how to make soft Italian meat balls?

Question

want to bake the meat balls but they seem too hard on the inside. how do you keep them light and "soft?"

Answer 1

I assume you already have some sort of recipe you are using. The thing that makes them hard is mixing the meat together too much. Just barely mix your meat mixture and you will have tender, juicy meatballs.

Enjoy!

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Use bread crumbs.

Leave bread slices out overnight so they get hard. (The more air can get to them, the better they will dry out, so if they're standing up and separated they will dry more evenly.) Some slices of good bakery bread sounds good for this, but you could use just plain sandwich bread if you like.

Take the left out overnight bread and cut it into cubes, then put it into a food processer to make it into crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, try buying some fresh bread crumbs from the store.

If there's only the dry kind you can use them too, but dry breadcrumbs you use less of, because they puff up (use 1/2 to 2/3 less).

It's hard to tell exactly how much to use. It's probably somewhere between a teaspoon and a tablespoon of fresh breadcrumbs per meatball depending on the size. Remember to use 2/3 to 1/2 less if they're dry baked crumbs.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
how to make soft Italian meat balls?
want to bake the meat balls but they seem too hard on the inside. how do you keep them light and "soft?"

Answer 5

I grew up in a very Italian family. Baking or cooking the meatballs in sauce is not the Italian way! I believe the French cook their meatballs in the sauce. These taste boiled. Italians fry their meatballs always. Also do not use breadcrumbs as that will most certainly make them hard.Take a loaf of dry stale sliced or American bread and cut off the crust. Wet the bread and then squeeze it out. Place wet bread into bowl or pot and mix with your hands the eggs and seasonings. (Don't use too many eggs. I make tons of meatballs using about 6 eggs to 12 pounds of meat and these come out very moist.) You actually squish the mixture so it looks almost like a stuffing. Then you add your ground meat. I find a mixture of 90% beef and turkey a great combo instead of pork and veal and beef. I also add lots of grated cheese. Then DEEP fry them at a very high temp about 5 or 6 min. on all sides. If you think it is too hot adjust the temp. The oil should be hot enough so it quickly seals the meat before it gets into the meat itself. Meatballs should be watched constantly and when they are golden brown on all sides they are cooked. (This will ensure that they can stand up to simmering in the sauce you are making.)They should float in the oil and not stick to the pan. To avoid sticking use a canola spray oil before pouring the oil in the frying pan. Test the temp by throwing a clump of meatball mixture into it. If it floats it's ready.
Keep an eye on temp make sure they are not smoking up your kitchen. When one batch is done have another ready to toss into the oil so it doesn't cool down. Remove each batch with a strainer spoon ( large flat spoon with holes) of some sort and place on a flat dish on paper towel to drain any excess oil. When all meatballs are done and your sauce is done and you are ready to serve your dinner, only place enough meatballs in the sauce that you will need for the meal. If you find you will need more you can place more in the sauce while you are eating. Never let meatballs continue to cook in sauce for more than an hour. They will fall apart. Using real bread, the right amount of eggs and then cooking them in sauce is the trick behind a moist meatball. Of course you don't have to throw meatballs in sauce if they are prepared correctly they still will be moist for meatball sandwiches!

Here is a recipe that is very much like the one I use.

Italian meatballs "Calabrese" style.

3 lbs. **ground chuck ** ( I use lean meats)
2 lbs. stale Italian bread (use 2.5 lbs. and wet
1 cup grated yellow onion (I don't use onion)
1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped fresh garlic
1 cup of chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon salt, add more to taste
2 teaspoons fine ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups of grated Romano cheese
***eliminate any bread crumbs! This recipe called for 2/3 cup
3 eggs, x-large or jumbo

Cut all crust off the Italian bread, then cut into 2 inch slices. Turn on warm water on and soak the pieces of bread in a colander. Squeeze wet bread until most of water is out of it. Add wet bread and all other ingredients to ground meat in a big bowl or pot and mix well. I always fry one first for taste testing. If it needs more of anything you can add to it.

I also use an ice cream scoop to take the mixed meat out of the bowl or pot - that way each meatball is the same size, then I roll them into a ball shape. I use pumace oil or canola oil to fry them in a 12" non-stick frying pan, filled half way with oil - 10 meatballs fit very nicely. When brown on one side, turn them over to other side until brown.

I found this recipe at the link below.

http://www.restauranteur.com/pistocom/askthechef/2004jan28.htm

Enjoy - boun appetito!

Answer 6

sausage & burger ,1/2 & 1/2 Italian seasoning ,pepper , sea salt, worshestersauce,chopped olives green fresh tomatoes saute until done or play with them for ten minutes

Answer 7

Bake them ... cooking them in sauce is .... just wrong.... Bake them in mini muffin tins and make them just big enough so theyr not resting on the bottom... and roll them in bread crumbs.... doing both of those things will somewhat... "fry" them .... the breadcrumby retain the heat and moisture allowing the insdie to be soft .... and baking them in the muffin tins allows extra fat to fall to the bottom and not end up on your meat balls

Answer 8

Add milk soaked white bread to the meat. I slice per pound. You'll be amazed at the results.

Answer 9

i always cook meatballs over a simmer in a pot..The meat should be covered in a sauce, so the meatballs will retain moisture and softness...still produces a wonderful dinner...enjoy

Answer 10

Bread crumbs.