Baked Mongolian Beef Meatballs - The Defined Dish Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Should you sear meatballs before baking? ›

Yes, you should partially cook the meatballs before putting in the pot of sauce. The texture and flavor of the meatballs is enhanced by either frying them in hot oil, or baking them in a hot oven first.

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.

Not adding any moisture to the meat.

Some kind of moisture, like eggs or a binder made from bread crumbs and milk, is essential when making meatballs. Without it, the protein content forces the meatballs to shrink as they cook, and produces a final dish with a tough texture.

Cook until they are no longer pink in the middle and any juices run clear. You'll need to turn them regularly to make sure they cook evenly and retain their round shape.

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.

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

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.

Transfer the meat to a zip-top bag, stainless steel or glass bowl, or other non-reactive container, and refrigerate for 3 hours or up to overnight. Remove the meat from the container and briefly rinse the meat in plain water to strip off the baking soda solution (or as much of it as possible). Cook as desired.

We miss out on a very tender meatball when the meat is overworked. When making meatballs, you should not be squishing them into super-tight, compact rounds. If the meatballs are packed together too tightly, they will cook up rubbery, chewy, and tough. If the meatballs are different sizes, they will cook unevenly.

Milk: Adds moisture and tenderizes the meat, making our meatballs juicy and tender once cooked. Egg: Adds more moisture and helps the mixture firm up once cooked. Parmesan: My secret ingredient for the best meatballs! Parmigiano-Reggiano adds flavor and salt to our mixture.

Is it better to use milk or water in meatballs? ›

The Key to Tender Meatballs

Here, we're soaking fresh or dried breadcrumbs in a little milk until the bread becomes soggy, then mixing that right into the meat. This binder (aka panade) helps add moisture to the meatballs and also prevents the meat proteins from shrinking and becoming tough.

Baking them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes should do it. I bake turkey meatballs for 15 minutes, and bake beef/pork ones for 20–25 minutes to ensure they're cooked through. If you need the drippings to make your sauce, you can scraped them out of the broiler pan bottom.

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.

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.

The biggest challenge with meatballs is achieving the perfect amount of brownness on the outside while ensuring that they're cooked all the way through. And of course, browning them adds a lot of wonderful complex flavor to the meatballs, so you definitely don't want to skip this step.

Cooking the meatballs this way means that they stay quite tender even when cooked. Browning meatballs in a pan or oven before adding them to the sauce gives them a darker colour on the outside, which some people prefer.