Parmesan Meatballs
Good gluten-free recipe for basic meatballs that can be used in many different recipes. My family loves these with mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes. An easy meal if you make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them. Take out what you need, thaw them or cook them in the crockpot all day. I make these in large batches and freeze them in portioned ziploc bags.
Good gluten-free recipe for basic meatballs that can be used in many different recipes. My family loves these with mushroom gravy and mashed potatoes. An easy meal if you make the meatballs ahead of time and freeze them. Take out what you need, thaw them or cook them in the crockpot all day. I make these in large batches and freeze them in portioned ziploc bags.
- Carbohydrate 1.48151646868062 g
- Cholesterol 113.916575002325 mg
- Fat 10.0570520140356 g
- Fiber 0.515693504011877 g
- Protein 25.9945231874494 g
- Saturated Fat 3.88291127820683 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (132g)
- Sodium 576.563228906033 mg
- Sugar 0.965822964668742 g
- Trans Fat 5.24510001426292 g
- Calories 206 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Lined shallow cookie sheet with foil and spray lightly.
- Mix meat, cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, and egg together in bowl combine with spoon or hands.
- Shape into 12 meatballs.
- Place on cookie tray and bake for 25 min. or until cooked through.
- Makes 4 servings of 3 meatballs each or 3 servings of 4 etc.
Working with a strict one-pound limit of extra lean ground beef requires precise moisture management, because low fat percentages easily yield dry, crumbly protein structures during dry-heat cooking. Skeptical cooks often watch basic meatball batches fail when protein strands tighten too quickly without adequate internal lubrication.
Protein Bonding and Fat Render
Combining the beaten egg and grated Parmesan cheese introduces critical moisture and proteins that coagulate around 158 degrees Fahrenheit, trapping escaping juices inside the meat matrix. Grated cheese melts during the 375 degree oven stage, distributing liquid fat that lubricates the surrounding muscle fibers while the dried parsley and minced garlic disperse uniformly through manual mixing.The Danger of Overmixing
Overworking the raw beef mixture creates a dense, sausage-like texture by developing tough myosin bonds, so combine the ingredients gently just until homogeneous. Shaping the mixture into precisely twelve portions ensures even thermal penetration across the shallow cookie sheet during the 25 minute bake time.Resting and Reheating
Allowing the baked proteins to rest for five minutes stabilizes the internal moisture distribution before they encounter sauces or gravies. Storing surplus cooked portions in airtight containers for up to four days or freezing them raw permits rapid second-day transformations into comforting meals without loss of structural integrity.
