People are often surprised when I recommend cooking meatballs sous vide. While it may seem like it’s not a worthwhile venture, I encourage you to try them at least once! These sous vide meatballs have become one of my most requested recipes from friends & family. My mom is notorious for texting me & requesting that I send her this recipe at least once a month so mom, this blog post is for you! They are perfectly tender & juicy with an incredible crust on the outside. It’s also worth noting that these can be made without sous vide & are still very, very good — just follow the ingredient instructions, pan fry for a crust & finish cooking in the sauce of your choice (I recommend Rao’s if you’re in the market for store-bought).
Serve as meatball subs, spaghetti & meatballs or just by themselves! You could also add a mozzarella pearl or roll additional cheese inside for cheesy meatball bites!It’s important to note that if you’re going to pull a vacuum on these they need to be at least partially frozen beforehand so that the sealer doesn’t squish them all into meatloaf! If you don’t want to wait for them to freeze feel free to use the water displacement method with Ziploc bags. This method is much more gentle but you might still get a tiny bit of warping.
Sous Vide Italian Meatballs
The best Italian-style sous vide meatballs.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 85/15 or 80/20
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 (3/4 oz) packet unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs 100 g
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp anchovy paste
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups parmesan finely grated (3 oz)
- 3 cloves garlic minced or grated finely
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
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Preheat sous vide bath to 140º.
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In a large bowl, combine the meats with 1 tablespoon salt. Mix well & set aside for 30 minutes at room temp.
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In another bowl, while the salted meat is resting, pour the buttermilk in & sprinkle the gelatin over it. Allow to hydrate for 10 minutes. Add the bread crumbs & allow to soak for another 10 minutes, mixing occasionally.
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After the meat has rested, add the onion powder, soy sauce, anchovy paste, eggs, cheese, garlic & parsley to the bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture and mix gently until just combined (don't over-mix, it makes for tough meatballs).
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Form a mini meatball (a teaspoon or so) & microwave for 30 seconds. Taste for seasonings, adjust if necessary.
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Form into meatballs. If using a vacuum sealer, transfer meatballs to the freezer and allow to harden before sealing to preserve shape. If using the water displacement method gently bag meatballs.
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Cook the meatballs for 3 hours at 140º.
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Remove from bath & dry meatballs well. Sear in oil over high heat or deep fry at 400º until well browned. Add to sauce & serve as desired!
Recipe adapted from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.
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