crumbly meatballs

tallulah_crack

hey ive been making meatballs for a few months now but everytime i cook them they fall apart in the pan. ive tried mixing in an egg to bind the mixture but the same thing happens.
anyone have any ideas?

admiralofthefleet

try mixing in some breadcrumbs and a little tomato puree, works for me

Alun

What I've seen in a lot of authentic recipes for Swedish Kötbullar or meatballs is to soak some bread crumbs (just slices of bread torn up into small bits really, not fine breadcrumbs) in a little milk, wring most of the milk out, and mix that in with the meat and other ingredients. Seems to work quite well. Also meatballs work best IMO with a mixture of pork and beef, a mixture readily available in many European countries, but not here unfortunately. Still you can always mix it yourself.

Also on the subject of Swedish meatballs, try crumbling some blue cheese into the mix ... yummy

Dizzyblonde

After you shape them, leave them in the fridge for a while to rest. Then when you're frying them don't turn them over until they're well browned on one side.

dh0661

Alun wrote: »

What I've seen in a lot of authentic recipes for Swedish Kötbullar or meatballs is to soak some bread crumbs (just slices of bread torn up into small bits really, not fine breadcrumbs) in a little milk, wring most of the milk out, and mix that in with the meat and other ingredients. Seems to work quite well. Also meatballs work best IMO with a mixture of pork and beef, a mixture readily available in many European countries, but not here unfortunately. Still you can always mix it yourself.
yummy

That's what I do, but don't fry them - bake them in a medium oven for about 30 minutes

admiralofthefleet

dh0661 wrote: »

That's what I do, but don't fry them - bake them in a medium oven for about 30 minutes

what i suggested was for oven baking. covering them in tin foil but removing the foil for the last few minutes also helps

dh0661

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

what i suggested was for oven baking. covering them in tin foil but removing the foil for the last few minutes also helps

Sorry about this, but on rereading your post 2, I still cant see this part.

RE*AC*TOR

You shouldn't need anything to "bind them". I have added nothing but herbs and salt to mince and formed perfectly stable meatballs. If anything I would say the egg is getting in the way.

olaola

Just don't touch them!!!

Whatever you're cooking them in - frying, in a sauce etc. Don't move them until they've been cooking for a good bit.

I usually just plop them raw into a tomato sauce and let them bubble away with the lid on. After about 10 mins, I give the pot a shake to roll them around.
Never a broken meatball yet!

Planet X

Yeah, as above, I'd go for a 50/50 mix of beef and pork with crumbs egg etc.
And as mentioned, don't rattle them around much in the pan. Like skewered mince kebabs, look at them too much and they'll fall apart. :mad::mad:

tallulah_crack

thanks for all the suggestions guys, will try adding some breadcrumbs and the baking method tomorrow evening.
fingers crossed!

Kurumba

I've started making these as well recently and generally use an egg and a bit of ketchup to bind them. I use breadcrumds as well. It's worked so far for me.

Just wondering though, are there any other sauces people use with meatballs other than the good aul tomato? I'd love to try something different with them..

olaola

Just to note - I don't put eggs or breadcrumbs into mine (just mince, parsley, garlic, onion & seasoning) and they still don't fall apart.

I just don't move them until they are cooked!

The Sweeper

jessie1 wrote: »

Just wondering though, are there any other sauces people use with meatballs other than the good aul tomato? I'd love to try something different with them..

As opposed to 'tin of tomatoes', try a couple of tablespoons of tomato puree mixed with a large glass of white wine and a little stock.

dh0661

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

As opposed to 'tin of tomatoes', try a couple of tablespoons of tomato puree mixed with a large glass of white wine and a little stock.

Try a little sweet chili sauce with that glass of wine and a little stock -- umie

Rogueish

I'm just after seeing this post after putting a couple of dishes of meatballs in the oven.

mincemeat, oregano, basil, onion, red pepper, used couscous instead of breadcrumbs (I also occasionally use porridge oat instead) and an egg to bind it all. I pour a tomato based sauce over it all and let it bubble away in the oven until cooked. It always works without breaking up.

dh0661

Rogueish wrote: »

I'm just after seeing this post after putting a couple of dishes of meatballs in the oven.

mincemeat, oregano, basil, onion, red pepper, used couscous instead of breadcrumbs (I also occasionally use porridge oat instead) and an egg to bind it all. I pour a tomato based sauce over it all and let it bubble away in the oven until cooked. It always works without breaking up.

I hate couscous with a vengeance. :mad:

The Sweeper

Himself also describes couscous as "the food of the devil", which I never understand. What's so hideous about it? The texture? I'm curious.

dh0661

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

Himself also describes couscous as "the food of the devil", which I never understand. What's so hideous about it? The texture? I'm curious.

