Juicy Pork Meatballs - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

FAQs

What can I use in meatballs instead of breadcrumbs? ›

Rolled Oats

Oats are the perfect substitutes for breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf. While they aren't ideal for a crispy coating, they add the right amount of texture to bind meat, eggs and flavorings together into a delicious Italian-inspired feast.

Filler ingredients like breadcrumbs or flour are important too because they stop the meatballs becoming dry. The breadcrumbs absorb the juices from the meat as it cooks, trapping them within the meatball. Again quantity is important here; too much and your meatball will be more like stuffing or a dumpling.

They are usually made with a mix of ground beef and ground pork, or just with ground beef, which is mixed into a mixture of beaten eggs, breadcrumbs soaked in milk, and grated raw onions or finely chopped and fried onions. Cream is often added for more luxurious versions.

Ground flaxseeds are an incredibly nutritious and high-fibre alternative to breadcrumbs. They are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, and fibre, which promote heart health and aid digestion. Grind flaxseeds in a spice grinder or use pre-ground flaxseed meal to substitute breadcrumbs in recipes.

Egg and breadcrumbs are common mix-ins to add moisture and tenderness. Another binder option that people swear by is a panade, which is fresh or dry breadcrumbs that have been soaked in milk. “The soaked breadcrumbs help keep the proteins in the meat from shrinking,” as food writer Tara Holland explained in the Kitchn.

Flour is raw. Even after cooking the meat the taste will be different. The breadcrumbs are there to absorb and hold the moisture in the meatballs. Flour won't do that.

An egg is usually a good start, as that can help with the tenderness and texture, but the king of meatball binders is breadcrumbs soaked in milk (also known as a panade). Soaking the breadcrumbs first makes them pliable and soggy, which allows them to easily and evenly mix into the ground meat.

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.

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.

Is it better to saute or bake meatballs? ›

Baking them ensures even cooking and browning as well as good flavor development. Throwing them into the sauce for a few minutes before serving flavors the sauce and keeps the meatballs moist and delicious.

Ground pork has a higher fat content than most ground beef (depending on what you buy), and it holds together better while it cooks. The resulting meatball is more tender than anything I've ever cooked on the stove top.

Both ground beef and ground pork are commonly used for making meatballs. The choice ultimately depends on personal preference and desired flavor. Ground beef tends to be more traditional and typically results in a heartier, beefy flavor, while ground pork can add a bit more tenderness and moisture to the meatballs.

A mixture of pork and beef in meatballs is often used to slightly lighten the meatballs. Pork is a milder meat than beef and the slightly higher fat content in pork helps also to keep the meatballs moist. In the US veal is often also used in meatball and meatloaf mixes and this could be used as a substitute for pork.

Ground meat needs no assistance in holding its form when cooked. Bread crumbs are there to keep the fat in the meatballs. Yes, you heard me right, we want the fat to stay in our meatballs and not leach out.

Nope. Use cracker crumbs or oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs. Flour would yield a gummy weird textured meatball. Or add other items that can act as filler, minced garlic, onions, mushrooms, peppers, even potatoes, grated cheese, along with beaten egg.

These are my idea of "perfect" meatballs. I make them extra soft and juicy by using bread instead of breadcrumbs, and the grated onion is my secret tip for adding extra flavour into this. Plus, no need to sauté diced onion before mixing it in!

If you're out, there are a number of easy substitutions from your pantry. Try toasted shredded bread, cracker crumbs, crushed melba toasts, matzo meal, crushed tortilla chips, crushed dry stuffing mix, crushed pretzels, crushed cornflakes, or crushed potato chips.