Question about cooking meatballs...

B

Biteset

Cathlete
Does anybody know about this?

I tried out a recipe today for sweet & sour meatballs, using lean ground beef. I formed 24 meatballs, about 1.5 inches in diameter. The recipe said to "brown" the meatballs in a skillet, turning them to brown all sides, for "about" 8 minutes. Then the meatballs were to be placed into a casserole dish, the sauce (hot from the simmering on the stove) to be poured over them, and the whole thing to be baked for 30 minutes at 350.

Here's my question:

When "browning" meatballs in a skillet--prior to baking them in a sauce for 30 minutes--does this mean they should be cooked ALL THE WAY THROUGH in the skillet, and THEN transferred to the oven? Or, does "browning" simply mean that the outside of the meatballs get browned, for enhanced flavor?

I figured this was a common enough type of dish that somebody would have some experience and input!

(all you clean eaters who would never eat ground beef meatballs, never mind) (gentle tease ;-) )

Thanks,
Gisela
 
I've always done "browning" as cook the outside until it's brown. Quite frankly, if you cooked your meatballs all the way through in the pan first they would probably be black :)

Jennifer
 
thanks Jennifer--that's what I was thinking too. I was also worried that by the time the inside was fully cooked, the rest of the meatball would be overcooked and not taste very good.

So...

I guess when I take the dish out of the oven, I'll stick a meat thermometer into a meatball and see what the temp is.

Gisela
 
Browning is usually done to, yes, provide a nice flavour on the outside of the meat, but also to encapsulate any moisture inside it. So, it's usually done at a higher heat, to sear the outside quickly, while leaving the middle uncooked. When you put the meatballs in the oven, the middle will cook up, while retaining the juices, so you don't end up with a dry, overcooked meal.

HTH,
Sandra
 
I just wanted to mention that I've had excellent results cooking meatballs on the stove top in the sauce directly (no browning). It takes less of my time and attention while cooking, and results in beautifully juicy meatballs but without any added fat from the browning process. Just a suggestion for an alternative cooking method. :)
 
This thread is making really hungry! My DH browns his meatballs really well in the pan, then adds sauce and lets them cook for about an hour. My mouth is watering now.
 
I suggest browning them first. I usualy brown mine in a 450 degree oven. This is the best method for reducing the fat content. I wouldn't put them in the sauce raw because the browning process, aside from creating a nice crust and retaining juices, also serves to render the fat. Cooking raw meatballs in your sauce will elevate the fat content of your sauce. The fat has to go somewhere.
 
I use chopped white turkey meat and brown them in the oven. You can't even tell the difference. My family loves them the same. Browning in the oven cuts way down on the fat and I hate frying anyway. I haven't fried in years and when I did, I would inevitably get burned.
 
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