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Ahem. I present to you THE meatball of all meatballs. There’s an oddity in the list of ingredients, but believe me when I tell you; these will be the talk of your dinner party. These meatballs are incredibly juicy and quite possibly the best ones I’ve ever tried. I kid you not.
My sisters Tanya & Sveta have been raving about how their Mama-in-law (they married two brothers, you see) makes fantastic meatballs. I finally asked Maria for the recipe. I knew from the first bite; my sisters were right.
Flashback! (I love how food triggers memories). I remember the first time we gave my grandpa a burger, he took it apart and ate each ingredient separately. He was probably wondering why we served Katleti in such a strange way.
The Ukrainian way is to servekatleti (meatballs)along side potatoes and salad, but I do think they’d taste great as sliders. Yum, yum!
Ingredients for Juicy Pork Meatballs:
2slices good black/rye bread
1lb lean ground pork (I ground my own lean pork tenderloin)
1 small/medium onion, finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning, or your fave seasoning
3/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp mayo.
1/2 cupItalian bread crumbs.
Oil to Saute (I used extra light olive oil)
P.S. Maria said you can double the batch and freeze half of them raw then thaw and saute them when you’re ready for more!
How to Make Juicy Pork Meatballs:
1. Dry your bread slicesin the oven at 350˚F for 25 minutes (or in the sunshine) until fully dried.
2. Once bread is fully dried, soak it in water for 10 mins then squeeze out the water and drain really well. I placed/presseda bowl over the bread crumbs inside ofmy colander to help drain it. Break bread into crumbs.
3. Saute onions in a medium pan over medium/high heat until golden brown then set aside.
4. Place ground pork into a large mixing bowl. Add moist bread crumbs, sautéed onion, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning, 3/4tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper and 1 Tbsp Mayo. Mix until well combined.
5. Form 1 1/2″ meatballs and slightly flatten each one.Roll meatballs in bread crumbs and arrange on a platter.
6. Heat a large non-stick pan (I used my cast iron skillet) over medium heat with 2 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add 1/2 of the prepared meatballs (about 10) and cookabout 3 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed.
Sauteuntil meatballs are golden brown on the outside and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.
These were soo stankin’ juicy! My mouth is watering. Come to Mama!
Just in case you missed the juiciness..
Juicy Pork Meatballs (Kotlety)
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Ahem. I present to you THE meatball of all meatballs. There's an oddity in the list of ingredients, but believe me when I tell you; these will be the talk of your dinner party. These meatballs are incredibly juicy. The Ukrainian way is to serve katleti (meatballs) along side potatoes and salad, but I do think they'd taste great as sliders too. Yum, yum!
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Prep Time: 18 minutes mins
Cook Time: 12 minutes mins
Total Time: 30 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 2 slices good black bread
- 1 lb lean ground pork, I ground my own lean pork
- 1 small/medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp mayo.
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- Oil to Saute, I used extra light olive oil
Instructions
Dry your bread slices in the oven at 350˚F for 25 minutes (or in the sunshine) until fully dried.
Once bread is fully dried, soak it in water for 10 mins then squeeze out the water and drain really well. I placed a bowl over the bread crumbs inside of my colander to help drain it. Break bread into crumbs.
Saute onions in a medium pan over medium/high heat until golden brown then set aside.
Place ground pork into a large mixing bowl. Add moist bread crumbs, sautéed onion, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper and 1 Tbsp Mayo. Mix until well combined.
Form 1 1/2" meatballs and slightly flatten each one. Roll meatballs in bread crumbs and arrange on a platter.
Heat a large non-stick pan (I used my cast iron skillet) over medium heat with 2 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add 1/2 of the prepared meatballs (about 10) and cook about 2-3 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed. Saute until meatballs are golden brown on the outside and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Notes
P.S. You can double the batch and freeze half of them raw then thaw and saute them when you're ready for more!
