Meatballs with mixed meats?

**Handy Andy** · 09-16-2011, 06:03 PM

I am an awful cook - this is one of the reasons I joined FV. I want to learn how to cook better meals so we don't eat out as often.

One of the few things I can make is pasta sauce. Now I would like to move on to adding some meatballs. I want to know if I can make meatballs using a mix of ground beef, ground turkey and ground chicken? I would rather bake my meatballs than frying in a pan (I think you fry them in a pan?) Can you use a meatball recipe but use the meat mixture instead of just all beef?

(it's ok if you laugh at me while reading this, I know I really should know how to make at least meatballs by now - feeling pathetic)

**pollypurebred39** · 09-16-2011, 06:14 PM

Yes, you can use mixed meats. Yes, any meatball recipe. As far as frying your meatballs, some fry, some bake and some plop raw meatballs into simmering sauce. It's all what you prefer really.

Here's a really great recipe

Authentic Italian Meatballs Recipe - Food.com - 92095

This one's good too

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/the-bes...ls/detail.aspx

**Ramona** · 09-16-2011, 07:41 PM

Yes, you can absolutely used mixed meats in your meatballs. I bake mine in the oven, less grease.

**Handy Andy** · 09-16-2011, 07:47 PM

thank you for the suggestions. If I bake them do i just put them on a regular cookie sheet?

**zakity** · 09-16-2011, 08:07 PM

Some people brown the outsides in a fry pan and then bake them on a cookie sheet to get them cooked the rest of the way through.

And, why would we laugh at you? I still really don't know how to make meat balls. I am 40 years old (almost 41).

**pollypurebred39** · 09-16-2011, 08:12 PM

When I make large amounts of meatballs I will bake them. I lightly oil a baking sheet and bake in the oven on 350' I turn them halfway through.

**Libby** · 09-16-2011, 11:56 PM

Andy - I just made my first batch ever last week. I totally winged the recipe. To my surprise, DH (who's a papered chef) totally approved! My sis did too, she thought they were great.

I baked my meatballs at 375*F for about 30-40 mins and never turned them. They were not round either. I noticed a lot of oil came out of my meatballs (used lean gr beef) and I barely sprayed the cookie sheet with non stick spray. Tasted ok by themselves but not what you get while out at a restaurant. Once cooled, I froze until ready to use. When that time came, I tossed them into the crockpot along with my very first attempt at tomato sauce from fresh tomatoes. They both turned out great.

Glad that you're taking the risk and just trying

Cooking really can't be screwed up. There's usually a 'fix'. And when you need one, come start a thread here. Someone is bound to have a 'fix' that will work for you.

**Ramona** · 09-17-2011, 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by pollypurebred39

When I make large amounts of meatballs I will bake them. I lightly oil a baking sheet and bake in the oven on 350' I turn them halfway through.

Ditto. This is exactly what I do.

**goldeneyez** · 09-17-2011, 12:45 AM

sometimes the best recipes are the ones where you just throw things in a pan and cook it. I make my meatballs with whatever is in the freezer or on sale. I have used mixed many many times and I like the flavors better. I have had mixed results with pan frying and baking in the oven. I agee with the other poster who said to cook in 350 oven with lightly oiled pan. I have also used a cooler rack when using fatter meats.

**Spirit Deer** · 09-17-2011, 12:46 AM

You could use that meat mix without a problem. I'd advise against pork though. I'm sure it's doable somehow, but for some stupid reason I made meatloaf with a mix of beef and pork and it was horrible. It wouldn't even hold together. It pains me to admit this because normally I'm a great cook.

I bake meatballs because whenever I try to fry them, they fall apart. Besides, it saves a lot of turning and fussing. I put mine on a wire cooling rack placed inside of a cookie sheet with sides so the grease can't run off. A broiler pan would work as well.

Then I freeze them in Ziploc bags. For simple meatball sandwiches, just pull out some of the meatballs, add an 8-ounce can of pizza sauce or tomato sauce with basil and oregano added, nuke in the microwave till heated through, and serve on hotdog buns or sub buns. If you want to get fancy, add a little mozzarella cheese to each sandwich.

Of course you can use them for spaghetti sauce. Or meatball soup, and all kinds of things. So once you get the hang of it, make a big batch so you have extra for the freezer.

Remember you can make the meatballs any size you want, but if you make them smaller, you may need to adjust cooking times. When they look done, just break one open and see if it's cooked through. Smaller meatballs will go farther than larger ones, because they look like more when they're served in a dish.

You are not pathetic. Pathetic would be if you weren't willing to learn.

**Contrary Housewife** · 09-17-2011, 01:35 AM

SpiritDeer, it's too bad you had a problem with the pork meatloaf, I think a mix of pork and beef is great. Pork adds a nice flavor. And I make chinese flavored pork meatballs all the time. I usually put an egg in as a binder.

The only advice I have is to be careful with really lean meats like turkey breast. It is lean and it will cook up dryer and it can be a little tough in meatloaf or meatballs.

**Spirit Deer** · 09-17-2011, 02:33 AM

Now that I think about it, I make pork meatballs for a WW soup I eat quite often. Those are cooked in the broth of the soup.

I don't know what the heck happened with the meatloaf, but I'll never do that again. Maybe there was too much fat in the pork, I don't know. I've never had a meatloaf flop like that before, and unfortunately I had made an extra huge batch so I could freeze about six meatloaves for future use. I cooked the last one the other night and just couldn't face it, so I gave it to the dogs. One of them even refused to eat it! Now there's a blow to my ego!

**sinopa27** · 09-17-2011, 03:12 AM

Andy,
I joined FV so I can learn to do everything I possibly can!! Good luck with your cooking. FV is a valuable resource!!

**Handy Andy** · 09-17-2011, 03:58 PM

Meatballs are in the oven baking - I will let you all know how they went over tomorrow!!!

Thank you for all the ideas

**Lady_V** · 09-18-2011, 08:12 AM

Not only can you make meatballs with mixed meats, you can make them with vegetables, oats... whatever you fancy (or is on hand)

I'm a "meatball mixer". I think OldMan would faint if I served him a beef only meatball, he's grown accustomed to the assortment offered to him.

I don't fry my meatballs, I bake them on a cookie sheet... when I am not baking them in a muffin tin.