Homemade meatballs hold a revered place in American cuisine, much like they do in Italy. There is a difference though. While we cherish a plate of spaghetti and meatballs in the U.S., it’s not something you will likely find together in traditional Italian households or restaurants in Italy.
Though I’ll never turn my nose up at meatballs served with pasta. I grew up in northern New Jersey with pasta and meatballs as a Sunday staple, and we carry that Italian-American tradition into our own home now, too. I make my meatballs the way my grandmother did: soaking breadcrumbs in milk, using a beef, pork and veal mixture, and following two rules that will ensure a perfect meatball.
Two Important Rules
1 egg for every pound of meat and 1 teaspoon of salt for every pound of meat (unless adding parmesan which is naturally salty, then scale it back). Following these rules will ensure a well-flavored meatball that will hold its shape.
Homemade Meatballs – Fry & Braise
Partially frying the meatballs until the outside is just golden before finishing the meatballs in a homemade sauce is a timeless, authentically Italian approach. It is our ritual on Sunday mornings, letting the simmering fragrance permeate the house for hours. The process begins by lightly frying the meatballs in a large skillet, followed by gently simmering them in a piping hot pot of homemade tomato sauce until they reach perfection. Braising the meatballs in sauce ensures they remain tender, while allowing the flavors to harmonize, resulting in a truly sumptuous dish. This is a perfect meal as-is, served alongside potatoes or thick, homemade bread. Or, in true Italian-American fashion alongside your favorite pasta.
Family & Cultural Variations
Sometimes I make these with sausage, sometimes I add a handsome dollop of homemade ricotta cheese to the mixture, sometimes I do both. In any event, meatball recipes vary by family and region. Any person you meet who counters how they should be made is absolutely correct in their own kitchen. As I wrote in the intro to my cookbook, “cooking is personal and taste is subjective” – every Italian family has a version that is steeped in region and sentiment.
My grandmother made them the way I am sharing with you today. Lightly fried, just barely, creating a caramelized hold and an additional layer of flavor, and then finished cooking low and slow in a piping hot pot of homemade sauce, resulting in an incredibly tender and flavorful meatball.
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Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground veal
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup grated parmesean cheese
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 ½ tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped substitute with dried
- 1 ½ cups seasoned breadcrumbs soaked in milk can use panko Italian seasoned, start with 1 cup of milk and mix, add more if needed
Instructions
Have a large pot (with room for the meatballs) of piping hot tomato sauce gently simmering, before adding the meatballs.
- In a large mixing bowl, using clean hands, combine the meat. Add the garlic, eggs, parmesan cheese, parsley and soaked breadcrumbs (they should be tender now and any excess milk squeezed out and discarded). Mix together well.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over low-medium heat. Make meatballs about 10-12 at a time, depending on the size. Working in batches, lightly fry on both sides until golden. Drain on paper towels or use a slotted spoon to lift from the oil and add to the pot of hot tomato sauce. Carefully stir occasionally, taking care not to break apart the meatballs. Continue to cook on a gentle simmer for 2 hours.
Notes
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