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Kotlety, Pork Meatballs
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $$
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
Use 1 egg, 3/4 cup of dried breadcrumbs, and 1/2 cup of milk per pound of ground meat. The egg and crumbs act as a binder. DON'T over-mix the meat/bread mixture or the meatballs will become tough. I use a small 1 scoop (like a miniature ice cream scoop) to portion the meatballs and roll them in my wet hands.
How to make meatballs that aren t dry? ›
Choose the right meat: Use a combination of ground meats with some fat content for moist and flavorful meatballs. A mixture of beef, pork, and veal, or even ground turkey or chicken with added fat, can work well. Lean meat alone can result in dry meatballs.
What not to do when making meatballs? ›
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
- Not seasoning the meat.
- Not adding any moisture to the meat.
- Over-mixing the meat.
- Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
- Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
One of the most common is using a very lean grind of beef. While this is desirable from the health perspective, it means the recipe needs to be adjusted to compensate for the reduced amount of fat. Various ingredients can be substituted to give a moist result. Overcooking is another common cause of dry meatballs.
What does adding milk to meatballs do? ›
When it comes to adding liquid to meatball mixtures, milk is often used for its versatility, depth of flavor, and richness. Without the use of milk, you may be faced with a plate of dry meatballs. Milk adds a certain level of moisture that helps produce perfectly tender meatballs.
Do meatballs get softer the longer you cook them? ›
Tenderizing the Meat:
As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.
Does egg add moisture to meatballs? ›
Eggs are an important ingredient in any bowl of meatballs. They serve as a binder, which is like the glue that holds the actual ball and all of its ingredients together, and they provide moisture to the final product.
How do I make my meatballs firmer? ›
Add breadcrumbs
Add breadcrumbs to the mixture, but not too many breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs act as a filler and they also prevent the meatballs from becoming too dry by absorbing some of the meat juices released during cooking.
Is it better to use milk or water in meatballs? ›
There are many avenues that lead to delicious and tender meatballs. While water and broth may keep the meatballs moist throughout the cooking process, milk's extra fat and luscious consistency add an unmatched level of complexity to any classic meatball recipe.
Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›
In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, these meatballs should be fully cooked through and evenly browned in about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatball should read at least 165 degrees F.
A higher fat content ensures that your meatballs stay juicy.
If you've ever had a sad, dry meatball, a lean fat content is most likely one of the reasons why.
Why do you put baking soda in meatballs? ›
Baking soda acts as a meat tenderizer by changing the physical composition of meat fibers. It raises the pH levels on the surface and makes it tougher (pun intended) for the proteins in the meat to bond.
Why add water to meatballs? ›
If, for example, you're working with fattier ground beef, like 80/20 (20% fat), using a liquid without added fat, such as water or broth, can prevent the meatballs from becoming too heavy. The panade will make the meatballs tender, but it won't make them overly rich.
Should you chill meatballs before cooking? ›
Chill your meatballs: refrigerating your meatballs an hour before cooking helps them hold their shape throughout the cooking process. They can chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking, making meatballs a great make-ahead dish, too.
Why do my meatballs taste like meatloaf? ›
Meatballs and meatloaf share a lot of the same ingredients for their recipes. Each of them uses ground beef, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Even their optional ingredients have crossover with the likes of parsley, garlic, and sometimes parmesan cheese.
How do you keep meatballs firm? ›
Roll your meatballs in flour
Roll the finished meatballs in plain flour before frying. This is, hands down, one of the easiest ways I've discovered to prevent meatballs from falling apart when cooking.
How do you make meatballs more solid? ›
Your job is to massage or knead the meat, after you've added your seasonings. This helps release more protein into the mix that will then harden to create a matrix that will hold the meatballs together.
How do you keep meatballs moist when reheating? ›
For the best results, put your meatballs in a frying pan and add a few tablespoons of water. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and put the pan on low heat. As the pan heats up the water will help the meatballs steam. If the water evaporates add a little excess water if necessary.
Why put meatballs in fridge before cooking? ›
Chill your meatballs: refrigerating your meatballs an hour before cooking helps them hold their shape throughout the cooking process. They can chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking, making meatballs a great make-ahead dish, too.
