Ground Meat

Mary’s Meatballs

This is an excerpt from the new book, The Meathead Method available on Amazon.

I have never understood why more people don’t grill meatballs. The grill, with a little wood smoldering below, gives them an added dimension. They can then be used in a wide variety of venues: On pasta, in soup, on pizza, as stuffing for pot stickers or other dumplings, on couscous, on a bed of steamed greens topped with grilled veggies, straight on frilly toothpicks, like candy, or my favorite, meatball subs.

This is based on the recipe that my wife’s Italian American mom passed on to her. She died some time ago, but if you are making her meatballs, she lives on. My hope is eternal life for Mom through you.

One secret is the panade, or milk-soaked bread, an old Italian trick that not only saves money by stretching the meat but improves texture and moisture. Another is to make them smallish, about the size of golf balls. The small size allows a higher ratio of crust to interior than a burger, and the crust is the best part. Not to worry about overcooking them, because if you use the right ingredients they will be as tender as a baby’s bottom, as juicy as a gossip column, as complex as a Chopin piano cadenza, and they don’t need any more sauce than does a rib-eye steak. But if you must, gahead and put marinara sauce on them.

You can prep them a day or two in advance, chill, and cook them when you need them. Or they can be cooked and stored for 3 or 4 days and then reheated. Or cook them and freeze them for 2 to 3 months. They’ll be there waiting when you are too busy to cook from scratch. If you cook them in advance, you can reheat them in the microwave.

Meatballs Recipe

Mary’s Meatballs

Recipe Notes

Active Prep: 45 minutes
Grill Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour
Yield: Makes About 21/2 pounds, enough for 21 small meatballs, or enough for 7 sandwiches

Ingredients

3 ounces white bread, crusts and all
3 tablespoons milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon Simon & Garfunkel Rub
1 teaspoon Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon medium-grind black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 small onion
1 pound coarsely ground beef chuck (80/20)
1/2 pound coarsely ground pork
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Serve with:

If you want marinara sauce with the meatballs, figure on about 2 tablespoons per ball.

Recipe Steps

1: Fire up. Setup your grill for 2-zone cooking and preheat to about 225°F on the indirect side. Smoke is optional. I skip it.

2: Prep. Cut the bread into 1/2-inch chunks and add to a bowl. Soak it in the milk and squeeze it until it is almost dry. Set aside.

3: Mix. In a large bowl, beat the egg with a fork for about 20 seconds. Grate the cheese and add it. Add the French Rub, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley. Mince the onion fine and add it. Add the meat and bread. Mix everything in the bowl with your clean hands. When all the ingredients are more or less evenly distributed, pack into meatballs about 11/2 inches in diameter. I use a 1/4-cup measuring cup. Put them on a plate or cookie sheet.

4: Grill. Pour the vegetable oil into a bowl and one at a time roll the meatballs in it to lightly coat them so they won’t stick to the grill. Place the meatballs on the indirect heat side, close the lid, but check frequently. When they hit about 135°F, roll them over to the direct heat side until they are dark on all sides and 155°F in the center.

If they stick a bit, and they probably will, just leave them alone and eventually they should let go if your grates are clean (and they are clean, aren’t they?). If they get close to burning, move them back to the indirect side.

5: Keep warm. Put them in a pan on the indirect side to stay warm until you are ready to serve.