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***Official Cooking Discussion Thread*** (4 Viewers)

I've never used my Instant Pot as a slow cooker. I've thought about it but cooking something like a roast it's just as easy and quicker to use high pressure

 
So I bought a Masterbuilt electric smoker in December to dabble with (yeah its not pit smoking, but it does the trick well enough). Ive smoked chicken, fish, ribs, pork butts, picnic halves...everything has been amazing. Without going into too much detail, heres a few pics of  what Ive been doing (I cau:ght all the fish in the pics)

pork butt 3 hours in: http://i.imgur.com/bib6kG1.jpg

Finished butt (203 degrees). The fat cap actually slid off the top: http://i.imgur.com/kamUKxr.jpg

Pulled pork for days...2 days to be exact cuz I love me some pulled pork: http://i.imgur.com/5VUIwNX.jpg

Pulled pork sliders with 2 different sauces: http://i.imgur.com/XUjQkPR.jpg

Simple pulled pork tacos with pineapple and cilantro: http://i.imgur.com/hOPUBne.jpg

Smoked ribs, cut, then grilled: http://i.imgur.com/25iyKOL.jpg

Redfish in progress http://i.imgur.com/PwjmEtN.jpg

Smoked Redfish (for fish dip):  http://i.imgur.com/sjJyZBi.jpg

Not smoked, but Sheepeshead tacos: http://i.imgur.com/rZaufvP.jpg

Grilled Red Snapper topped w/mango salsa. With mushroom risotto from scratch, and g-bread: http://i.imgur.com/NFGWl1a.jpg

 
proninja said:
That looks awesome, and I am completely unconcerned with the "legitimacy" or pit vs electric. The only thing I care about is how the food comes out. 

Signed, the guy who has a dozen steaks cooking in plastic baggies underwater currently. 




 
Click to expand...
How are you going to do your browning?

 
proninja said:
I pulled these pork chops straight from the freezer a couple hours before lunch, let them cook, did a quick sear in cast iron and had lunch. Turning into a huge fan of prepping/vacuum sealing before I put things in the freezer. 
Click to expand...
Nice! Ive been vacuum sealing all my freezer meats for a few years. I bought a sealer mainly for freezing fish I caught but quickly started using it for everything the goes in the freezer.

 
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?

 
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Cowboysfan8 said:
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
I ask for a mix of beef and pork when making meatballs.  I like 60/40 beef/pork but you can do it however you prefer.  I haven't tried the bread soaked in milk.  I probably prefer meatballs a little differently than you since I like when they have a little browning on the outside while tender inside.

 
Cowboysfan8 said:
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
gotsta put some babycow in there, too, and some milk-soaked stale Italian bread if you want that perfect forkin' tension

 
Cowboysfan8 said:
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
I stopped looking for meatball recipes one I tried this one:

Rao's

 
Cowboysfan8 said:
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?




 
Click to expand...
Double grind your meat.  A simple hand grinder like this will work well.  I've had mine for 7 or 8 years and use it all the time.  I fresh grind all ground meat we use and for meatballs run it through twice.  Fresher tasting, and you know exactly what's in it.

https://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Grinder-Mincer-Pasta-Maker/dp/B0002I5QHW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486326580&sr=8-1&keywords=norpro+meat+grinder

 
Bought a sous vide machine yesterday.  Williams Sonoma only had the Sansiaire in stock and bought a food saver vacuum sealer.  Looking forward to searing them just prior to kickoff.

first time sous vide

 
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Cowboysfan8 said:
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
Definitely add pork but if you can find the beef/pork/veal mix even better.  And someone else said it but the milk soaked bread is an important step. 

 
proninja said:
Awesome. Just remember, the hotter and faster you sear the less it'll bleed through and overcook the inside. Make sure whatever you're searing on is smoking hot before you sear. 
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Thanks going to either use the BGE or may use a cast iron pan on my gas grill to scorching hot and avoid the smoke in the house since my hood crapped out.

 
proninja said:
The BGE is a searing monster. A bit of a pain for a steak or two though. 

edit: don't forget to pat those babies as dry as you can before you sear. Sorry if you know all of this. I'm just remembering all the mistakes I made at first. :)
Click to expand...
Yep.  Internet sleuthing has been my guide so far.  

 
Ok I'm convinced this is the way to go from now on for steak for me.  Thanks for the advice Ninja and all.  

