What's cookin' boys?

[RCW]

U runnin any milk in them meatballs?

That looks like some good spaghetti by the package.

Aldi is like our Kroger, aint it?

Apologize for not responding earlier...

No milk in those MB's.

In 43 years together, I've NEVER made those. I can make lots of different MB's but not for pasta.

That's always been the Mrs. task. She enjoys it. It's her family's heritage. Her Dad was 100% Italian, Mom was 100% Irish......I'm 100% Redneck Mutt former Farmer/Cook....

The recipe came across "The Pond" to Ellis Island with her grandmother (never met the grandparents, but they spoke Italian with limited English ability). I'm not sure that one is written down anywhere, but it's not a secret.

Very simple with 6# ground beef and 2# ground pork. She uses Progresso Italian bread crumbs, fresh garlic, eggs, and usual suspects for seasoning.

She portions them about 1 ounce. Golf ball or a little smaller. Before rolling, she dips each portion in burgundy or other stout red wine (e.g., Merlot).

Brown dark in saute pan, then simmer in the sauce after browned.

Oven-roasting of MB's is scorned upon by most Italians. Need to be browned on the stovetop......

I'll admit I made Italian MB's commercially as well as at home in a HOT convection oven......

Aldi is a Germany-based discount grocery chain. Bag your own stuff, etc. Don't carry a lot of brand stuff but do some. There's some things we use they simply don't carry. Prices are literally nearly 50% off some other options.

We've found their quality for some items are better than "brand." We're very rural here, so there's not a lot of other options. We buy everything we can from Aldi, then get the rest from Price Chopper, which is common chain here.

Not sure how that is/is not similar to Kroger.

 

[lynnmor]

Apologize for not responding earlier...

No milk in those MB's.

In 43 years together, I've NEVER made those. I can make lots of different MB's but not for pasta.

That's always been the Mrs. task. She enjoys it. It's her family's heritage. Her Dad was 100% Italian, Mom was 100% Irish......I'm 100% Redneck Mutt former Farmer/Cook....

The recipe came across "The Pond" to Ellis Island with her grandmother (never met the grandparents, but they spoke Italian with limited English ability). I'm not sure that one is written down anywhere, but it's not a secret.

Very simple with 6# ground beef and 2# ground pork. She uses Progresso Italian bread crumbs, fresh garlic, eggs, and usual suspects for seasoning.

She portions them about 1 ounce. Golf ball or a little smaller. Before rolling, she dips each portion in burgundy or other stout red wine (e.g., Merlot).

Brown dark in saute pan, then simmer in the sauce after browned.

Oven-roasting of MB's is scorned upon by most Italians. Need to be browned on the stovetop......

I'll admit I made Italian MB's commercially as well as at home in a HOT convection oven......

Aldi is a Germany-based discount grocery chain. Bag your own stuff, etc. Don't carry a lot of brand stuff but do some. There's some things we use they simply don't carry. Prices are literally nearly 50% off some other options.

We've found their quality for some items are better than "brand." We're very rural here, so there's not a lot of other options. We buy everything we can from Aldi, then get the rest from Price Chopper, which is common chain here.

Not sure how that is/is not similar to Kroger.

Aldi's shopping carts are great for firewood and a real bargain at 25 cents each.

 

[drygulch]

Before rolling, she dips each portion in burgundy or other stout red wine (e.g., Merlot)

Ooh, I'm tucking that one away

 

[BBFarmer]

Apologize for not responding earlier...

No milk in those MB's.

In 43 years together, I've NEVER made those. I can make lots of different MB's but not for pasta.

That's always been the Mrs. task. She enjoys it. It's her family's heritage. Her Dad was 100% Italian, Mom was 100% Irish......I'm 100% Redneck Mutt former Farmer/Cook....

The recipe came across "The Pond" to Ellis Island with her grandmother (never met the grandparents, but they spoke Italian with limited English ability). I'm not sure that one is written down anywhere, but it's not a secret.

Very simple with 6# ground beef and 2# ground pork. She uses Progresso Italian bread crumbs, fresh garlic, eggs, and usual suspects for seasoning.

