Today we’re talking meatballs…and meat patties…and meat loaf…and whatever shaped meat product you want to apply things to.
There are many recipes out there for meat patties and mom’s meatloaf. Most contain ingredients such as eggs, bread crumbs, vegetables and sometimes even textured proteins as binders, all looking for a way to make meat stick together and hold the shape it’s given. Adding E-Z Gel to your meatballs is a great way to do this without affecting your flavor profiles or adding any gumminess or additional fat to the product. My general rule of thumb is 1 Tablespoon of E-Z Gel per pound of meat then I move forward with any add ins that I want for flavor or texture. The addition of the E-Z Gel means the meat patty or meatball remains moist as the E-Z Gel clings to the water when the product is cooking and lets the grease cook out. This also allows for making meatballs that you can freeze either uncooked or partially cooked and are easily then added to dishes at the last minute with a minimum fuss. These methods work for ground beef, pork, chicken and even lamb! We’ve done a mixture of these meats to make gyros as well, and that was a smash hit.
Basic Quick MeatBalls with E-Z Gel
1 pound ground beef
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 egg – (alternately you can add 2 Tablespoons of water but we want a little extra moisture for the E-Z Gel to bind to)
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon E-Z Gel
1 Tablespoon fresh herbs (optional)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (optional)
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Form into patties or meatballs and freeze. These can be panfried for immediate serving, cooked in an electric pressure cooker (InstaPot), or baked at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. I often bake my meatballs on a rack so the grease can drip off, then package my cooked meatballs into ziptop bags, suck out the air and freeze for upto 6 months. So good.
Change up your flavors by changing your add-ins.