Perfect, Authentic Italian Meatball

If there is one thing that we Italians absolutely love, it is a darn-good meatball. In fact, in my family, you are not considered a ‘real man’ until you can cook a proper meatball. So I saw this as a challenge and an opportunity to create the most delicious meatball my family has ever tasted. Not only did I succeed, but I am now labeled the “Meatball King” in my very big, Italian family. I thought to myself long and hard about keeping this recipe to inside our family and hiding it in a secret vault so that no one would ever have my claim to culinary fame; but then I realized that I should share it with my loyal culinary followers with the hope that you will also find extreme culinary delight in this recipe.

Below I will offer you the exact recipe I use in creating the perfect Italian meatball, as well as provide a comprehensive step-by-step guide that is easy to follow, and virtually fool-proof. Not only that, but I am a man that always tries to go the extra mile. So, in addition to the step-by-step guide, I will also offer you some tricks, tips, and suggestions to make this experience as easy as it will be delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 pound of 80/20 ground beef (see tips + notes)
1 pound of ground pork
1 cup of Italian-style bread crumbs (see tips + notes)
1/2 cup Locatelli cheese, grated (see tips + notes)
2 Extra Large Eggs
1/8 cup (or 2 T) of minced, fresh garlic (see tips + notes)
1/8 cup (or 2 T) of chopped, fresh parsley (see tips + notes)
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt (see tips + notes)
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes (see tips + notes)
1 t dried, minced onion
1 t dried basil
1 T Chianti (see tips + notes)
1 T Olive Oil
Extra Olive Oil for frying

Equipment Suggested:

• A food scale
• A 13 x 9 pan/food storage container
• A small food processor
• A Sauté pan
• A slotted spoon, or spatula to flip meatballs

Tips + Notes
Now, for some strange reason, in most of the recipes I read online or in cookbooks, they always put the tips section at the very end. This seems counter-intuitive because it makes more sense to get them right in the beginning, right? Well, I think so anyway; so here they are.

• This recipe makes approximately 36, 1 oz. meatballs.
• I always buy ground beef that is 80 / 20 because it will give your meatballs the most flavor. I am actually going to recommend against going with any ground beef over this mark–not because I am unhealthy, but because I am offering you an authentic version of an Italian Meatball. No one ever said that authentic Italian food was for the health-conscious.
• I recommend making your own bread crumbs rather than buying them. Generally speaking, it is super-easy and yields a better result. Despite this, I have made these meatballs with homemade breadcrumbs and with store-bought bread crumbs of all varieties (including Panko). For your first time making this recipe, I recommend using Italian-style breadcrumbs by Progresso. Then, after trying these the original way you may go and experiment. Though, after you taste these, you may never want to.
• Locatelli is a brand of Pecorino Romano cheese. It is considered to be one of the finest brands of Pecorino Romano cheese available. You absolutely must use this cheese, period. Yes, it is a little pricey; but you only need half of a cup and it is absolutely necessary in the flavor of the meatball. If you can not find it pre-grated, just bring it home and chop it into small pieces. Then throw it in a food processor. Remember that grated means: fine/almost powdered. Whereas shredded is like what you put on pizza.
• Note that for the garlic and the parsley I listed as 1/8 cup. I conveniently have a 1/8 cup measuring device at home, but if you don’t, 1/8 cup is equal to 2 Tablespoons. To mince the garlic and chop the parsley, I recommend using a small food processor. If one is not accessible, doing it by hand is OK too. I have also used the pre-minced garlic that comes in a container at your local grocery store and that is acceptable too. Though I do recommend using fresh garlic and mincing it yourself. Same with the parsley. Do not use dried parsley, and when using fresh parsley, only use the leaf, not the stem.
• In my meatballs I use sea salt.
• For the Chianti, I use Chianti Classico Riserva (2006).
• When frying the meatballs, after you place the meatball in the hot pan, give it a little ‘wiggle’ or slide a spatula underneath it to loosen it. It will help prevent it from sticking to the pan. Do this each time to turn the meatball.
• I recommend mixing the meatballs by hand, directly on your counter-top. Remember to observe all food safety guidelines though.
• DO NOT over-mix the meatballs; but make sure all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Over-mixing could result in a tougher meatball.
• I would prepare a 13 x 9 pan for you to put your meatballs in after ‘balling’ them and before frying. This way, you can store them somewhere safe and convenient before frying. You can also prepare these meatballs ahead of time, put them in the 13 x 9, and store them in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 48 hours. Though, if you do this, I recommend bringing the meatballs back to room temperature before frying–this DOES affect the consistency of the meatball!
• Crushed red pepper flakes give your meatballs a nice spiciness. If you, or those whom you are serving are not fans of spicy food, you may omit this ingredient without a serious impact to flavor.
• Finally, be patient when frying your meatball. You want a nice, crispy crust on as many sides as you can. Try and follow these instructions to a ‘T’; but also use common sense as well. For instance, ‘medium’ on my burner may differ from yours and could result in your meatballs slightly overcooking or under-cooking. So try and use your best judgement!

