Recipe: Meatballs

About This Recipe

 I decided to share another recipe that builds on the tomato sauce we already made. If you haven’t made that tomato sauce a store bought one will work fine. I like big flavors and that’s what I focused on for these recipe. I actually had someone once tell me these were “meatloaf” meatballs. One day I will come back to this and show you how to stuff the meatballs with cheese.

Ingredients:
Ground Beef (85/15 works best)
Italian Bread Crumbs
Ketchup (yes ketchup)
Egg (1 per pound of meat)
Garlic Powder (or fresh)
Onion Powder (or fresh cooked onion)
Salt
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce (per half a pound of beef)
Pepper
Paprika
Basil
Red Pepper
Olive Oil
Tomato Sauce

Estimated Cooking and Prep Time: 45 minutes to an hour
Servings: About 10 meatballs per half a pound of meat

 Cooking Process

Use as much or little of each spice as you like. I use about 1/4 of teaspoon (or less depending on the spice – example: red pepper) for every 1/2 pound of meat.

Mix all ingredients in a bowl except the olive oil and tomato sauce. The meat should be a little runny but still hold itself together. If it is not holding together well add more breadcrumbs.

Once together break off small pieces of the meat and roll them into a ball in your hand. I made mine the size of a golf ball but you can make it any size you like.

Once your bowl is full of meatballs coat the bottom of a sauté pan with olive oil and heat on medium. Once shimmering add the meatballs to the pot.

The purpose of this is to brown the outside not cook it all the way through. Using tongs when each side of the meatball has browned turn it. Continue until each side of each meatball is browned.

Fill a separate pot with tomato sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling put the browned meatballs into the sauce. Cover the pot and lower the heat to a simmer. These will cook for 15 to 30 minutes. These meatballs are not a steak. You want to cook these all the way through. I cook them this way because the meatballs stay juicy and retain their flavor better. Before serving, cut one open to make sure it has cooked all the way through. Enjoy!