Meatballs

Make it your way meat balls

 

Basic Meatballs

 

1 pound hamburger (93% to 85% lean)

1/3 c. bread crumbs, panko or oatmeal

1/3 c milk, buttermilk or plain yogurt

1 egg

1 t salt

½ t pepper

1 t Worchester sauce

3 T minced onion (or grated on a cheese grater)

 

-in a large bowl mix bread crumbs and milk. Let sit 5 minutes until it forms a paste. Mix remaining ingredients. Form into 20 balls. (about 1 oz each ball).

 

BAKED: Place on a wire rack that is set on a rimmed baking sheet. (Or directly on a baking sheet). Bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

 

PAN FRIED: heat 2 T oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook turning occasionally until browned. Remove from pan, and cook remaining meatballs. If you’re making a sauce, do so in the pan without cleaning meatball drippings out.

 

Variations

 

Comfort BBQ Meatballs

 Make basic meatballs

In a bowl mix together 1 c. ketchup, 2 T sugar, 3 T cider vinegar, 2 T Worchester sauce, 5 T minced onion, dash of hot sauce.

Put meatballs in an oven safe dish/pan and pour sauce over meatballs. 

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

Italian Meatballs

to basic meatball recipe add ¼ c parmesan cheese, 2 t dried parsley or Italian seasoning, 1 clove garlic minced. Cook as directed.

To serve heat pasta sauce of choice, when it begins to simmer, place meatballs in sauce. Cook at medium low covered for 15 minutes. Serve with spaghetti or as a meatball sandwich.

 

Swedish Meatballs:

To basic meatballs add: 2 cloves garlic minced/pressed, ¼ t allspice, ¼ t nutmeg

Cook as directed in the recipe (I would prefer to pan fry rather than bake, but your choice)

To make Gravy, melt 2 T butter in a medium high heat frying pan then whisk in 2 T flour. Cook stirring frequently. After a minute or two, slowly pour in 1 ½ c beef broth (1 can). Whisk as you pour so that there are no lumps. Add 1 t Worchester sauce, and ¼ c cream. Put cooked meatballs into the sauce. Heat for 10 minutes or so. Serve with wide egg noodles.