I purposely did not cook a super expensive meat to see if it would elevate the steak and it did.  The herbs and garlic almost tasted as if it was infused in the meat.  Next trip to the butcher for some nice dry aged prime meat.

May be the best steak I ever cooked.

ETA:  I did have some asparagus as well, so not the typical Irish meat and potatoes.

 
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Cowboysfan8 said:
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
I use meatloaf mix of beef, pork & veal.

1/2 tsp salt

small white onion diced

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 1/2 tsp ital. seasoning

3/4 tsp oregano

crushed red pepper flakes to your liking

1 1/2 tbsp. worchestershie

1/3 cup milk or fat free half & half

1/4 cup grated or shredded parmesan

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

mix all but the last 3 items well.  add the last 3 and mix.  they shrink a bit, so roll a bit bigger than golf balls.

set oven to 400 and place on non stick foil.  bake for 18 mins, but give them a roll around half way thru.

finish in simmering red sauce.

 
Smoked some ribs today. One rack of St Louis style, one rack of baby backs. Used a salt and pepper rub for half of each, and a sweet and spicy rub for the other half. Smoked at 250 degrees for 6 hours with hickory and applewood. At 4 hours I mopped the baby backs with a carolina mustard vinegar sauce, and the St Louis with a mix of pan drippings and Sweet Baby Rays. They turned out phenomenal. Juicy, tender, and not quite fall off the bone (which is what I was going for)

http://i.imgur.com/M1XdBgK.jpg

When the ribs were done I threw some eggs on at 225 for about 45 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/0EGvV0P.jpg

 
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Wingnut said:
Smoked some ribs today. One rack of St Louis style, one rack of baby backs. Used a salt and pepper rub for half of each, and a sweet and spicy rub for the other half. Smoked at 250 degrees for 6 hours with hickory and applewood. At 4 hours I mopped the baby backs with a carolina mustard vinegar sauce, and the St Louis with a mix of pan drippings and Sweet Baby Rays. They turned out phenomenal. Juicy, tender, and not quite fall off the bone (which is what I was going for)

http://i.imgur.com/M1XdBgK.jpg

When the ribs were done I threw some eggs on at 225 for about 45 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/0EGvV0P.jpg




 
Click to expand...
So if you put them in uncooked and in the shell did they come out full "hard boiled" done consistency?  

I have seen recipes for putting the uncooked eggs in for a couple of hours around that temperature.  And I have seen ones that used already hard-boiled eggs (shelled) at that temp for 10 minutes or so.  

 
Binky The Doormat said:
So if you put them in uncooked and in the shell did they come out full "hard boiled" done consistency?  

I have seen recipes for putting the uncooked eggs in for a couple of hours around that temperature.  And I have seen ones that used already hard-boiled eggs (shelled) at that temp for 10 minutes or so.  
Click to expand...
So 24 hours later and the eggs seem to have much more smoke flavor, they're really good. Smoked deviled eggs will be making an appearance at a party next week.

 
been doing a lot of crock pot lately, a Korean BBQ flank steak has been really great.

also, wife got me a new Cuisinart food processor in December for xmas, right before the blade recall.  at the time, I was told 2 weeks to receive the blade.  just got an email from Cuisinart that the blade wont be ready till after 5/1!

 
Korean Quick Pickles

I've been using Persian Cucumbers from Trader Joe's, but any cucumber will do.

Partially skin the cucumbers lengthwise using a peeler, such that you have a strip with no skin, then a strip with skin, then a strip with no skin, etc. 

Slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch rounds.

Brining liquid:

Two parts rice wine vinegar, one part plain white vinegar.

Granulated sugar. I use about 1 Tbsp for about 3/4 cup of liquid.

Add some salt. I go fairly light here, maybe half a teaspoon.

1-2 Tbsp Gochujang

1-2 tsp Gochugaru (Korean Red Pepper Flake)

1 tsp Sriracha

Sesame oil, slightly more than a dash. Call it 1/8 of a tsp.

Whisk together.

Cover cucumber slices in brining liquid in seal-able container and refrigerate.

They will keep about a week before they get funky. They'll be at their best after 24-48 hours in the liquid.

You can also add sliced carrot and/or sliced sweet onion.  

 
Chemical X said:
I use meatloaf mix of beef, pork & veal.

