Basic Beef Balls

 Basic Beef Balls

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs beef from the shank           1 tsp. lemon juice

1/3 cup bread crumbs                      1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup bread crumbs                      3 Tbsp. fat

        Salt and pepper                        1 cup stock

Instructions

Put meat through food chopper twice; add read crumbs, salt, pepper, lemon juice and egg. Shape lightly into balls and let stand for 1/2 hour or more, and then roll in flour and brown in fat. Remove meat balls and add 1 Tbsp. flour to the fat. Mix well and add stock. Season, add meat balls, cover pan closely and stew for 1-1/2 hours. Eat as is or add to spaghetti sauce, soups stews or casseroles

Serves.6.

Variations

Gourmet Meat Balls

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs meat, mix of ground chuck, pork and veal

1 cup finely minced sweet onion

1/2 cup firm fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. dry mustard

3/4 tsp. salt

 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

        Pinch of ground cloves

1 egg

Instructions

          In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to gently but thoroughly combine the meat, onion, bread crumbs, parsley, Worcestershire, milk, mustard, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cloves and egg. Shape lightly into balls and let stand for 1/2 hour or more, and then roll in flour and brown in fat. Remove meat balls and add 1 Tbsp. flour to the fat. Mix well and add stock. Season, add meat balls, cover pan closely and stew for 1- 1/2 hours. Eat as is or add to spaghetti sauce, soups stews or casseroles  Serves.6. 

Basic Broiled Italian Meat Balls

Basic Broiled Italian Meat Balls

Ingredients:

1 large onion

1 lb. ground round

1/3 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup evaporated skim milk

1 egg

1-1/2 tsp. dried Italian herb seasoning.

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions

          Peel and dice onion, in medium bowl, combine diced onion, ground round, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, milk, eggs, Italian herb seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper with clean dry hands, thoroughly mix together all the ingredients. Rinse your hands with water, but do not dry them. With wet hands, form mixture into 15 meatballs by rolling the meat mixture between the palms of your hands. Each meatball should be about 1-3/4 inches in diameter

          When you're finished rolling the meatballs, wash and dry your hands. Place oven rack 7inches from broiler. If using broiler pan, remove it from the broiler. Preheat broiler. Grease the broiler pan lightly. Arrange meatballs in greased pan in 3 rows, 5 meatballs per row. Place pan on oven rack. Broil meatballs for 5 minutes. With tongs, turn meatball over. Broil 5 minutes longer. Eat as is or add to spaghetti sauce, soups stews, or casseroles

Variations:

Party Meat balls-Prepare meat balls using double the quantities in the basic recipe. Cook browned balls in liquid made from a combination of dehydrated onion soup and cream of mushroom soup plus water. Stir in sautéed, sliced mushrooms if desired; serve from a casserole or chafing dish. Garnish with pimento and coarsely chopped parsley.

Meat Balls Romanoff-Prepare Party Meat Balls. Shortly before serving, stir in a small container of sour cream.

Meat Ball Stew-Prepare vegetables as for one of the other beef stews and cook in beef stock for 20 minutes; add browned meat balls and cook until meat and vegetables are tender. Thicken gravy as desired.

Swedish Meat Balls

Swedish Meat Balls

Ingredients:   

2 Tbsp.      diced onion

2 Tbsp.      bacon fat

1/2 cup     bread  crumbs

1/2           cup milk

1 lb.                 ground beef

1/4 lb       ground lean pork

1              egg yolk

1/2           cup cold mashed potatoes

1 tsp.                salt 

1/4 tsp.     pepper

                few grains each of mace, allspice, mustard                     and sage

1 tsp.                minced parsley

2 Tbsp.      butter

1 cup        water      

Method:

1. Sauté the onion in fat until golden brown.

2. Soak the crumbs in milk until soft; ass the meat, onion, egg yolk, potatoes and seasoning; knead together until smooth.

3. Shape into small balls, using 2 spoons dipped in cold water.

 Cook the meat balls in butter, shaking continually to make the balls round., until an even brown.

5. Add the water; cover and   simmer 30 minutes. Thicken the gravy. Serve hot or cold. The water may be omitted and the meat balls served dry; in this case meat balls should be cooked for a few minutes more, after browning. Makes approximately 30- 35 cocktail -size meat balls.

         

·   Meat balls take a lot of time. For a party, or for many little spontaneous supper parties, use the camp cooks trick and prepare several pounds of meat into balls and freeze. When cooking a   large quantity, cook with preheated liquid in a covered braising pan or casserole at 350 F. until done. Transfer to serving dishes or leave in the casserole.

Porcupine Meat Balls

Porcupine Meat Balls

Ingredients

1-1/2 lb. ground chuck

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup diced onion

1 cup condensed tomato soup

1/2 cup water

Instructions

         Combine meat, rice, salt and onion. Shape into small balls. Blend soup and water until mixture begins to simmer. Add meat balls. Cook about 30 minutes. Eat as is or add to spaghetti sauce, soups stews or casseroles

Yield 6 servings

Variations

·   Add 1/2 cup uncooked rice to meat mixtures given for Basic, Gourmet, Italian, Saucy, or Chinese meat balls.

·   Use tomato or spaghetti sauce or sweet and sour sauce given for Chinese Meatballs instead of the condensed soup and water.

