Meatballs, every cuisine has one. Having them ready in the freezer can make those busy nights a breeze. You can float them in a ramen, make them sweet and sour, drop them in a ramen or other soups, make a gravy and go Swedish, on a crusty roll for a meatball sub and many more possibilities. I made a meatball taco pocket (link) with mozzarella and meatballs.
For big batch meatballs I don’t lean the seasonings too far in any direction, Italian seasoning isn’t really all that “Italian” it is a nice herb blend. The mix of Italian sausage and ground beef gives some nice variations in fats, and I use oats rather than bread crumbs or crackers because different healthy fats, more protein and whole grain, whereas bread/crackers are pretty much just refined flour and water.
Take a cup of old fashioned rolled oats, lightly crush them in your hand. You don’t want them totally pulverized just broken up some. You can feel the healthy fats in the oats when you do this. You don’t normally think of grains as having fats in them but oats and most whole grains do to some extent, and oats more than others. Mix the crushed oats with a cup of milk and let sit while you prep the veggies.
The beloved onion and garlic. They are used in pretty much every cuisine flavor bombs always have them. Onions are sweet when cooked and garlic very rich in flavor. Both are super healthy. It does bother me a bit when a recipe says “one onion and two cloves of garlic”. I have seen onions the size of a softball and as small as a ping pong ball. Garlic cloves the size of a large thumb, and as small as a push pin.
Chop about a cup of onions. Cut slices then chop, leaving as much of the “natural packaging” – the skin on the onion. Store the remainder cut side down, inside a sealed bag with as much air pressed from it. One cup, more or less of onion and 2-3 tablespoons of garlic. These will be cooked to subtle sweetness and great flavor, losing any sharpness the raw versions may have.
Melt butter in olive oil in a pan until the butter foams.
Sautee the onion until translucent, then add the garlic. Two tablespoons tomato paste from the tube – highly concentrated so huge flavor.
Cook out the veg for just a couple minutes, then remove from heat, stir occasionally as it cools.
I scored 3 pounds of ground beef for $10 took about 1/2 of it, seasonings from 3 of the Italian sausage links. Slit the casings and remove from the sausage. About 2 pounds of meat.
Add the milk soaked oats to the meats. Don’t mix anything yet as if you overwork the meat it will get tough and the heat from your hands will start breaking down the fats.
Break two eggs into the bowl that held the oat mixture. Hey no need to dirty another bowl and it will all be cooked together soon. Whisk the eggs separately, again to avoid overworking the meat. Then pour into the meats.
Herb blend, garlic powder, smoked paprika – salt and pepper goes without saying.
Add the cooled veg mix. Still not mixing.
Now we get in with our hands – best tools in the kitchen in one good knife and two clean hands. Moosh the mixture together until thoroughly mixed. Yup .. get messy with it. Do no use any sort of processor. Put in the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile make (link dry salad)
Scoop 2 tablespoons of the meat. I have this lovely little scooper that perfectly measures. Roll into balls, onto a rack and into the freezer to firm up.
Bake at 450 for about 18 minutes depending on your oven. (link meatballs and gravy)
Portion and freeze the remaining ground beef. Two servings at 4 ounces each.
I have always cooked, I was that person who could make a meal from an empty fridge. I have lived alone and with large and small families, I have cooked for camps on wood stoves, and in professional kitchens. I have lived and worked all over the west from Montana, to Seattle to Arizona to San Diego. I have traveled, maybe not 'all over the world', yet, and have collected tastes recipes and techniques everywhere, and every one I meet.
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