Making Meatballs, making meatballs, making MEEAAATBALLS

Well this week for my big cook (I'm trying to get as much done as possible before school starts (NEXT WEEK) because once soccer games and football games start, I will be B.U.S.Y!

So, I went to Sams Club and bought 12 pounds of ground beef.  I made a Quadruple batch of meatballs, though I can't be 100% on the amount of meat I put in, because I had to eyeball it from a big package, but I was going for quadruple, but then I tripled everything else (I'm a rebel don't cha know).  So evidence that baking is a science, but meatballs, not so much.

Here is the link to the meatball recipe I use. 

Excellent Meatballs- 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/ recipes/anne-burrell/ excellent-meatballs-recipe. html

I don't use veal, i just use double the ground beef. I also don't make the sauce; I use Prego (it's in there).  I love Prego, I buy Traditional or Fresh Mushroom.  I refuse to eat any other spaghetti sauce.  Finally, I use the shredded Parmesan cheese that you would find in the deli, or I shred it myself (this time I shredded it myself).  I don't use grated, like you find in a green container, though I like it and use it for other things. Sometimes I use plain ground pork, and sometimes I use sweet Italian sausage (not the links, but the ground).  This time, I had to buy the links, and cut them open and use the insides, sort of makes me feel like a mad scientist.  

I think cooking a meatball patty in the skillet before you cook the whole batch is genius, and I don't know why I never thought of it. I almost always add salt, but if you ever watched the video of Anne Burrell, she goes a little nuts for salt. 

I use an ice cream/cookie scoop, with the release handle to get uniform sizes.  I use the large one, and I make large meatballs (bigger than a golf ball, but not by much), but any size would work.  I scoop them and my kids ball them, it goes really quick with their help.  Even my 3 year old can help with that. When I cook them, I line them up on a rack on a rimmed baking sheet, and broil them about 10-12 minutes (till they are browned on the top) then I flip them over and brown them on the other side. (the Photo shows 2 already flipped over). About 10-12 minutes more. BROIL, not BOIL.  Pretty close to the heat, 3 inches away-ish.  Just watch them so they don't burn.  Then I put them in a huge pot with spaghetti sauce (I just use Prego Traditional) and let them simmer at least 20 minutes, but if you stir them, they could go for an hour or more.  They are perfection. 

 I freeze them by putting meatballs, and sauce into gallon sized freezer bags, and I double bag them.  They do take a while to reheat, from frozen, because they are so large.  This batch made 60, and I freeze them, for my family of 7 (though we eat as if we were 5½ people) in packages of 15 meatballs.  That’s enough for dinner, and maybe a lunch or two. These are giant meatballs, 1 or 2 per person is MORE than enough.

VERY IMPORTANT:  after you cook the onion and garlic, grind them up in a food processor, All the yummy onion moisture, None of the bits of onion.

Then I made, Salisbury steak.  I add mushrooms to the gravy, when I add the onions, but other than that I do the recipe just like this.

Salisbury Steak -  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/salisbury-steak-recipe.html

I add Mushrooms.  And serve with Mashed potatoes.  The ketchup sounds weird, but it really adds a nice savory depth. I also use "Better than Bouillon"  Its like a paste.  And, in case you didn't know, the secret to the most delicious mashed potatoes is Mary Jane's Crazy mixed up salt, and sour cream.  Real butter of course, and milk.

Then I made Meat Sauce, which is what I use for Lasagna.

MEAT SAUCE

The Meat sauce Recipe is my own. 

2 pounds Ground beef

1 pound of Ground  port (Or Italian Sausage)

1 Chopped Onion

3-4 cloves Garlic ( I love garlic)

1 can Diced Tomatoes

2 cans Crushed Tomatoes

1/2 small can tomato paste

3 T Italian Seasoning

2 T Sugar (it cuts the acidity of the tomato)

Salt to taste.

1/2 C grated Parmesan Cheese ( I use Kraft, in the green container)

Large Jar of Prego, like the Giant jar, with the lid like a mason Jar.

Brown and Drain the meat. Remove from pan.

In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, sautee the onions and garlic.  Add the meat and seasoning in.  Cook about 2 minutes, add the paste, cook about 2 minutes.  Add everything else, except the cheese.  Let it simmer at least 30 minutes, up to an hour.  Add the cheese.  1 C of cheese would be fine too, just taste it.  Let it cook about 5 minutes more.

Perfect meat sauce to go on pasta, or to put in Lasagna.  This made about 15 cups, which is 3 meals.  I portion it into Gallon Sized freezer bags, about 5 cups per bag.  That is just about the right amount for a lasagna.

(To make lasagna, cook lasagna noodles, combine 1 egg, 16 oz Ricotta and 1C grated  parm.  Layer - Sauce; Noodes, Cheese mix, Sauce, Mozz Cheese, Noodles, cheese mix; sauce;  mozz cheese, noodles cheese mix, sauce Mozz Cheese.  Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes.  Just watch it. )

Finally, I just used the rest of the meat to make Taco Meat.  I just make jive taco meat with the Old El Paso Seasoning packet.

Happy Cooking.