Since I'm on a question-asking roll, I should ask whether anyone has a good recipe for Meatballs?

Question

Everytime I make meatballs they always come out less flavorful than I'd like, what am I doing wrong??

Step-by-step instructions would be really grate-ly (ha) appreciated.

Answer 1

From the same cook as the wonderful Beef Stew recipe I gave you, here is the best meatball recipe I've ever made.  Just follow the directions, even down to the water!  They are flavorful, tender, and delcious!

REAL MEATBALLS & SPAGHETTI

For the meatballs:

1/2 pound ground veal

1/2 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)

1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 extra-large egg, beaten

Vegetable oil

Olive oil

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon good olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

1½ lbs. spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Freshly grated Parmesan

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

--“Barefoot Contessa Family Style” cookbook

Answer 2

These are the BEST meatballs I found the recipe on line and have used it a billion times and EVERYONE LOVES them

1 pound ground beef

1/2 pound ground veal

1/2 pound ground pork

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 eggs

1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

1 cup olive oil

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DIRECTIONS

Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold it's shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)

Place cooked meatballs into Marinara Sauce and cook for 15 more minutes.

Answer 3

remove the meat from the tubes of a couple spicy sausages and mix it in with your ground beef.   Add some finely chopped onion & garlic, some salt, pepper, oregano.   Add some bread crumbs (the italian seasoned one's add more flavor) and a splash of milk (to make them tender).   Fry until browned and add to your sauce..

Answer 4

This is a low-fat recipe, but you can make it all fatty for even more flavor.  I just can't eat that stuff.  

Two - Three Spicy (or Sweet - Your Preference) Turkey Italian Sausages

1lb 96% Lean Ground Beef

2 - 3 Carrots (Finely Chopped, Preferably in a Food Processor)

2 TBSP Pesto (Pre-Made is Fine)

3 - 4 Cloves Garlic (Finely Chopped, Preferably in a Food Processor)

1/2 Bell Pepper - Any Color (Finely Chopped, Preferably in a Food Processor)

1/2 Large White Onion (Finely Chopped, Preferably in a Food Processor)

1 - 2 Eggs

1 Cup Italian Breadcrumbs

Salt and Pepper (I like a lot of Pepper)

Fresh Oregano (Finely Chopped, Preferably in a Food Processor)

The spices are a matter of taste.  Add a little at a time each time you make them until you get the flavor you want.  In my opinion, you can never have enough spice.  

Mix all of that up and make your meatballs - bake them or pan fry them and then drop them in your sauce!

Also, look at www.receipezaar.com for great recipes and step-by-step instructions!

Answer 5

Serve with: Pasta; sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (150 mL) fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup (125 mL) water

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper

1/4 cup (50 mL) grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley

1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes

1 cup (250 mL) beef stock

1 zucchini, grated

1/2 tsp (2 mL) each dried basil and oregano

Preparation:

In bowl, combine fresh bread crumbs with water; let stand until absorbed, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg, garlic, salt, pepper, cheeseand parsley. Mix in beef. Roll by rounded tablespoonfuls into balls.

Brush large nonstick skillet with vegetable oil; heat over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs, in batches, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Drain any fat from pan. Add onion and garlic; cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, beef stock, zucchini, basil and oregano; simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 25 minutes. Return meatballs and any accumulated juices to pan; simmer, turning meatballs occasionally, until no longer pink inside and sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.

Answer 6

This is my mom's Swedish Meatball recipe. It's really good,easy &only takes a few minutes to make.

2lbs. lean hamburger

1/2 cup chopped Onions

3 T. margarine

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry rice (uncooked)

1/2 cup milk

Mix all this together..Make average size meatballs,

In a single layer,place meatballs in a oven proof dish(spray w/pam)



Mix together

1 cup ttomatosoup

1 cup ttomatosauce

Pour soup & sauce over meatballs.

Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 1 hr 15minutes(covered)

Serve with some egg noodles or rice.

Try this..They're REALLY Good!