Ingredients

  • 12 lb ground pork
  • 12 lb ground veal
  • 12 lb ground beef
  • 1 cup of chopped parsley
  • 1 large egg
  • 14 cup milk
  • 12 cup of grated grana padano or 12 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese
  • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
  • 12 medium red onion, finely diced
  • 1 -2 piece garlic, finely diced
  • 12 cup canola oil, for pan frying

Method

  • One of the key steps in creating world class meatballs is to not overwork the ingredients when mixing, so keep this tip in mind when combining the ingredients.
  • In a large bowl add the ground meat, garlic, onion, grated cheese, parsley, salt and pepper, and breadcrumbs.
  • Gently mix the ingredients by hand (do not use a mechanical mixer) until the ingredients are combined.
  • Next, combine the egg and milk in a smaller bowl and mix well.
  • Add the milk/egg mixture to the already combined ingredients and mix until the meat has absorbed the liquid (again keeping mind to not overwork the mixture).
  • All mixing should be done by hand.
  • Next, scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture into your hand and gently form a ball.
  • Again, do not overwork the mixture.
  • You're simply looking to keep the integrity of the ball shape and not to create a snowball-like meatball you can hurl through the air (tightly packing the meat will result in a very tough and dense meatball).
  • You can make the meatballs larger but we like our meatballs on the smaller side.
  • Next, bring the Canola oil up to heat in a large fry pan and place 6-7 meatballs in your pan being careful not to crowd the pan.
  • You should have a medium flame going underneath your pan because you will not be finishing the meatballs in tomato sauce.
  • The medium flame will ensure you don't burn the meatball exterior while leaving the interior raw.
  • I generally fry the meatballs for about 2-3 minutes on each side and then remove them to an elevated oven tray (and place them in a 200 degree C oven until they're ready to be consumed).
  • Prior to serving you can ladle a bit of hot tomato sauce over the meatballs, this way the lovely meaty crust is preserved with the added luxury of a bit of tomato sauce.