1/2 tsp salt

small white onion diced

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 1/2 tsp ital. seasoning

3/4 tsp oregano

crushed red pepper flakes to your liking

1 1/2 tbsp. worchestershie

1/3 cup milk or fat free half & half

1/4 cup grated or shredded parmesan

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

mix all but the last 3 items well.  add the last 3 and mix.  they shrink a bit, so roll a bit bigger than golf balls.

set oven to 400 and place on non stick foil.  bake for 18 mins, but give them a roll around half way thru.

finish in simmering red sauce.
Click to expand...
Using white bread soaked in milk (a panade) instead of breadcrumbs also yields a silkier texture. 

 
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proninja said:
Looking for some advice on flavors that go well with lavender. I'm going to make lavender custard pies for a dinner get together with friends, and my current plan is to make the pies, then top with raspberries, raspberry/lime syrup, and lavender whipped cream. 

I'm not sure about the lime. Think it may be too much. I've never done anything like this before and I feel that lavender and raspberry would go well together. But if anybody has any ideas, I'm all ears. 




 
Click to expand...
Nice.  What are you using for the lavender flavor - extract?  I have been wanting to make lavender and "something" ice cream ...the custard sounds like a great idea, maybe a creme brulee. 

 
Any good beef stock recipes?  I'm making my chili for 15 people in a couple weeks and one thing I've always wanted to do is use homemade stock instead of canned.  I'm ready to cook some beef bones for days!

 
So every time I make my chili I tweak a few things in my search for The One True Chili.  This time I took a look at some competition chili recipes and incorporated a few things in preparation to make a large batch this weekend.  Here's what I have right now.  I've already mixed the Spice Mix and it's the most complex and in-depth chili powder I've ever made.  Amounts are approximate and I'll probably end up using more quantity of spices.  Will report back.

INGREDIENTS    
    3-3.5 lbs Beef Chuck Roast, cut into medium cubes
    1 large onion, finely diced
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, well minced/blended
    12 oz Beef Broth
    12 oz Chicken Broth
    6-8 oz beer, preferably a dark Belgian Ale/Dubbel/Trippel.  No IPAs!  This time I'm using this beer
    3 TBSP can Tomato Paste
    8 oz can Tomato Sauce
    Salt and White Pepper
    2 TSP Sol Food Hot Sauce
    1 pack Rancho Gordo Scarlet Runner beans, soaked overnight and cooked until tender (Optional)
    Tortilla Chips, ground into very small pieces (Optional)
    
    Spice Mix Ingredients
    2 TBSP Gebhardt's brand Chili Powder
    6 TBSP fresh Chili Powder made from dried New Mexico and Ancho Chili Peppers
    1 TBSP Beef Granules
    1 TBSP Chicken Granules
    1 Packet Sazon Goya Seasoning
    3 TBSP Cumin Seeds ground into a powder
    2 TSP Onion Powder
    .5 TSP Garlic Powder
    1 TSP Mexican Oregano
    1 TSP Paprika
    
INSTRUCTIONS    

    SPICE MIX PREP: Mix all of the Spice Mix Ingredients and separate into three amounts of 50%, 25% and 25% in size.
    
    BROWN THE MEAT: Lightly season the beef cubes with salt and white pepper.  In a stock pot or dutch oven, brown the cubes in batches in oil.  Drain the fat in a colander and lightly rinse the browned meat.  Set meat aside for now.
    
    COOK VEGETABLES: In the same pot, cook the onions until caramelized, adding the garlic in towards the end of the cooking time.  Deglaze the pot with the beer once done.  
    
    SHOVE IN (almost) EVERYTHING ELSE:  Add the following to the pot: the tomato paste, tomato sauce, both stocks, and the 50% batch of spice mix.  Stir until combined and add the meat back into the pot.  Stir again until combined.  The meat should be covered by the liquid at this point.  If it's not, add more broth.   Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer uncovered.  
    
    SECOND SPICE MIX:  After 1.5 hours of cooking, add the first of the 25% batches of spice mix and combine well.  If the chili has reduced to the desired thickness, cover the pot for the remainder of cooking time.  If adding tortilla chips, leave the chili slightly thinner since they will thicken it.
    
    THIRD SPICE MIX:  After another 1.5 hours cooking, remove the meat, shred it with a fork and return to the pot.  Add the last 25% batch of spice mix, the hot sauce and the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the desired level of heat.  Stir well.  
    
