2 of my immediate go to recipe checks whenever I make something new. If the two of you would collaborate with chef John, it would make me very very happy!
@notanothercookingshow Loved your video that you put out of the event - what a huge undertaking to piece together so much footage! Was a great documentary-style and highly enjoyed!
I've seen multiple meatball recipes online that call for mixing pork and beef but the thing about Kenji is he actually explains *why*. That's one of the things that makes him the best!
Honestly, this is what makes his videos the best - you see him cook mistakes and all. No re-takes, no different angles and changed dishes to look perfect, just one man cooking.
@@LeKackersomeone asked on Reddit about Kenji touching his pepper grinder after touching raw meat and people explained that he does wash his hands it’s just that he usually has to cut it from the video so we don’t watch someone washing their hands 5 times a video 🙂
It's the salt you add to the meat that really helps extract proteins. 1.8% is pretty excellent in a meatball. You're getting salt from the breadcrumbs too and not just the cheese. I used to make meatballs on R&D at a large manufacturer. The only thing I might advise is getting that meat extra cold before you mix. The texture will be better. Great video!
Kenji! Can you tell us a little more about using overcooked rice + thai curry paste in a meatball? This sounds so unique to me and I'd love to hear some context!
Of all the techniques, skills and knowledge Kenji is showing in his videos, the one that impresses me the most, is how he's able to grate parmesan without coating the entire countertop as well as the food!
Talking of putting in pint nuts and currents in meatballs - I quite recently got the cookbook Persiana and the kofte recipe has both those ingredients and wow was it divine
Everything about you and your channel is great. I just love the way you explain everything, and the fact that you're one of the most (if not the most) knowledgeable chefs around makes it even better that you're making this available to us for free on YT. I look forward to every video, I've been watching for a few years and it never gets boring. Of course I have both of your books at home :)
I have tried the convection roasting method, and I have tried the pan method. Roasting does not give enough browning, and the pan-searing usually makes my meatballs like rounded disks. I have taken to deep-frying them. It is the fastest way, gives the best browning, keeps their shape perfectly, and they are the most tender and juicy meatballs I have ever made. Also, oven braise in the sauce for at least 45-60 mins to allow proper flavor interchange (mostly because when I deep fry them they are not yet fully cooked when they go into the sauce).
Kenji's Simple Meatballs Ingredients: 250 grams (about 1/2 pound) ground pork 250 grams (about 1/2 pound) ground beef Panko breadcrumbs (or stale bread soaked in water, squeezed out) 1 egg Buttermilk (or whole milk, heavy cream, or water) About 1/2 cup half and half Fresh parsley Parmesan cheese, grated Garlic cloves 1 tablespoon unflavored powdered gelatin (optional) 5 grams salt (1% of the weight of the meat) Olive oil (for frying) Jarred tomato sauce (like Rayos) or homemade sauce Fresh basil (optional for sauce) Spaghetti (for serving) Instructions: Preparation of Meatball Mixture: Weigh the ground pork and beef to get about 500 grams total. In a mixing bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, egg, and buttermilk. This mixture is called a panade. Add about a half cup of half and half to the panade. Incorporate parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and garlic into the panade. Optionally, add powdered gelatin to the panade. This mimics the effect of adding veal to the meatballs, making them juicier. Add the ground pork and beef to the panade mixture. Season with 5 grams of salt (1% of the weight of the meat). Adjust based on the saltiness of the parmesan cheese. Mix everything together until well combined. Forming and Cooking the Meatballs: With damp hands, form the meat mixture into small balls. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add a thin layer of olive oil. Once the skillet is hot, add the meatballs in a spiral pattern. Fry the meatballs until they are browned on the bottom, then flip and brown the other side. Once browned, transfer the meatballs to a pot of simmering tomato sauce. Serving: Let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for a few moments to finish cooking. Serve the meatballs with spaghetti. Optionally, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh parsley.
My hubs is middle eastern and raisins is something they pair a lot with rice and things like roasted slivered almonds and pinenuts to add with some dishes. Gives a very nice different pop of sweetness when you’re eating something meaty and savory.
I've done the gelatin technique before based on Kenji's recipes and it's next level. Totally worth going and buying gelatin when you shop for your meatball ingredients!!
Alex French Guy has a great tip in his meatball video whete he squeezes the moisture out of a couple tablespoons of grated zucchini and adds it to the meat mixture. The dry zuchini acts as a natural sponge for moisture and juices, they come out the most delicious and juicy metballs I've ever had. Never going back, amd if you don't have zuchini, onion works too, (although perhaps not QUITE as well). I don't typically have gelatin handy, plus I like the natural method of a vegetable essentially doing the same work
Hey Kenji! I was rewatching your meatball video for the umpteenth time and I was reflective of how much your videos mean to all of us! I don’t think I would have come through the pandemic as well without your cooking lessons and endearing manner… I don’t feel as guilty feeding my 2 “retrievers” from the dinner table and cooking for my son and girlfriend helped me feel it eased us through such difficult times. I just want to express mucho gratitude and thanks for your wonderful contribution and you should feel proud knowing how much you contribute to so many people’s joy and wellbeing! Being both a psychiatrist and cooking hobbiest and fellow guitar player, again I felt the need to express my great affection and thanks….
