Five Ways to Make Meatballs Even Tastier
Not only are meatballs something everyone looks forward to, but they also go great with most dinners. Add them to soups, stir them into pasta, or add them to a green salad—there’s no bad place for meatballs. However, there is the problem of bad meatballs. Since I don’t want that fate for your next dinner, here are my top tips for getting tender, juicy meatballs every time.
Use breadcrumbs
A few months ago I was lifting more weight in my workouts and trying to eat more protein so I could build. In an effort to get as much lean protein as possible, I began eliminating breadcrumbs from my meatball mixture and switching to whole meats. These were the densest, most elastic meatballs the world has ever known. Breadcrumbs in your mixture aren’t just fluff, they serve a more important purpose: maintaining a tender texture.
All animal proteins, whether egg whites or muscle tissue, undergo the same denaturation process when cooked. The protein threads contract, displace water and become more elastic. This is part of what you see when the meat shrinks as it cooks in the pan. The meatball does all of this, too, and as long as nothing breaks those protein strands, you’ll end up with a dense, elastic meatball.
You don’t need much: a quarter cup of breadcrumbs (or even graham crackers ) with a little liquid for moistening is just what you need to break up those tight protein bonds. When you bite into the meatball, the starchy pockets break easily, which is perceived as tender to your palate.
Go ahead and “overdo it” with the seasoning.
I recommend seasoning meatballs, especially large batches, more than whole cuts of meat. Because the seasoning is designed to permeate throughout the meat rather than just sitting on top as with steak, what appears to be a lot of flavor will actually spread throughout quite a large portion of the meat.
When in doubt, have a pan nearby while you season the mixture. Fry a small cutlet (about the size of a quarter) and taste it. If you need to adjust the flavor, you can do so now. This will add a few minutes to the cooking time, but at least you can guarantee that the meatballs will be truly delicious.
Don’t skimp on fat
While you can make meatballs with any meat—beef, pork, chicken, or faux meat—always consider the fat content. The fats melt and take on that juicy flavor you’ve come to expect from a good meatball. If you’re using beef, pork, turkey or any combination thereof, look for packages that contain at least 7% fat. If you can only find lean meats or prefer proteins like chicken over beef, add the fat yourself. Use the large holes of a box grater and add a few tablespoons of cold grated butter to the mixture.
Use a light touch
Once you have all the right ingredients in your bowl, it’s time to mix them all together. While your first instinct may be to reach for a spoon, stop and then put on a food-safe glove. It is best to mix by hand.
Ensuring the tenderness of the meatball occurs at every stage of its preparation, including mixing and shaping. You make sure to add breadcrumbs to keep the texture tender and add enough fat to avoid dryness; The last thing you need to do is stir. Over-mixing will firm up the protein and minimize those perfect pockets of breadcrumbs and fat you added, resulting in the meatballs becoming elastic again. This is quite possible using a spoon. Instead, lightly break up the meat with your hands and gently mix the ingredients with your fingers. Using gentle movements, also form into meatballs.
Divide the meat equally
It is important not only to carefully shape the meatballs so that they do not stick together and become tight, but also to divide the meat into portions of the same size. If the meatballs are smooth, it means they will cook at the same speed. If you cook large and small meatballs together, the smaller ones will likely dry out while the larger ones are cooking, especially if they are baked in the oven.
There are two easy ways to keep your meatballs the same size. My favorite way is to use an ice cream mold because it’s quick and easy to see if you’re overfilling the scoop. Be careful not to pack the meat tightly when scooping. If you don’t have a dishwasher or don’t think it’s the right size, try this trick . No fancy tools are required and you can be sure to use every last bit of meatball mixture. With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to creating a high-quality meatball dinner.