Veal And Pork Meatballs Recipes

THE BEST MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)

OVEN BAKED MEATBALLS (OLD SCHOOL ITALIAN MEATBALL RECIPE)

Steps:

• Set a large 7-8 quart saucepot over medium heat. Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add the onion wedges. Sauté the onion wedges for 5-8 minutes, to caramelize, soften, and release their juices.
• Add the tomato sauce. Partially cover the pot and simmer on medium-low for 45-60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, set out a large mixing bowl. Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in the bowl. Then add in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, eggs, grated parmesan, parsley, 2 ½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix well.
• Add in the ground beef, veal, and Italian sausage. Gently break the ground meat into small chunks with your fingers. Then toss it with the milk and herb mixture to coat the meat chunks. This pre-mixing process helps to get the ingredients evenly distributed, without overmixing.
• Now mix the meatball mixture with your hands until evenly combined, but not a moment longer. (Overmixing meatballs makes them tough! You want the mixture to be even, but not packed down.)
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set out a large rimmed baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
• Use a 2 ½ - 3 tablespoon scoop to portion out the meatballs. Roll them well, but do not press and pack them tightly. If needed, use your fingers to pinch any cracks together. Set them on the baking sheet. (At this point, you could cover and chill the meatballs for up to 2 days. Or you could freeze them.)
• Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes to set. (The meatballs will finish cooking in the tomato sauce. If you plan to use the meatballs in a different way, bake them for 25 minutes to fully cook.)
• Now use tongs to pull the chunks of onion out of the tomato sauce. Discard the onions. Then use tongs to move the meatballs into the tomato sauce. Pour the pan juices into the sauce and gently stir. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

VEAL AND PORK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Mix the meats together, add garlic and parsley and set aside.
• Pour the milk on to the breadcrumbs and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in pan and soften the onion for 4-5 minutes, sprinkle with flour, stirring continuously; add wine. (Add 1 cup chicken broth?)
• Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to very low, cooking and stirring for 15-20 minutes. Pass through a sieve into a casserole.
• Season the meat with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Squeeze milk out of breadcrumbs. Add breadcrumbs to meat.
• Add eggs and 3 Tbl of sauce. Mix thoroughly.
• Roll into small balls, then dust with flour.
• Heat the frying oil and fry the balls for 5-6 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove, drain, and transfer to the casserole.
• Poach the meatballs gently (350 degrees?) in the sauce for 30-40 minutes, until they are tender and sauce is very thick. Serve warm.
• If there isn't enough "sauce" try making Garlic Mushroom Sauce and adding to casserole before poaching.

VEAL AND PORK MEATBALLS WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY AND EGG NOODLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the meatballs: Soak the bread in the milk in a small bowl.
• Put the pork and veal in a large bowl. Squeeze the liquid from the bread and mash it into small crumbs between your fingers as you add it to the bowl. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, eggs, parsley, a healthy drizzle of EVOO and some salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix gently to combine.
• Keep a bowl of warm water on hand for rolling the meatballs. Place wire racks over 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roll the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls, moistening your hands as needed, and place on the racks (24 meatballs balls per rack). Bake until cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.
• For the mushroom gravy: Bring the stock to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the dried mushrooms and simmer until soft.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter and EVOO in a saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the thyme, garlic and shallots. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with Marsala, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Chop the reconstituted mushrooms and add to the gravy. Pour in most of the stock, reserving the last few spoonfuls, as grit may settle here. Stir in the cream and cook until the gravy thickens a bit. Add half the meatballs to the gravy. (Reserve the remaining meatballs for another meal, such as Stuffed Peppers with Broken Meatballs and Rice.)
• Cook the noodles in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain the noodles and divide among plates. Top with the gravy and meatballs, and garnish with parsley.
• Cook's Note: The meatballs and gravy can be covered and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal. Reheat, covered, over medium heat while you cook the pasta. Add a ladle of the starchy cooking water to the gravy if needed to thin.