Meatball calculator!

(Laurie) #1

I was looking for guidance on meatball size and weight. I found this. Brilliant! I’m going to use parmesan instead of breadcrumbs.

https://goodcalculators.com/meatball-calculator/

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #2

Thanks! I eat ground Angus beef patties multiple times per week. This confirmed my intention to continue to do so. And I thought I was obsessive!

#3

Love this calculator, thanks Laurie! I make meatballs regularly and here are the things that have helped me to LOVE making them:

  1. Big box cheap latex kitchen gloves - infinitely more attractive making meatballs when you don’t have to pick raw beef from under your fingernails for the next few hours. It’s not very environmentally friendly but I’m a bit squeamish.
  2. Roasting them in the oven is (I think) so much quicker and easier than frying them. 20 mins at a very high heat (220 degrees C) browns them beautifully.
  3. Tricks to keep them tender: High-fat mince of course. I also lightly purée a small amount of vegetables (onion, garlic, celery, carrot) which inserts little pockets of moisture into the meatballs while they are cooking. I also add egg and a spoon of almond flour. For a much lower-carb option, I have heard that actually grating very cold butter into the meat mix achieves the same thing! Parmesan is a good option too.
  4. Keeping it interesting with spice mixes: I do Lebanese, Thai (chicken or beef), Italian (pork/beef) or Indian - you could just chuck in a curry paste for the latter. Also - slightly different shape, and voila - you have Kofta!

Happy Meatballing :grinning:

(Laurie) #4

Thanks, @amwassil. I usually make plain burgers – just meat – and it works well. The meatballs (plus sauce) are for potlucks.

@Camellia, thank you for the tips and suggestions. This time it was Italian in the oven. Mmm, maybe curry flavor next time.

(Doug) #5

Laurie, I love the thread title. :slightly_smiling_face:

So, how many meatballs do we need? ‘How many are there…?’

(Polly) #6

What fun! I find that a combination of ricotta cheese and eggs makes for a very nice soft on the inside meatball with good structure. Half beef mince half pork mince is also a good combination for texture of the finished meatball.

You have inspired me to make meatballs today. Thank you @islandlight.

#7

Cool

my meatballs are meat
my meatloaf is meat and egg LOL

I ‘like it for the brain’ cause I feel like I am getting just more than burger HA

Fresh grated Parm is a great cheese for doing things with for sure!

(Bob M) #8

Another thing I’ve used (for meatloaf, but should work for meatballs) is taking dried mushrooms and grinding them into a fine powder. Then using this to add to the meat.

Alton Brown also used muffin tins to hold the meatballs out of the liquid that’s produced when baking.

And, of course, weighing each meatball so you get consistently-sized meatballs helps them cook evenly.

(Laurie) #9

I weighed them (approx 30 grams each). They were about one and a half inches across before cooking. The calculator said I’d get about 110 meatballs, and that was correct.

If you don’t use a certain ingredient --or any ingredients besides meat – you can put a zero where applicable. For example, I didn’t add any liquid, so I entered 0 for liquid.

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions!

(Bob M) #10

110 meatballs? How long did that take?

(Laurie) #11

I think from start to finish (meatballs cooled and put in freezer) it was 2.5 or 3 hours. Enough for 2 potlucks, plus 1 meal for me.

It was okay; I had a little system going. Not something I would do every day though.

(Bob M) #12

I’ve made some, but not 110. I like meatballs, although for my purposes, I’d rather make something like meatloaf. More “bang”, less work. :wink:

(Central Florida Bob ) #13

I guess I can retire that spreadsheet since someone put it online.

Just kidding. I make up lots of spreadsheets but I’ve never made one for meatballs. Never yet.