Q1: What is the absolute secret to keeping meatballs moist and tender?

The secret is a panade . A panade is a mixture of a starch (like the bread crumbs in this recipe) and a liquid (the milk). Soaking the bread crumbs in the milk creates a paste that you mix into the meat. This simple step adds moisture and, more importantly, it gets in the way of the meat proteins, preventing them from linking up and becoming tough as they cook. It's the number one trick for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth meatball.

Q2: Should I bake or pan-fry my meatballs?

While pan-frying can create a delicious crust, baking meatballs is our preferred method for its ease and convenience. It's a much less messy, hands-off process, and it allows you to cook a large batch all at once. The high oven temperature in this recipe ensures they still get beautifully browned on the outside.

Q3: Why do you have to chill the meatball mixture?

Chilling the meat mixture for an hour does two important things. First, it allows all the delicious flavors from the garlic, onion, herbs, and cheese to meld and permeate the meat. Second, it firms up the fat in the mixture, making the sticky, soft meat much easier and less messy to handle and roll into uniform balls.

Q4: What is the best meat blend to use for meatballs?

For the best flavor and texture, you want to use a blend of meats with a good amount of fat. The combination of ground beef (for its rich, beefy flavor) and ground pork (for its higher fat content, which adds moisture and tenderness) is a fantastic, classic choice. Using a very lean ground beef alone can result in dry, tough meatballs.

Q5: Why shouldn't I overmix the meatball mixture?

This is the cardinal rule of making meatballs or meatloaf! When you overwork ground meat, you begin to break down the proteins in a way that will cause them to become tough, dense, and rubbery when they are cooked. For the most tender result, you should always mix your ingredients with a very light hand, and only until they are just combined.

The Best Easy & Juicy Homemade Meatballs Recipe

The Best Easy & Juicy Homemade Meatballs

A recipe for classic, juicy baked meatballs made with a combination of ground beef and ground pork. To ensure a moist and tender texture, the recipe uses a panade (breadcrumbs soaked in milk) and slow-cooked, softened onions. The meat mixture is seasoned with Parmesan, garlic, and Italian herbs, then chilled before being formed into balls and baked in a hot oven until browned and cooked through. Despite the title, the instructions produce meatballs, not a meatloaf.

Author: Grace
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 38 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 3 minutes (includes chilling time)
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients

Scale

⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
½ cup milk or beef broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray it with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk for 20 minutes to create a panade.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for about 15 more minutes, stirring, until the onion is very tender.
In a large bowl, gently combine the ground beef and ground pork.
Add the cooked onions, the bread crumb mixture, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the meat.
Mix gently with a spatula or your hands until just combined. Do not overmix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about one hour.
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Form the chilled meat mixture into balls about 1 ½ inches in diameter and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.
Serve with your favorite tomato sauce.

Notes

Note on Recipe Title: Although the title of the source article is ‘Classic Meatloaf’, the instructions and photos clearly detail the process for making meatballs.
Soaking the breadcrumbs in milk (making a panade) is a key technique for ensuring moist and tender meatballs.
Slowly cooking the onions until they are very tender adds sweetness and moisture to the mixture.
Chilling the meat mixture for an hour helps the meatballs hold their shape and makes them easier to roll.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (approx. 4-5 meatballs)
Calories: 400-480
Sugar: 3-5 g
Sodium: 800-1000 mg
Fat: 28-35 g
Saturated Fat: 11-15 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 8-12 g
Fiber: 1-2 g
Protein: 25-30 g
Cholesterol: 120-150 mg

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/homemade-meatballs-recipe/