Doug's ex-wife wants soft but not squishy meatballs

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x78420

Oh my.

EFerrari  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-23-10 11:46 PM
#03 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009; DOUG'S EX-WIFE
Original message

How do you make a meatball soft but not squishy?

Mine are always too dense. Every time I set out to add more crumbs or grated potato or whatever, I think I'm going overboard but they always come out the same.

What would you say a good ratio is, of ground meat to bread/or whatever? Mom is in love with meatball sandwiches from Subway and I promised to duplicate them for her.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Wed Jun-23-10 11:56 PM
#05 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009; THE SPARKLING HUSBAND PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message

1. Dunno about duplicating Subway, but for light meatballs, add crushed ice.

The crushed ice helps the meat resist overworking, which is the biggest cause of dense meatballs. It also gives them bulk while raw, but leaves small, moist voids when cooked. The ice steams them from the inside as it cooks off to steam.

EFerrari  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jun-24-10 12:05 AM
#03 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009; DOUG'S EX-WIFE
Response to Reply #1

2. Are you serious?

I'd never have thought of that. Thanks, Stinky!

The Subway meatballs aren't anything special except they are the ball park of what I need to do.

Lugnut  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jun-24-10 01:41 AM
Response to Original message
 
3. I never use bread crumbs.

I think they make the meatballs too dense. I save bread ends and dry them until they're hard. When I'm making meatballs I saturate the dried bread with water, squeeze out the water then add the mushy bread to the meat mix. I judge how much of the mushy bread to use by the feel of the mixture. If the mix is soft the meatballs are too. This has always worked well for me.

Warpy  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jun-24-10 01:56 AM
#09 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009; THE DEFROCKED WARPED PRIMITIVE
Response to Reply #3

4. That would work like Stinky's ice idea and for the same reason 

and that is giving extra moisture inside the meatball that will keep the meat proteins from shrinking and compacting around the filler.

I've used matzoh meal but I've soaked it first.

grasswire  (1000+ posts)      Thu Jun-24-10 02:58 AM
THE FARMERETTE UP OVER THERE IN WISCONSIN
Response to Original message

5. I watched a TV show the other day about Italians and meatballs.

It was Tyler, the TV chef, traveling to Italy and watching several home cooks make their meatballs, working alongside and asking lots of questions.

All of them soaked stale bread in milk or water, squeezed the liquid out, and added the wet crumbs to the meat. They also used more eggs than I normally use, and also a mixture of meats -- beef, veal, and or pork. Minced parsley, some grated cheese. That was generally the way. Maybe you could find that episode at the new Food Channel web site.

When I make meatballs, I put some of the marinara into the meat. A cup, perhaps, for two pounds of meat. I do the parsley, grated cheese, bread crumbs, etc., and also a plop of olive oil. Some herbs and garlic, sometimes some minced fresh spinach.

Lugnut  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jun-24-10 12:35 PM
Response to Reply #5
 
9. I throw a hefty amount of grated locatelli in the meat mix.

I've tried the three meat combo a few times and it's very good. Most of the time I use ground chuck because that's what I have in the freezer.

EFerrari  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jun-24-10 01:10 PM
#03 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009; DOUG'S EX-WIFE
Response to Reply #5

10. Thanks, grasswire. I haven't been soaking the bread.

Maybe that's the problem.

Tesha  (1000+ posts)      Thu Jun-24-10 07:17 AM
Response to Original message
 
6. Be gentle...
 
It's easy to over mix...

soak dried bread chunks in milk
add some sausage for extra fat
parsley, parm, an egg,
and maybe onion and garlic, lemon rind to brighten, a pinch of nutmeg or mace for warmth

mix gently, roll into balls (I press a few golden raisins into the center of each), and bake 15 min @400

What the.....

A good way to ruin beef, mixing it with raisins.

Arkansas Granny  (1000+ posts)      Thu Jun-24-10 10:50 AM
Response to Original message
 
7. When I make meatballs I use soft bread crumbs and soak them in milk before adding to the meat mixture. It help them hold together better and keeps them moist. I do the same with meatloaf. The ratio I use is 1 slice bread to 1 pound of ground meat and enough milk added to the bread to make a sort of paste.

The empressof all   (1000+ posts)        Thu Jun-24-10 11:44 AM
THE IMPERIOUS PRIMITIVE
Response to Original message

8. You have your answer....It's the milk.

I usually cheat and use Progresso Italian Bread Crumbs but I wet them with a hefty chug of milk. I've heard of Stinky's ice trick and find it interesting. I bet that works well too. I've always used the milk so that's what I know.