She portions them about 1 ounce. Golf ball or a little smaller. Before rolling, she dips each portion in burgundy or other stout red wine (e.g., Merlot).

Brown dark in saute pan, then simmer in the sauce after browned.

Oven-roasting of MB's is scorned upon by most Italians. Need to be browned on the stovetop......

I'll admit I made Italian MB's commercially as well as at home in a HOT convection oven......

Aldi is a Germany-based discount grocery chain. Bag your own stuff, etc. Don't carry a lot of brand stuff but do some. There's some things we use they simply don't carry. Prices are literally nearly 50% off some other options.

We've found their quality for some items are better than "brand." We're very rural here, so there's not a lot of other options. We buy everything we can from Aldi, then get the rest from Price Chopper, which is common chain here.

Not sure how that is/is not similar to Kroger.

I prefer to have ground pork as well as some italian sausage in our balls. However, the wife and 2 out of 3 youngins really just prefer all beef. Sometimes i'll do a small batch with hot italian sausage for me and the boy. Love em.

But mainly I stay all beef for the girls. I do use the same bread crumbs. And 2lbs of meat will require a minimum 7-10 cloves of garlic for us LOL.

I do find I'll often encounter dry balls if I don't give them a splash of milk or stock. Not sure if its me sometimes using too much bread crumb or my 80/20 don't have as much 20 as it declares.

There's nothing like a perfectly browned meatball. It'll sit simmering in that gravy oh so long yet still give you that seared taste and chew you're longing for. With that said, once I top the 2lb mark, which yields 30-35 balls for me, it gets slightly time consuming browning all them balls.

So like when the parents or inlaws come, i'll do 4lbs, 60ish balls and I will often toss them in the oven, 400ish, convection on, 25-30 minutes. Definitely brings the taste down, but saves me some time.

I may have to try dipping them in some red wine before hand. Curious as to how that affects the taste.

Of course the kids always want spaghetti and meatballs

But i'm often partial to just meatballs with a good cool orzo pasta salad

 

[RCW]

Ooh, I'm tucking that one away

The leftover vino goes in the sauce.....

I prefer to have ground pork as well as some italian sausage in our balls. However, the wife and 2 out of 3 youngins really just prefer all beef. Sometimes i'll do a small batch with hot italian sausage for me and the boy. Love em.

But mainly I stay all beef for the girls. I do use the same bread crumbs. And 2lbs of meat will require a minimum 7-10 cloves of garlic for us LOL.

I do find I'll often encounter dry balls if I don't give them a splash of milk or stock. Not sure if its me sometimes using too much bread crumb or my 80/20 don't have as much 20 as it declares.

There's nothing like a perfectly browned meatball. It'll sit simmering in that gravy oh so long yet still give you that seared taste and chew you're longing for. With that said, once I top the 2lb mark, which yields 30-35 balls for me, it gets slightly time consuming browning all them balls.

So like when the parents or inlaws come, i'll do 4lbs, 60ish balls and I will often toss them in the oven, 400ish, convection on, 25-30 minutes. Definitely brings the taste down, but saves me some time.

I may have to try dipping them in some red wine before hand. Curious as to how that affects the taste.

Of course the kids always want spaghetti and meatballs
View attachment 155407
But i'm often partial to just meatballs with a good cool orzo pasta salad
View attachment 155406

I forgot to mention cheese - - gotta have parmesan, romano, or whatever you prefer.

These are definitely on the dry-side. Not a criticism, I think it might be an Italian regional thing?

Had them from several of the older generation ladies and gents of the family, and they were all similar in consistency.

Occasionally I will make a few big-ole Italian MB's for submarine/grinder sandwiches. I'll add some milk and a lot of cheese to make them softer.

I don't notice the ground pork much at all. Little different flavor. Italian sausage would have a bigger impact on flavor.

Some/many different-variety meatball recipes actually call for ground beef/pork/veal. I have an old version of the Joy of Cooking which I think calls for all three for German or Swedish meatballs.