The Most Magnificent Meatballs!

What are the qualities of a great meatball? Tons of flavor, enough moisture, excellent texture, and healthy ingredients are what I look for.

Of course, we might disagree on which ingredients are the healthiest! Some folks don't believe red meat can be healthy, but I would list beef as one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Beef is high in protein, iron, and many vitamins and minerals. As long as you purchase grass-fed beef, you are consuming meat from healthy animals who grazed on pasture for their entire lives (as cows are meant to), were never fed grains or antibiotics, were humanely raised and slaughtered, and whose lives (and poops) enriched the soil and helped the planet. (If you can't manage the red meat, you can make meatballs from ground turkey or chicken. But don't come crying to me when your balls are dry and flavorless!)

In addition to grass-fed ground beef, I like a meatball lightened up and moistened with bread, milk, and eggs. Again, some folks may disagree with the health of any or all of these additions. Oh well! I purchase organic, sprouted wheat bread, organic milk, and organic eggs for my meatballs. (If you are Italian, you will definitely disagree with the sprouted wheat bread! That's fine--use whatever you like!)

As far as flavoring goes, plenty of salt is rule number one. Do not skimp on the salt or your balls will be bland and tasteless! At least a teaspoon of salt per pound of meat. Plus a good 1/4-1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese. At least a clove or two of finely minced garlic, or garlic powder, or both. And don't forget the Italian parsley.

Lastly, we must discuss the cooking method. I have tried cutting corners and baking my meatballs instead of frying them on the stove top. Baking is an inferior method. There is no way to get the maximum amount of delicious flavor unless you fry the balls in olive oil. After the balls are browned on all sides, I usually stick the pan in the oven to finish the cooking. This is acceptable.

Ingredients:

1 and 1/3 pounds grassfed ground beef (85/15)
4 slices sprouted wheat bread (or your favorite bread) torn into small pieces
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs, beaten
1-2 teaspoons salt (depends on how salty you like your balls)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Olive oil, for frying

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large mixing bowl, mash bread and milk together until bread is soft and soggy. Add eggs and mix well. Add the rest of the ingredients (except oil) and use your hands to blend. Shape mixture into meatballs about 2 inches in diameter. Try to make them all the same size so they will cook at the same rate.

In a heavy skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook over medium heat until browned on all sides. Stick the pan into the oven to finish the cooking for about 20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. (You can also complete the cooking on the stove.)

Serve with marinara sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese. Delish! Makes about 16 meatballs, at least 4-8 servings, depending on how hungry you are.