Saucy Meatballs-

 Saucy Meatballs-As with our American neighbours, the heritage of many Canadians is best described as Heinz 57.

This recipe is from Heinz 57 Sauce and has been a 4 star favourite for years.

Ingredients

 1 lb. lean ground beef            1 Tbsp flour

2/3cup grated

Parmesan cheese              1can (28 oz) tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup seasoned, dry

bread crumbs               1/3 to 1/2 cup Heinz 57 sauce

1/2 cup milk                    1 Tbsp. sugar

1 egg, slightly beaten              1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp. shortening                    Hot buttered noodles

Instructions

          Combine the first 5 ingredients. Shape into 20 meatballs using rounded Tbsp. for each. Brown well in shortening. Drain excess fat. Sprinkle flour over meatballs, stir gently to coat meatballs. (You are making a roux).Combine tomatoes, Heinz 57 Sauce, sugar and salt, pour over meatballs. Simmer uncovered 25 minutes or until sauce is desired consistency. Serve meat balls and sauce over noodles. Yield 5 serving (about 3 cups sauce).     

Pressure Cooker Chinese Beef Rice Baby Meatballs

 Pressure Cooker Chinese Beef Rice Baby Meatballs-You will also find this same recipe under Asian foods. Because it is so much superior to ordinary Porcupine Meat Balls, I list it there as well.

I lb chopped ground chuck

4 shallots, minced

 1 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger root (or 1 tsp. ground ginger if fresh is not available)

 2 whole eggs, slightly beaten

 1/4 cup water chestnuts, finely minced

2 tsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. (about) dry sherry

1 cup standard rice, soaked for 30 minutes in warm water

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 Tbsp. vinegar

 2 to 3 drops Tabasco

1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

 2 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil

Instructions:

          If you know Chinese food and have a Chinese grocery in your neighbourhood, you can prepare this recipe in the Chinese way with "glutinous sticky rice" and fresh ginger root. This type of rice will need only 20 minutes of soaking and 20 minutes less cooking time at 15 lbs. It is important to set the rice covered balls in the pressure cooker at least 1/4 inch apart, to allow for the expansion of the rice.

Use a 6-quart or smaller pressure cooker and if necessary, cook the meatballs in batches. In a mixing bowl, lightly but thoroughly work together the beef, green onion, ginger, eggs, water chestnuts, and 1 tsp. of the sugar. Now dribble over and blend in the dark soy sauce and up to 2 Tbsp. of the sherry. You should have a mixture that remains just firm enough for the balls to hold together. Dip your hands in warm water and shape the mixture into small balls, about the size of cherry tomatoes. Spread the cup of rice out evenly on a tray and roll each ball into the rice until it is fully covered. Put the base rack in your pressure cooker; pour in the wine and arrange the balls about 1/4 inches apart. Put on the lid, bring up the pressure to 15 lbs. and cook for exactly 6 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the SWEET-SOUR sauce. In a mixing bowl, blend together the vinegar, Tabasco, garlic, light soy sauce, sesame seed oil, the remaining Tbsp. of sherry and the final tsp. of sugar. Taste and adjust the flavour by adding a tiny bit more of any or all of the ingredients. Reserve the sauce until the balls are ready. When the timer rings, turn off the heat, reduce pressure immediately, take out the balls and dribble the sauce over them, then serve at once, hot. Yield 4 servings.

Meatballs Stroganoff

 Meatballs Stroganoff

Ingredients:

1-1/2 to 2 lbs.   ground top round or chopped sirloin

1 tsp.                        salt

1/4 tsp.             pepper

4 tsp.                        steak sauce

1/3 cup             dry bread crumbs

1                      egg

2 Tbsps              butter

Sauce:

2 Tbsps.             butter

8 oz.                 mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsps.             flour

1 tsp.                        ketchup

1 can                       condensed beef broth, (10-1/2 oz.)

1 pkg.               dry onion soup mix

1 cup                        sour cream

Method:

Meatballs:

          In a large bowl, combine ground beef with salt, pepper, steak sauce, crumbs and egg, mixing gently until well blended. Shape into large 1-1/2to 2 inch meatballs. Brown meat balls in a large skillet in the butter. Reduce heat and continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Remove meatballs and set aside. Pour off all but about a tbsp. of the drippings.

Sauce:

          Add 1 Tbsp. butter to the skillet, sauté mushrooms and remove from heat. Stir in flour and ketchup; add broth gradually. Add onion soup mix, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add meatballs. Stir in sour cream; heat through but do not boil. Serve with hot buttered noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice. Serves 6.

 Ground Beef Fluffs-The lightest meat ball ever

1 lb. ground beef                     1/2 medium onion, minced

2 Tbsp. flour                             Pinch thyme

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire                     Pinch marjoram

1/2 tsp. pepper                  3/4 cup undiluted evaporated milk

1 tsp. salt                         3/4 cup water

        Put beef in large bowl; add all ingredients, except milk and water. Use a hand whip or electric mixer to whip mixture. Add milk and water gradually, beating constantly. When all liquid has been absorbed, cover bowl, and let stand in refrigerator a few hours. (Mixture can be cooked at once, but texture improves on standing).Drop 16 mounds on well-greased griddle. Brown 1-1/2 minutes on each side. Makes 4 servings