Meatballs!

[Brett-EDH]

It’s been a long while since I made meatballs, so I broke out the grinder along with 6 blsl thighs and 3 blsl breasts.

Ran some old bread through the blendtec, added that to the ground chicken. Added in 4 eggs, some crushed tomatoes, spog, dried Italian herbs, oregano, red pepper flakes and some grated pecorino.

Formed the balls and placed 56 onto two baking sheets and convection cooked for 35 minutes at 350°.

Then added 26 balls to the gravy which I started; evoo, diced onion, crushed garlic, basil with stems and some red pepper flakes. Then added in one can San Marzanos and the remainder of the crushed tomatoes and one 28oz can water (rinsed both cans out with this water) and poured it into the tomato mix.

Simmering for 2 hours before dinner service.

Mangia!

 

[Steve Hoch]

That's a great looking sauce, and I'm sure the meatballs were delicious as well. I'm definitely going to make a pot of sauce this week now and I usually use crushed tomatoes for mine too. I like to put mushrooms in my sauce and lately I've been putting green and black olives in it that I chop up in my mini food processor.

 

[Timothy F. Lewis]

Brett, my wife has been asking for some old fashioned red sauce pasta, now I have no excuse to make some!

 

[timothy]

Never tried chicken meatballs. I need to change that!

 

[Jeff Boudman]

My favorite meal! My Mom made excellent spaghetti and meatballs.

 

[Brett-EDH]

That's a great looking sauce, and I'm sure the meatballs were delicious as well. I'm definitely going to make a pot of sauce this week now and I usually use crushed tomatoes for mine too. I like to put mushrooms in my sauce and lately I've been putting green and black olives in it that I chop up in my mini food processor.

thanks. the deep red comes from the san marzanos. they tend to make a better sauce and one that's less acidic than US grown/produced canned tomatoes. i also like to keep my gravy/sauce really simple so the tomato flavor shines through.

it sounds like you're making a puttanesca sauce: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/puttanesca-sauce

lot's of umami flavor in that kind of recipe. makes for a very rich tasting sauce.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Never tried chicken meatballs. I need to change that!

try to keep a 60/40 of dark to white meat ratio so you have flavor and the balls don't fall apart. we switched to ground chicken a few years back and very rarely will i make a beef/pork version. we just prefer lighter foods these days. but i have been known to brow a few italian pork sausages for this sauce for that next layer of flavor.

the ground chicken also makes a nice meat sauce too. and ground tacos and more. it's pretty simple to make at home. either a grinder on a KA mixer, actual stand alone grinder, or in a food processor.

 

[Brett-EDH]

My favorite meal! My Mom made excellent spaghetti and meatballs.

pure comfort food for sure. we did this over ziti for a change.

 

[EricV.]

Any pork neck bones used in the sauce?

 

[Brett-EDH]

Any pork neck bones used in the sauce?

negative. this was a classic pomodoro sauce. the flavor profile and focus is on the tomatoes and basil.

 

[Richard S]

Looks simply delicious!

 

[Bob Bailey]

It’s been a long while since I made meatballs, so I broke out the grinder along with 6 blsl thighs and 3 blsl breasts.

Ran some old bread through the blendtec, added that to the ground chicken. Added in 4 eggs, some crushed tomatoes, spog, dried Italian herbs, oregano, red pepper flakes and some grated pecorino.

Formed the balls and placed 56 onto two baking sheets and convection cooked for 35 minutes at 350°.

Then added 26 balls to the gravy which I started; evoo, diced onion, crushed garlic, basil with stems and some red pepper flakes. Then added in one can San Marzanos and the remainder of the crushed tomatoes and one 28oz can water (rinsed both cans out with this water) and poured it into the tomato mix.

Simmering for 2 hours before dinner service.

Mangia!

View attachment 99653

Looks great Brett!

 

[Joan]

Brett, I grew up with an Italian step-grandfather. His favorite thing to cook for us. Thanks for bringing back such great memories.

 

[Brett-EDH]

Brett, I grew up with an Italian step-grandfather. His favorite thing to cook for us. Thanks for bringing back such great memories.

meatballs were by far my father's favorite meal. when i told him they were made from ground chicken, he didn't believe me. as you can see from the sauce, there's little to no grease/fat on top. the baked chicken meatballs have been a hit for a few years now. no one complains they're not beef/pork combos.

due to the breadcrumbs though, you have to cook them in the gravy for them to soften up some. the oven makes them a little dense and the gravy makes them more tender and adds more flavor (the gravy gets into the meatballs as the breadcrumbs absorb the flavor).