You're Probably Making These Big Mistakes With Your Meatballs

Juicy, succulent, and bursting with flavor, meatballs make a simple yet satisfying dish any time of day. So when they turn out dry, tough, or bland, it's incredibly disappointing and frustrating. To find out why this can sometimes happen, and how to rectify some common mistakes, Food Republic consulted Chef Jasper J. Mirabile Jr., the owner and chef at Jasper's Restaurant in Kansas City and the host of Live! From Jasper's Kitchen Radio, for some expert advice.

Meatballs are a brilliant addition to everything from pasta dishes or stews to sub sandwiches — and far beyond that, they're a truly international cuisine, with different meatball recipes from around the world showing just how versatile they can be. Despite the different ingredients and serving styles, often they rely on similar basic culinary principles to get the best results in terms of taste and texture — and Chef Mirabile's pro tips can help every step of the way.

Whether it's getting "the key ingredients" right or learning how best to handle and shape the meat, the chef is full of wisdom that can help beginners and more experienced cooks alike. So if you're looking for some top tips when cooking meatballs, this advice will help you master the meaty treats once and for all.

When picking the meat for the meatballs, you want a good proportion of fat, according to Chef Mirabile. "I never use lean meat," he explained. "Always 80/20." This means that the meat is composed of 80% lean and 20% fat. The higher fat content means a more juicy and flavorful result, as well as a tender texture – it's why meatballs made with leaner meats such as chicken or turkey can sometimes be a little dry, or seem to overcook more easily than fattier beef or pork.

You don't need to spend a fortune on beef — try cuts like shoulder clod and ranch steak, two inexpensive cuts to mash up for perfect meatballs. If you're going for turkey, try 85 or 93% lean, and when using poultry, aim for a blend of light and dark meat for richer flavor as well as a juicier end result.

You don't need to stick to just one kind of protein when making meatballs. "I prefer a mixture of ground beef, veal, and pork," explained Chef Mirabile. Try equal amounts of all three — though if you struggle to get hold of veal, it's not essential; just use equal quantities of pork and beef. You could also try adding bacon or pancetta for extra delicious smokiness, or some rich savory sausage meat.

It's a great idea to experiment to find your own preferred blend of types of protein. Just keep in mind that while you don't want the meat to be too lean and dry, you probably don't want it to be unpleasantly fatty, either — so think about a mix that nicely combines the two. If you're making turkey meatballs, for example, incorporating some fattier ground pork can help keep them tender and juicy.

While you might think that meatballs are all about the meat, you also need something to bind them together so that they don't fall apart during cooking — and it's a delicate balance. "The key ingredients are a liquid, breadcrumbs, and eggs," advised Chef Mirabile. "Make sure your ratios are correct."

For each pound of meat, you'll need one egg and a quarter-cup (or roughly a handful) of breadcrumbs. A pound of meat will make enough meatballs for four people, so just scale up as necessary. Adding a little water or milk to the ingredients before you form the mixture into balls will help to produce a more tender meatball — you shouldn't need more than ¾ cup for a pound of meat, and add it slowly as you may not need that much. Another top tip is to soak the breadcrumbs in milk to form a paste-like mixture known as panade in culinary terms, which also stops the shaped meat from shrinking as it cooks. If you're using panade, you'll need around a cup of breadcrumbs and four tablespoons of milk for each pound of meat. 

Depending on the type of meat you're using, you could also try adding a little tomato sauce or even applesauce as the liquid before you start shaping the meat. Or for turkey meatballs, adding whole Greek yogurt can add much-needed tenderness and stop them from overcooking.

Once you've gone to all the trouble of finding the right meat blend and adding the right binders, there's still one key mistake that can sabotage the texture of your dish: "Overworking the meat leads to dense and tough meatballs," explained Chef Mirabile. You only need to mix the meat together with the binder and any seasonings until everything is just combined, so don't overdo it.

Many people find it easiest to use their hands to combine the mixture and form the balls since it gives a good level of control. Try to form them all roughly the same size, so they cook evenly — you may find a cookie scoop helps with this task.

You can either roast or simmer the meatballs, depending on personal preference. To make things easier, try serving them with pomodoro, the ideal tomato sauce for lazy home cooks — it's easier than marinara but just as tasty.