Juicy Pork Meatballs - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

FAQs

What can you use instead of breadcrumbs in meatballs? ›

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.

You only need a small amount of egg – it's there only to help the cooked meatball retain its shape, and shouldn't detract from the meat's flavour or texture. Filler ingredients like breadcrumbs or flour are important too because they stop the meatballs becoming dry.

Rich and flavorful broth adds both moisture and an extra boost of flavor. If you have none on hand, you can still make tender meatballs with water, bread crumbs, and an egg. Just make sure you use enough water and seasoning to keep the meat moist and flavorful.

Coconut flour is high in fibre and healthy fats, making it a nutritious substitute for breadcrumbs. It can be used to bread chicken, shrimp, or vegetables, and then bake or air fry them for a crispy and delicious meal.

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.

Milk, definitely. Water doesn't add flavor or fat, so it detracts from the finished meatballs. If I don't have milk, or I'm making them for people who don't eat milk with meat (a significant portion of my family keeps kosher) I use beef or chicken stock. It adds moisture and flavor, which is what you want.

Add Moisture-Retaining Ingredients:Breadcrumbs: Mix breadcrumbs with milk or broth before adding them to the meat mixture. The breadcrumbs will absorb the liquid, keeping the meatballs tender. Eggs: Incorporate beaten eggs into the meat mixture.

How do you keep meatballs from drying out? ›

Moisture-retaining ingredients are starchy binding agents such as breadcrumbs, bread soaked in milk, cooked rice or even a small amount of leftover white sauce. Work one or more of these ingredients into the leftover meatball mixture, then carefully cook samples to test the new texture.

A higher fat content ensures that your meatballs stay juicy.

If you've ever had a sad, dry meatball, a lean fat content is most likely one of the reasons why.

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.

Because meat shrinks when cooked, mince proteins are likely to separate and crumble unless bound together. Whether it's breadcrumbs or egg (or both), or simply salt, binding the mince is a crucial step in maintaining the softness of your meatballs while preventing them from falling apart.

Go with a Grain

Puffed quinoa is a great sub for breadcrumbs to create satisfying, crunchy food, says Becker. "Set up three bowls: ground puffed quinoa, raw scrambled eggs, and puffed quinoa. Plunge chicken, fish, or veggies into the ground puffed quinoa, then the egg, then the puffed quinoa, and sear or bake.

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.

Breadcrumbs are soaked in milk before being added to meatball mix. It's called a panade and it helps the meatballs retain moisture and tenderness. Cornmeal doesn't hold moisture like breadcrumbs, so it won't serve any purpose, other than making the meatballs gritty.