Why do my homemade meatballs turn out hard?

Question

When I make homemade meatballs they are very tasty but hard. Any suggestions why?

Answer 1

Try baking them at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes instead of frying them. Frying renders out the fat but can make them hard, too. Drain them when they're done baking, and use in any meatball recipe.

Also use fresh breadcrumbs and an egg for moisture. Don't pack the meatballs down too hard when you form them, or they will turn into itty bitty hamburger cannon balls.

And if push comes to shove, try molding them around a tiny chip of ice. It works in keeping hamburger patties moist on the grill, so it might work for meatballs, too.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I'm guessing that at 90 it will be a lot of family. So go pot luck. Have everyone bring a dish. You buy all the paper goods and set-ups, along with maybe meat platter and a few side dish's. Usually that's the best route. Than you have a variety and your not doing all the work. But you might want to order the cake. Tell Grandma Happy Birthday! God Bless her!

Answer 4

Three possible reasons come to mind:

1. Over mixing - ground beef is kind of like pastry - don't over mix it.

2. Too much binding ingredients, such as breadcrumbs or whatever.

Drum roll please....

3. The most common problem is using "lean" ground meat. Never use anything but medium ground for meatballs, stuffing, meatsauce, etc. Too little fat makes things tough.

If you are on a restricted diet, and MUST use lean ground beef for these items, add a dollop of low-fat sour cream or yogourt to your ground beef mix.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

If you are using ground round or chuck there may not be enough fat in meat. try adding some bread crumbs and milk, plus an egg.you can also add just a little sausage to add some fat to the mixture. form balls lightly and just brown the meatballs, then add to your sauce. they will cook through as they simmer.

Answer 6

It's probably a combination of things ... but the two most obvious are .. You are cooking them too long (get an instant read thermometer) .. cook them to 165 for 15 seconds.
Second, they are too dry to begin with .. use bread crumbs and milk to add moisture ... one has to practice to get a feel for the right consistency, kind of like meat loaf .. a little wet and slightly sticky.
Good Luck..

Answer 7

You don't give your recipe so I have a lot of ideas. There could be a couple of reasons:
1. Your recipe is too dry. Add more egg, or olive oil.
2. You cook them too long, if you brown them.
3. If you brown them, use a coating of olive oil on them, and high heat.
4. They may just be burnt.
5. Maybe not brown them at all, just cook them in the sauce. This requires lots of simmering and really good pots.

Good luck.

Answer 8

You should be cooking them slowly. Sounds like you're trying to cook them too quickly and making them hard on the outside. The best way to do this is to just lightly sear them on the outside and then add them to your sauce and allow them to slow cook in the sauce for a few hours. Good luck!

Answer 9

It depends on your ingredients and the length of time you cook them. You want meat to reach a cooked temperature of 160 degrees and then take them off the heat.
Do you add bread crumbs or oatmeal or other veggies to cut the density of the meat? Do you add an egg or two for "glue"?

Answer 10

are you using soft bread crumbs (just pieces of torn up bread) in the mixture. this along with an egg mixed in will keep them nice and tender. after browning then you can also add them to your homemade sauce to finish cooking.