Stinky The Clown  (1000+ posts)        Thu Jun-24-10 05:39 PM
#05 TOP PRIMITIVE OF 2009; THE SPARKLING HUSBAND PRIMITIVE
Response to Reply #8

12. Yanno, its funny ......

..... I've long heard of using milk in meatballs, but have never, ever tried it. I learned the ice trick in school, but for meatloafs, pates and such, not meatballs. I adapted it to meatballs way back then (we used more brontosaurus chuck than beef chuck) and have used it ever since.

Yeah, the sparkling husband primitive's no robust young lad.

Vinca  (1000+ posts)      Fri Jun-25-10 05:40 PM
THE VINDICTIVE PRIMITIVE; THE NOTORIOUS RE-SELLER
Response to Original message

13. I add some diced and steamed eggplant to my meatball mix.

Makes it nice and moist, but you have to be careful not to overdo it.

pscot  (1000+ posts)        Sat Jun-26-10 10:36 PM
Response to Original message
 
14. After you fry up the meatballs (made with dry bread soaked in liquid) use the drippings to make a pan gravy. Put the meatballs back in the gravy and cook on low, covered, for half an hour.

hippywife  (1000+ posts)        Sun Jun-27-10 07:23 AM
MRS. ALFRED PACKER
Response to Original message

15. I drop mine raw into the hot sauce and let them cook in it. I don't use bread crumbs in them, but use parmesan cheese instead with the egg and seasonings. I think they come out just right...not too dense not to mushy. I hate a mushy meatball.

My gran used to fry hers but she also used milk in them and hers were delicious. When my dad and his siblings were kids, she almost couldn't get them fried and into the pot of sauce fast enough for them to stop eating them out of the skillet.

Monique1  (21 posts)      Fri Jul-02-10 12:27 AM
Response to Reply #15
 
16. Meatballs

I make mine similar to you hippywife. I don't precook the meatballs but place them in warm organic basil tomato soup and let them cook. They do come out very moist. Don't stir them frequently, cook on low and they won't break up. The last time I made these they were the best meatballs I ever made.

[Ballygrl]

To make light and fluffy meatballs she needs to add milk and use day old italian bread, chop up the bread and add to a processor to make it look like bread crumbs, and add that to the meat and throw in a couple of eggs and some italian seasoning, also don't fry the meatballs, bake them in an oven.

[franksolich]

To make light and fluffy meatballs she needs to add milk and use day old italian bread, chop up the bread and add to a processor to make it look like bread crumbs, and add that to the meat and throw in a couple of eggs and some italian seasoning, also don't fry the meatballs, bake them in an oven.

Doug's ex-wife is using meatballs as a metaphor for her own brain.

Remember, she said her meatballs are "too dense."

[Ballygrl]

Doug's ex-wife is using meatballs as a metaphor for her own brain.

Remember, she said her meatballs are "too dense."

[BEG]

I have a recipe for spaghetti and meatballs that my mom got from a neighbor 40 years ago. Two pounds of ground beef (no other meat) 6 eggs, bread crumbs, parm cheese, garlic, parsley and salt to taste. The original recipe called for accent which I have used before and it does make them taste better in my opinion.

The original recipe called for browning the meatballs then ploping them into the sauce to cook all day. I started putting them on a baking sheet and baking them until just brown instead of frying then putting them in the sauce to finish cooking all day. I do agree with the posters who say don't over mix the meat. Also if you let it sit out on the counter for awhile before you mix it also helps. You should also let steak sit on the counter for an hour before you put it on the grill.

I think less is more, DUers always want to add a bunch of crap to food.

[Chris_]

The original recipe called for accent which I have used before and it does make them taste better in my opinion.

I think that stuff is mostly MSG.  It's been a while since I looked at the label.

[PatriotGame]

Stop using lean / extra lean ground beef. If you want juicy meatballs, its the fat that does the trick. Also, for every pound of ground beef I cook, I heat & extremely soften about 6-8 Oz. of cream cheese and mix thoroughly with the beef. Add your seasonings, brown on very high heat to seal the outer meat areas, then plop in your sauce and simmer for an hour.

[AllosaursRus]

Doug's ex wife is a squishy meatball!

[BEG]

I think that stuff is mostly MSG.  It's been a while since I looked at the label.

yes it is MSG, that is why it tastes better. Sometimes when I make it I throw it in for the heck of it, a little MSG a couple of times a year isn't going to hurt anyone. I can taste the difference when I leave it out but they are still really good without it.

[soleil]

RAISINS IN A MEATBALL?????? Is there not some law against that? GROSS!