_p_1.html NIgella's recipe is outstanding. I add veal as well to the mixture and usually go with the semolina. Makes tons, use ice cream scoop sized for you, freeze and bag. Meatballs in a heartbeat for a quick tasty meal. Her sauce is yummy. Highly recommended. Wed Jan 28 12:43:40 -0800 2009 1507895 261290 pilar1221 1 4369164 Last night I adapted the RAO recipe. The 2 cups of water they incorporate into the meat really intrigued me. Instead of two, I used 1 cup and 1 onion, handful of parsley and a couple of garlic, blended it all together in the blender to make 2 cups of liquid. Turned out pretty good. I did add more herbs and seasoning into my mixture. The recipe makes a very soft and light meatball which I quite like. I combined the meatballs to Giada's quick marinara sauce and it turned out great. Thu Jan 29 09:21:20 -0800 2009 1507895 92180 gourmet wife 2 4372382 I really like to make meatballs with part turkey (thigh meat if available.) I don't like frying them, so I just simmer in a good tomato sauce. I freeze them in the sauce, too. Recipe here: http://pithyandcleaver.blogspot.com/2009/01/light-and-hearty-open-faced-turkey.html Fri Jan 30 07:36:02 -0800 2009 4369164 146162 maggiej 1 4373056 I like to start with a combination of ground beef (93/7 fat ratio), ground pork, and ground veal. I put it all in a large bowl with one egg, and enough bread crumbs,or surprisingly, I also love Ritz and Salteen cracker's, just make sure you don't add too much salt since they have a good amount on them already. I use enough crushed up to cover the top of the meat mixture (I would guess around 1/2 cup maybe slightly more, it may seem like a lot, but I've noticed that they turn out really moist with out loosing their "meaty" quality. I add a half onion (small) grated, dried parsley Tbsp, and a dash or two or dried basil and oregano, and roughly a Tbsp of garlic powder. Next I add about a quarter cup of Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and then add a small amount of milk to bind adding more until I reach a consistency I'm happy with. Then I sautee them in a pan over medium heat, browning both sides and throw them in an oven at 350 degrees until they are cooked in the center (this depends on the size of the balls you make. Hope you enjoy! Fri Jan 30 10:37:52 -0800 2009 1507895 44143 rachel12 2 4373313 Mine are simple and quick. I make a very moist spicy turkey meatball and then serve it with a honey BBQ glaze, they are a bit spicy but not too hot. They are great. Just easy and quick and the turkey makes it a bit healthy as would learn ground beef. I pan saute and then bake to finish. No cheese, just herbs and some condiments. Great side. These can also be made in a slow cooker on just on the stove. Take your pick. Good for an appetizer or main course. Fri Jan 30 11:52:56 -0800 2009 4373056 232829 kchurchill5 1 4373387 Here's my favorite. Moist and tender with a great crust. Parsley and pine nuts inside provide contrasts of texture and color. I like to make really big batches so that there are always some in the freezer. 1 loaf stale bread, cut into 1-inch cubes 5 pounds ground meat (I usually mix chuck and pork shoulder) 12 eggs, beaten 12 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups Pecorino Romano, grated 1 cup Italian parsley leaves, chopped fine 1 cup pine nuts, toasted 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper Soak the bread cubes in water to cover for a minute. Drain and squeeze to press out excess moisture. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to incorporate. Chill for half an hour or more in the fridge. Form into 2 oz. balls. Chill again. The colder your meat mixture, the rounder the meatballs will stay. Arrange meatballs on baking sheets and put in a 450F oven until thoroughly browned. Remove, let cool, and cook immediately or freeze. Fri Jan 30 12:14:40 -0800 2009 1507895 58743 alanbarnes 2 4373448 1 lb turkey, 1 egg, 2 slices of regular bread white or wheat soaked in milk (just a minute then squeezed, then added to the meat. I like 1 teaspoon each ... fresh parsley, dried Italian seasoning, cumin, salt and pepperand worscestershire. 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 large shallot minced. I also like to add some hot sauce for some flavor. Or if making Mexican ones ... add 1 chipolte diced. Make the meatball and chill until firm, just 30 minutes or so or longer. Pan sear in olive oil and then I like to bake, but you can continue on the stove top if adding a sauce. I like to use a base BBQ sauce, added chipoltes, honey and apple jelly. This makes a tangy sweet BBQ sauce which is great for nibbling. I use different sauces depending on what I am using it for. Fri Jan 30 12:29:55 -0800 2009 4373387 232829 kchurchill5 1 4379825 I know Italian meatballs. I practically grew up on them. That said, my hands down favorite meatball recipe is one I found in Bon Appetit several years ago. I was skeptical when I read the recipe, but also intrigued so I made them and absolutely fell in love. Others have approached them skeptically when I told them the ingredients but after they try them they inevitably fall in love. They are Sicilian meatballs made w/ mild Italian sausage instead of the traditional beef, pork, veal blend (my Mom's side is Sicilian & I'd never heard of meatballs made like these). They also include pine nuts and a small amount of currants which keep them so moist and add the most subtle sweetness. Other ingredients are standard, breadcrumbs soaked in a bit of milk, Locatelli romano cheese, egg, parsley, etc. Oh, and they are baked at 450 degrees which produces a superior meatball than frying, IMHO. Sicilian Meatballs Meatballs 2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs 3 tablespoons milk 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 large egg 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted 2 tablespoons dried currants Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil baking sheet. Mix crumbs and milk in medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Mix in Parmesan, onion, basil, egg, garlic and pepper. Add sausage, pine nuts and currants; blend well. Using wet hands, form mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls. Place on baking sheet. Bake until meatballs are light brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Add to sauce. Mon Feb 02 08:09:31 -0800 2009 1507895 71241 lynnlato 2 4381396 I've heard swoons over pignoli and currants in meatballs, although I've yet to try it myself. Thx for the reminder. There's a restaurant in Brooklyn does it this way, Frankie Sputino. Mon Feb 02 14:51:39 -0800 2009 4379825 11989 pitu 3 4381541 I would've been the 1st naysayer. It just sounds like some lame gourmand's attempt to "recreate the meatball" - but having made these many, many times now, I'm hear to say it's meatball perfection. Try it. :) Mon Feb 02 15:37:25 -0800 2009 4381396 71241 lynnlato 1 5122319 One thing that is not mentioned here is that you can beat your meat. (Pardon my the use of that expression). Put the ground beef alone in the KitchenAid with the heavy beater for a minute or two. I am not sure of the chemistry, but it alters the texture so that it binds better. You will see the change as the meat gets more tacky. Thu Oct 22 07:08:59 -0700 2009 1507895 154622 Paulustrious