    FINAL TUNING: After another 30-45 minutes cooking, optionally add the tortilla chips, then check for salt and other seasonings, adjusting as needed.  Cook another 15 minutes.  
 

 
Scoresman said:
So every time I make my chili I tweak a few things in my search for The One True Chili.  This time I took a look at some competition chili recipes and incorporated a few things in preparation to make a large batch this weekend.  Here's what I have right now.  I've already mixed the Spice Mix and it's the most complex and in-depth chili powder I've ever made.  Amounts are approximate and I'll probably end up using more quantity of spices.  Will report back.

INGREDIENTS    
    3-3.5 lbs Beef Chuck Roast, cut into medium cubes
    1 large onion, finely diced
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, well minced/blended
    12 oz Beef Broth
    12 oz Chicken Broth
    6-8 oz beer, preferably a dark Belgian Ale/Dubbel/Trippel.  No IPAs!  This time I'm using this beer
    3 TBSP can Tomato Paste
    8 oz can Tomato Sauce
    Salt and White Pepper
    2 TSP Sol Food Hot Sauce
    1 pack Rancho Gordo Scarlet Runner beans, soaked overnight and cooked until tender (Optional)
    Tortilla Chips, ground into very small pieces (Optional)
    
    Spice Mix Ingredients
    2 TBSP Gebhardt's brand Chili Powder
    6 TBSP fresh Chili Powder made from dried New Mexico and Ancho Chili Peppers
    1 TBSP Beef Granules
    1 TBSP Chicken Granules
    1 Packet Sazon Goya Seasoning
    3 TBSP Cumin Seeds ground into a powder
    2 TSP Onion Powder
    .5 TSP Garlic Powder
    1 TSP Mexican Oregano
    1 TSP Paprika
    
INSTRUCTIONS    

    SPICE MIX PREP: Mix all of the Spice Mix Ingredients and separate into three amounts of 50%, 25% and 25% in size.
    
    BROWN THE MEAT: Lightly season the beef cubes with salt and white pepper.  In a stock pot or dutch oven, brown the cubes in batches in oil.  Drain the fat in a colander and lightly rinse the browned meat.  Set meat aside for now.
    
    COOK VEGETABLES: In the same pot, cook the onions until caramelized, adding the garlic in towards the end of the cooking time.  Deglaze the pot with the beer once done.  
    
    SHOVE IN (almost) EVERYTHING ELSE:  Add the following to the pot: the tomato paste, tomato sauce, both stocks, and the 50% batch of spice mix.  Stir until combined and add the meat back into the pot.  Stir again until combined.  The meat should be covered by the liquid at this point.  If it's not, add more broth.   Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer uncovered.  
    
    SECOND SPICE MIX:  After 1.5 hours of cooking, add the first of the 25% batches of spice mix and combine well.  If the chili has reduced to the desired thickness, cover the pot for the remainder of cooking time.  If adding tortilla chips, leave the chili slightly thinner since they will thicken it.
    
    THIRD SPICE MIX:  After another 1.5 hours cooking, remove the meat, shred it with a fork and return to the pot.  Add the last 25% batch of spice mix, the hot sauce and the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the desired level of heat.  Stir well.  
    
    FINAL TUNING: After another 30-45 minutes cooking, optionally add the tortilla chips, then check for salt and other seasonings, adjusting as needed.  Cook another 15 minutes.  
 
Click to expand...
This sounds great. Except for the beans. I don't mind beans in ground beef chili, but if you are making chili with braised meat cubes beans are verboten.

This is pretty reminiscent of my favorite chili: Robb Walsh's Truck Stop Chili

 
I love searing things in my cast iron pan as I think you get the best sear but I have recently started a new method as sometimes you can have hot/cold spots when heating on the stove top (even after pre-heating it).  To fix this I now put the pan in my cold oven and set to 500 and cook it for 30 minutes.  Then on to the burner at desired level and immediately add steaks, chops, etc. and cook as usual.   Great benefit is you know the pan is completely hot throughout and you get an insane sear.   Anyway, thought I would share the technique or see if anyone else was using it.  

 
proninja said:
This is a great idea. Cast iron retains heat really well but it doesn't transfer heat really well, so heating it up via an even method would be perfect. 
Click to expand...
My thoughts exactly and it works really well.

