LAURA LEE ALICE
COOKS
®
These are the best meatballs that I have ever eaten! This recipe makes about
16 to 18 tender and flavorful meatballs, depending on their size.
Double or triple the batch: When I make a recipe like this one, I normally
double it so I can freeze some for later meals. They can be frozen either
cooked or raw although I prefer to cook them, so it cuts down the cooking
time for later meals. I like to use a scoop like this one to make mine; makes
the process so much easier.
One of the easiest ways to freeze meatballs (raw or cooked), is to place
them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze until solid and pour into a
freezer-safe bag. I like to leave them on the parchment in a flat layer and
slide into a Foodsaver bag and then freeze. This way they can be stacked
easily in your freezer.
Why I Like This Recipe:
• It's so easy to double or triple and the leftovers freeze well.
• They can be served with so many different sides.
• Our Best Meatballs are made with the simplest ingredients.
• Baking them ahead and freezing helps to cut down on cooking time when
preparing a meal.
Have you thought about meatballs for kabobs?
You can use just about any combination of ground meat to make our Best
Ever Meatballs. Any lean meat (like venison) will need to be combined with
a fattier meat, such as pork sausage.
About the Ingredients:
• Parmesan cheese: It needs to be finely grated to blend easily into the mix.
• Onion: You only need a small onion, but it must be finely diced. A sweet
onion works well for this.
• Garlic: 2 cloves finely minced are all you need.
• Parsley leaves: For color and flavor.
• Beef: Use lean beef with minimum fat, small grind.
• Pork: Like the beef, use a small grind. Sometimes I use sausage and it
works just fine.
• Breadcrumbs- I like Pepperidge Farm but whatever you use, make sure
they're seasoned.
• Milk: I like to use whole milk.
• Egg: I use large or extra-large; you need it for a binder.
• Sea salt: You can use whatever you have.
• Oregano: Use ½ tsp of dried, 1 tsp of finely minced.
• Thyme: Like the oregano.
• Pepper: I like freshly ground black pepper.
• Olive oil: It's meatballs, after all!
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Favorite Things
from
the Kitchen
The very best meatballs that I have ever eaten!
Ingredients
• ½ cup breadcrumbs (I like Pepperidge Farm-Herb Seasoned) ½ small
onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ¼ cup parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• ½ pound (8 oz) ground beef
• ½ pound (8 oz) ground pork
• ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil (optional, see options below)
You will need 1 large baking sheet, foil or parchment to cover baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, milk, and egg. Let sit for 4 to 5
minutes so the milk and egg can be absorbed into the breadcrumbs.
This helps to keep the meatballs moist.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the wet mixture until thoroughly
combined. I like to use glove covered hands and treat the mixture like I'm
making biscuits (light touch).
3. Start forming mixture (2 Tbsp each) into 1½-inch meatballs, still using
gloves if you prefer. It helps to wet your hands or gloves to keep meat
from sticking. Place on a lined baking sheet and set aside.
Should have around 16 or more.
4. At this point they can be baked for at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes,
cooked in a large skillet (see options below), refrigerated (1 day) or
frozen.
Options
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add meatballs
in a single layer to the skillet, don't crowd; and cook until brown; keep
turning until all sides are brown; repeat with rest of meatballs.
• The meatballs can be frozen cooked or uncooked.
• To freeze: place on baking sheet, freeze, then pour into a freezer bag.
• You can make larger meatballs by using 3 tablespoons mixture, and bake
at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes. This will make about 1 dozen meatballs.
Recipes are like stories; they can change from person to person. Everyone has their idea of how a recipe should be, even
though it may have changed from the original. We will never know the true author of the original recipe, regardless of
what some may say. That's why I go back and look through the oldest cookbooks that I can find. Sometimes it's not the
recipe in the books that I find, but the tiny pieces of handwritten recipes and newspaper articles that are stuck within
the pages. That's where the real story is, finding those simple Southern recipes. -Mac