My hubby says this too, give me nice floury spuds any day, he says. (Mommy's cooking again)
For me couscous is very bland and tasteless. The texture is more like left over, next days rice ?. Yak Yak Tacky

The Sweeper

Aha - this subject has come up a number of times on this forum.

There are some foods which are vessels for other flavours - couscous, polenta, tofu - they taste of not much of anything unless they're made with other flavours. Usually these are foods that provide a starch and carbohydrate accompaniment to something else.

When you think of couscous or polenta, think of rice and pasta and then move a step further. A bowl of plain boiled rice for your dinner won't be tasty, nor will a bowl of plain boiled pasta. Even with plain boiled spuds most people add something - butter, salt, cream, cheese - whatever.

When I make couscous, I make it using the sauce from whatever meat dish I want it to accompany. If the sauce isn't liquid enough, I make up some hot stock in a pyrex jug, add a ladel of the sauce, and use THAT mixture to wet the couscous. I also add toasted pumpkin seeds to couscous, and maybe even some onion that's been softened in butter, some garlic, a bit of finely chopped fresh tomato...

Faith

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

Aha - this subject has come up a number of times on this forum.

There are some foods which are vessels for other flavours - couscous, polenta, tofu - they taste of not much of anything unless they're made with other flavours. Usually these are foods that provide a starch and carbohydrate accompaniment to something else.

When you think of couscous or polenta, think of rice and pasta and then move a step further. A bowl of plain boiled rice for your dinner won't be tasty, nor will a bowl of plain boiled pasta. Even with plain boiled spuds most people add something - butter, salt, cream, cheese - whatever.

When I make couscous, I make it using the sauce from whatever meat dish I want it to accompany. If the sauce isn't liquid enough, I make up some hot stock in a pyrex jug, add a ladel of the sauce, and use THAT mixture to wet the couscous. I also add toasted pumpkin seeds to couscous, and maybe even some onion that's been softened in butter, some garlic, a bit of finely chopped fresh tomato...

Yeah, I cook couscous in stock to give it a flavour. I add butter and garlic when it's nearly done. I generally serve it with finely chopped steamed veg (well, it's frozen finely chopped veg initially - I'm not going to all that trouble for couscous!).

Minder

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

When I make couscous, I make it using the sauce from whatever meat dish I want it to accompany. If the sauce isn't liquid enough, I make up some hot stock in a pyrex jug, add a ladel of the sauce, and use THAT mixture to wet the couscous.

That's a good point. The liquid can be too thick and the cous cous won't take up the moisture it needs. Spicy lamb or fish stews with no thickening agents make great couscous.

bonkey

Going back briefly to the OPs problem, if I may...

I generally find that you can get away with no binding if there is enough fat in the mix. Ultra-lean mince will often need something to hold it together...whether that be lard, egg, breadcrumbs-and-liquid, or whatever is your poison.

The trick, I think, lies in forming the meatballs. You need to develop a technique for forming them which compresses the mix together enough, but which still lets you shape it. If you don't compress, then you're just asking for it to fall apart. If you do compress, then you need to wach for "splitting" in the ball when its formed, before it goes into the pan/oven or whatever.

If I have time, I make my mix, and frigde it. I then work it from cold into the desired shape (it can help to moiseten your hands with a bit of warm water or even a bit of oil when doing the shaping). Then, in an ideal world, I bung 'em back into the fridge for a while.

And...as already mentioned by several people...move them as little as possible when cooking, regardless of how that is.

Minder

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

Himself also describes couscous as "the food of the devil", which I never understand.

easy, doesn't go with roast chicken!!!

jessie1 wrote: »

Just wondering though, are there any other sauces people use with meatballs other than the good aul tomato? I'd love to try something different with them..

Sorry, not quite tomato free, but...

There is a Sicilain? dish called Pasticcio which has bechamel sauce as well as tomato sauce, meatballs and macaroni. Topped with cheese and baked in the oven - it is a great party dish.

I like polpettini made with veal mince. I add some chopped parsley and grated lemon rind to the meat. Fry plenty of garlic in olive oil and add a glass of white wine. A blitzed tin of tomatoes and a bunch of basil. I drop the raw meat balls into the sauce and cook on a simmer for about 40 minutes.

LivingDeadGirl

Anyone got a recipe for turkey meatballs? Is the regular old meatball recipe still ok when using turkey or should it be altered to suit the meat being used?

Seraphina

for making meatballs with 500g pork and 500g mince, i use 50g porridge oats, and an egg, whisked and milk added to make 100ml liquid altogether. never had problems with them crumbling, they are usually nice and juicy and easy to cut if you want, but don't fall apart

that said, i always cook them in the oven on a baking tray anyway...