JFF - Meatball Recipes

ground beef
finely chopped onion
egg
bread crumbs
finely chopped garlic
salt
pepper
oregano
string cheese/mozzarella stick sliced up

I just mix everything together but the cheese. Then I make the ball around a slice of cheese. I cook them in tomato/pasta sauce. Really simple but pretty tasty.

Funny thing, I never make meatballs to go with spaghetti (I use italian sausage). So when I do make meatballs I usually bake them and toss them with barbeque sauce the last 15 minutes. If you want to do chicken meatballs, there is a buffalo chicken meatball recipe, sooo good. It has celery and buffalo sauce in the mix. It'll come up if you google it!

Here's a recipe:http://www.marthastewart.com/349216/mini-spicy-buffalo-ch...

I usually use a big pkg of hamburger from the store - probably 4 lbs. Then I throw in 2 eggs, some smashed up crackers or oatmeal, about a cup. Then I open my fridge and put a few tablespoons of whatever good stuff I have in my fridge, from ketchup, bbq sauce, jalapeno juice, steak sauce, and if I have some V8 juice I put some of that in too. If I need to add more of the condiments then I do, I don't like the meat too dry. Then I make the meatballs and bake them on a cookie sheet. I always get compliments on them too.

4 different meatballs I make occasion:

For spaghetti, I have a basic one for a weekly basis and another for if we're serving guests (ha).
1) Regular: 1lb ground chuck, 3/4 C Italian bread crumbs, dry Italian seasoning (I actually use 1 packet of the italian dressing or zesty italian dressing powder), 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 Tbs parsley, 2 Tbs parmesan, and 1 beaten egg. Mix it all together, it makes 12 balls, and bake about 15 minutes, then continue cooking in sauce until done.

2) The "company's coming" meatballs: same basic recipe but I do half beef, half ground Italian or hot sausage, and I do 1 Tbs ricotta, 1 Tbs parmesan for 12 balls. But I often double the whole recipe for 24 balls and an even pound of each meat if there's guests. Leftovers can always be frozen and I'd rather have too much than too little.

3)For appetizers, I like Spicy Meatballs. This recipe yields 3 dozen small balls (for toothpicks):
1/2 lb ground chuck 2 eggs, beaten
1/2 lb ground sausage Tony Chachere's seasoning, to taste
1/4 C minced onion LA hot sauce, to taste
1/4 C minced celery pinch of thyme
1/4 C red bellpeppers pince of basil
1 Tbs minced garlic 3/4 C Italian breadcrumbs

In lg bowl, combine it all together (seasons to your own taste) and shape into 1" balls. For the sauce:
1/4 C butter 1 tsp Creole mustard
1Tbs minced jalepeno 1/4 C parsley
1Tbs red wine vinegar 1/2 C bbq sauce
a little salt, LA hot sauce to taste 1 Tbs cane syrup
1/2 C ketchup dash of worcestershire sauce
2Tbs brown sugar

Melt the butter on med-high, brown the meatballs, remove the balls and set aside. In the same pan, whisk sauce ingredients (EXCEPT the parsley) continually until they begin to simmer. Place meatballs into the sauce, reduce heat, simmer 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle in the parsley, serve hot.

4) Lamb/feta meatballs:
1lb ground lamb
1/2 C fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbs onion, chopped
1/2 C crumbled feta (I never measure feta; we love it and put in as much as looks good)
1/3 C chopped kalamata or green olives (depending on who's eating them)
2 eggs
1 tsp Italian seasonings

Preheat the broiler. Mix all the ingredients to make 16 balls, lay them out 2" apart, broil until the top is browned, flip them and cook the other side until done.

Here's my recipe, which I always double:

1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
1/4 cup warm water

The water is important, don't skip it! And I'm sure you know, but don't overwork the mixture and don't overpack the meatballs.

Hey R.,
So here in Hawaii, we locals like anything Teriyaki.
Meatballs too, or anything.
To make it easy, just buy a bottle of Teriyaki sauce from the store.
Then, in your ground beef, just pour it in as you mix it.
Also good in it is: onion powder and/or garlic powder.
Then add salt or pepper if you want.
Just add those things to your taste.

I cook by eye, not recipes per say, so that is why there is no measurements to my "recipe."

You can also, after you make the balls of meatballs, just stick it in the oven to bake/cook, or, put them in a pan on the stove top, and cook it in the Teriyaki sauce as well. Making sure that it/the sauce, does not burn. So adding a little water at a time, to prevent that as it reduces.

Seems like I make them a little different each time depending on what I have here!
Sometimes just beef, sometimes a mix with sausage and/or venison
Crackers and egg
diced onion, garlic and sometimes celery
parsley, salt pepper
Oh,sometimes I like to use that dry onion soup mix!
Other possible add ins - hot sause, worchestshire (sp?) sauce! fennel seed.
I've also heard something about making them with Stove top Stuffing? never tried it, but it sounds good! bread and spice all at once!

Super easy recipe.

1 lb of ground beef
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup flour
pepper
salt (not too much - parmesan is salty!)
1-2 tbs parsley
garlic powder (however much you like)

Mix together, make 1 inch balls. Bake at about 400 for 20 minutes or so.
Most of the time I double up the recipe and let them cool to freeze for later.
My favorite way to eat them is to pop them frozen in the crock pot with brown gravy and let them cook for a couple of hours. I serve them hot over egg noodles. I'll also take the leftovers to work and eat in a hot dog bun. So good!

My meatballs are pretty basic, ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, milk, garlic powder. I bake them on a cookie sheet. I like to serve them in a sauce made of ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and worchestershire.

I think I use a Tyler Florence (Food Network) recipe. From memory the key is 3 kinds of meat and never over mixing:

1/2 lb pork, 1/2 lb beef, 1/2 lb lamb
buttermilk, chopped fresh parsley, garlic, onion, egg, salt, pepper, italian breadcrumbs and fresh grated parmesean cheese.

I don't measure anymore, just eyeball how much I want. I like lots of cheese.

Roll into golf ball size, let sit in fridge for at least an hour, semi fry. I freeze at this point but when you are ready to eat it, throw some into the sauce to finish cooking. My kids love this recipe.