Directions:

1. Get out all of the ingredients and tools you will need to complete this recipe. A well-prepped cook, is a happy cook!
2. Mince garlic and chop parsley (either by hand or using a small food processor).
3. In a small bowl, pre-measure the Locatelli. Then add the minced garlic and chopped parsley.
4. To the same bowl, add the crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper, minced onion, and dried basil.
5. Mix all of those ingredients together with a spoon or by-hand until blended.
6. Take the 1 lb of ground beef and place it on your work space–I recommend doing it right on the counter and not in a mixing bowl.
7. Add the small bowl of ingredients you just mixed to the beef, and spread it evenly over the surface.
8. Crack 2 eggs and place them on top of the beef mixture, discarding the shell. Be sure to pick-out any loose shell.
9. Break the eggs with a fork or your finger and also spread them evenly over the beef.
10. Evenly distribute the bread crumbs over the eggs.
11. Evenly sprinkle the Chianti and Olive Oil over the bread crumbs.
12. Place your ground pork on top of everything to create a sandwich-like pile.
13. With your bare hands, mix everything together until everything is fully incorporated. Do not over-mix!
14. The meat mixture should be moist, and slightly sticky–it may even stick to your hand a bit; but it should not be so moist that it does not hold its shape when formed into a ball. If the meatball is too loose, slowly as more bread crumbs until you can form it into a ball. You do not want a stiff ball of meat though. It should have some ‘give’ to it and it should be moist!
15. Using a food scale, take a chunk of the meat mixture and measure out 1 oz. When you have done so, roll the meatball in your hand into a ‘ball’ and then place your first meatball in a 13 x 9 dish for storage until you are ready to fry.
16. Continue doing this until all of your meatballs have been formed.
17. In your saute pan, add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. You want enough oil in the pan so that you can fry the meatballs. Remember, you are not ‘deep-frying’ them though.
18. Heat the oil over medium heat until it is glossy, and less viscous (thick). A good way to test your oil to see if it is hot enough is to get (JUST) a drop of water and drop it in the oil. If it sizzles wildly then your ready!
19. Note: if your oil is smoking, it is too hot and you should remove it from the burner until the smoking subsides. Once cooled, put back over heat, and try again.
20. When the oil is ready, begin adding your meatballs (tips + notes). I use a saute pan large enough to easily fit 10-12 meatballs with plenty of room to flip them. Make sure you give yourself enough room to maneuver, or it could be very difficult to adequately cook the meatballs.
21. Leave your meatballs in the oil to fry for at least 2 – 3 minutes. Do not flip them until this point. Then, after that time has passed, flip the meatballs 1/4 of the way and fry the next side for the same amount of time. Continue this until you have flipped the meatballs at least 3 times and browned at least 4 sides to a nice, dark-brown color.
22. When the meatballs are done, remove them from the heat. This is where you get to decide where they go. You can either coat them with sauce and serve immediately or place them on a bed of paper towels to drain and cool a bit. I recommend letting the meatballs rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.
23. You will need to repeat steps 17 through 22 until all of your meatballs have been cooked. Note that you may need to add some more oil to the pan and that each time you need to bring the oil back up to temperature before adding a new batch of meatballs.

There you have it! Your very own authentic, Italian-style meatball. This is not only great to serve as a dinner, but there are also several other options at your disposal such as, making meatball subs or even using this recipe to make appetizers and bring them to a party or serve them at one you are hosting. Serving them alongside a good Italian sauce is something I highly recommend. In the coming weeks, I may release my family’s secret tomato sauce recipe–that is only if I don’t get ‘whacked’ for releasing this recipe. Mangia bene!