I make a simple country loaf and they go stale/moldy overnight, so I cut the leftovers into slices and dry them on a rack. in a couple of days I run them in my food processor for homemade bread crumbs which I keep in a canning jar to stay bone dry. They last forever. I take 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs and add several spices like onion powder, garlic powder, salt-pepper, dry oregano, dry thyme. and 1/8 cup finely micro-planned parmesan cheese. I mix it up and use this to bread 1 chicken breast cut in cutlets dipped in beaten egg, Delicious and no weird chemical/oils.
Gelatin is also good in sweet/baking applications. It stabilizes whipped cream for frostings/icings. I buy it I n bulk at the restaurant supply store when I’m picking up the diamond kosher salt box 😊
Kenji living on the edge the way he's using that micro-plane grater bare handed there. That thing is by far the most dangerous utensil in my kitchen. I got special gloves just to use it because I was tired of bits of finger coming off
Ive used the velvetting with alkaline solution technique meatloaf also works to prodocue incredibly soft meatballs, also improved browning. Extra juicy and tender. 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per pound of meat mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of water.
My Italian mother was horrified to learn I just heat up a jar of Rao's more often than not these days but I'm glad to know I'm in good company. It's surprisingly good!
I listen to your productions while I am cooking. Your voice has a very calming tone. Your explanations are complete. I even listen to your recipes while I am cooking something different than your video topic. Often times, I can still use your advice to something different because you speak on a global level.
My dad's Thanksgiving stuffing recipe was basically a panade with eggs, onions, garlic, and Bell's added. He'd take a whole loaf and just squeeze it out in a huge salad bowl of water, and throw it right in the bird. Didn't even use any chicken/turkey stock and it didn't need it because it got the flavor roasting in the bird, and the high water content kept it from drying out. Whenever I see someone make a classic stuffing with stale cubes or torn chunks I shrug, because while they look good, I'm nostalgic for the uniform version that comes out with a firm custard texture.
Also he'd take the extra and cook it in a loaf pan, and you could tell the difference because it didn't have the flavor from the bird. But it didn't matter, because the dressing version was cut up into chunks and that went into the turkey soup. Loved those little tofu-like texture bombs.
Reasons I love Kenji: So if you want to do it different, or make it taste different...Just do it, I am not your dad. This is how I am doing it. I would of liked to have this specific thing, but no shot I am going to the store for a video. My sauce? Raos, from Costco, comes in a two pack. Throw some herbs in that thing.
The fat from the meat mixing back in with the sauce is good for more flavoring. Sometimes I’ll pour some of the rendered fat from the pan and add a little to the sauce.
I thought Kenji was going to teach me something amazing with a can opener and garlic cloves lol. I made meatballs the other day using my Ooni, worked out great! good crust and they cooked up real quick, just make sure to rotate.
My nonna has a little trick when frying the meatballs. She fries them with a bunch of sliced onion and then throws it all right into the sauce. It’s delicious 🤤 This looks like a great recipe, I’m definitely going to try it out!
Completely agree with using Rao’s. If you don’t want to make your own sauce, there’s no better prepared sauce than Rao’s. Make meatball subs with any leftovers.
I’m just glad no chunks of onion were in them. :-) I mostly make Alton Brown’s Swedish meatball recipe, but just use onion powder instead of real onions (and also cut back on the allspice a bit). I find coarsely cut onions make meatballs/meatloaf more likely to fall apart, so I prefer either finely minced onions or onion powder better for adding that flavor.
So interesting about the addition of gelatin! Will definitely be doing that from now on. Thanks for another excellent video Kenji. I love your mix of great recipes, fascinating food science and, of course, your lovely personality shining the on every video. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Kenji, what kind of beef do you use for these when mixing with pork? I’m torn between chuck and lean beef to balance the fat from the pork. Love how you share the “why” behind cooking, helps so much!
This was great. But one note! Any time you make meatballs or any Italian dish you should have an episode of the sopranos playing and it can’t be an episode past season 5 it needs to be 1-4 the hits!!! For flavor profiles
Got inspired after watching this, so I opened up my copy of the Food Lab and made the tomato sauce and meatballs. WOW! the meatballs were so delicious and moist. Another Kenji recipe added to my repertoire :)
I make a big batch of them a few times a year and stash a ton in the freezer, they're so good. I like this video as a bit of a shortcut version that keeps the essence of it but makes it a bit more manageable as a weeknight meal. Cheers, Kenji, please keep inspiring us, and keep teaching us!
My dad's mother's side of the family is half from Italy and half from Sicily. My Italian MeeMaw and her mother/grandmother made thier meatballs with beef, pork and veal. Always always always!! They sat in the fridge overnight and the red gravy was simmered for 6-8 hrs minimum. But under no circumstances dorasins belong anywhere near meatballs or coleslaw. Seriously...
Wonderful idea. Ill try it out the next time da family comes over. See if they notice. I do like that suttle pop of sweetness from the whole raisin though.
Good day! When you salt ground meat and mix it in one direction for an extended period of time it creates a sort of webbing making the meat more cohesive right? For dumplings, shumai, gyoza, etc. Does anyone know what that process/reaction/phenomenon is called? Thanks!
Looks delicious kenji . How bout a sandwich series? Everyone loves a delicious sandwich ❤ Those meatballs sure would make a great sandwich on some good french (my personal favorite bread) bread or Italian
I was doing some push ups while I was listening to this video in the background and mid way into the 30 rep range, I hear kenji saying "put my balls in the pan" and I immediately fell on the floor laughing.
ignorant pre-video comment: excited to see if papa K uses gelatin in this one. 1:16 update: oh hell yeah I see the jar letsgooooo #mouthfeel #boneballs