 
Redwes25 said:
I love searing things in my cast iron pan as I think you get the best sear but I have recently started a new method as sometimes you can have hot/cold spots when heating on the stove top (even after pre-heating it).  To fix this I now put the pan in my cold oven and set to 500 and cook it for 30 minutes.  Then on to the burner at desired level and immediately add steaks, chops, etc. and cook as usual.   Great benefit is you know the pan is completely hot throughout and you get an insane sear.   Anyway, thought I would share the technique or see if anyone else was using it.  
Click to expand...
This is the recommended method by America's Test Kitchen.  They also say you should leave a kitchen towel on the handle or get a removable silicone handle you can put on after you take it out of the oven so anyone in the house knows the pan is very hot.

 
RC94 said:
This is the recommended method by America's Test Kitchen.  They also say you should leave a kitchen towel on the handle or get a removable silicone handle you can put on after you take it out of the oven so anyone in the house knows the pan is very hot.
Click to expand...
That is a good idea

 
Getting up the nerve to try my sous vide immersion thingy tomorrow for the first time.

Planning on doing some pork belly sous vide, then finishing it under the broiler.

Any advice?

 
Just did 2 apple bourbon pork tenderloins (pre-packaged) tonight at 135 degrees (sous vide) for a couple of hours.  Seared them off in a pan on the grill.  

Melt in your mouth ...definitely going in the rotation.  

 
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Looking to make a corned beef brisket for the first time this weekend.  Just going to pickup one ready to cook from Costco and follow this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/231030/braised-corned-beef-brisket/

The tips on there suggest that getting a tight foil wrap is the key.  Anything else I should look out for?  Just looking to enjoy corned beef in its naked glory and then maybe make some Reuben's during the week.  (ie. not going to ruin it with cabbage.) 

 
Cowboysfan8 said:
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
When I make meatballs, I do 2 lbs hamburg, 1 lb veal and 1 lb pork.  And they are phenomenal.

 
The Best Meatballs

 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Best-Meatballs/Detail.aspx

 


Ingredients


  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 1 pound ground veal
  • 1 pound ground pork (if you cannot find ground veal, double the ground pork)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (or ½ tsp garlic powder)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 ½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese (or grated Parmesan cheese)
  • 2 tablespoons parsley
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups bread crumbs
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 jars (32 oz) spaghetti sauce

Directions


  1. Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salthttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Best-Meatballs/Detail.aspx and pepper.
  2. Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the milk 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape when rolled into meatballs.
  3. Bake meatballs at 350 degrees for 20 minutes; put sheet of parchment paper on the cookie sheet so the meatballs don’t stick.
  4. Heat meatballs in sauce in crock pot for 3 hours.


The meatballs I make are almost the size of a pool cue.  And with this quantity of ingredients, it comes out to 2 full cookie sheets of meatballs.

 
Cowboysfan8 said:
I'm struggling to make meatballs that have the texture I'm looking for. There's an Italian restaurant here that makes meatballs so tender that your fork just about slides right though on its own. That's what I want when I make mine, and I should be able to right? But I can't...Sigh.

Ive always either fried or baked them before adding them to the sauce but recently tried dropping them in raw and slowly simmered for a few hours. This has helped, but I'm not there yet.

Im careful not to over mix the beef and the other ingredients because I've read that that will make tougher meatballs.

I always use 80/20 beef. Should I be mixing in some pork also? Will this help with texture or just flavor?I also always use seasoned bread crumbs but have seen some recipes that call for bread soaked milk instead. Has anyone tried this?

Any other suggestions?
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I believe this is called a "panade" but I could be mistaken.

Just made 50 meatballs last weekend for meatball subs.  I used ground beef, hot italian pork and ground bison.  I put them in the fridge overnight and then cooked them the next day.  I seared my balls (hey-yo) carefully in olive oil before dropping them into the tomato sauce, where they simmered for 45 minutes to finish cooking.  Melt in your mouth good. 

 
General Malaise said:
I believe this is called a "panade" but I could be mistaken.

 
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Correct.  It absolutely makes a difference compared to bread crumbs.  The food lab suggests another, much fussier hack.  They mix gelatin in with chicken or beef stock and put it into the fridge until it firms up.  Then they dice it into tiny little cubes that they work into the meatball mixture.  That creates little silky purses of smooth texture that melt into the meatball. 

 
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