I’ve discovered another wonderful source for my newly updated meatball recipe by the name of Center Cuts Butcher Shop. They opened their first location in Roslyn, New York in 2014 and then in 2021 opened their Mattituck location in the heart of Long Island’s North Fork Wine Country.
I recently asked them to make me a ground 50% beef blend of prime 90/10 chopped beef, 25% short ribs and 25% brisket from the lean cut and they did it in less than an hour. That says something to me about their ability to create and deliver. Note that the ’10’ (in the 90/10) represents the fat content and this choice for me takes into consideration the taste 10% fat gives the meatballs and also addresses the health issue with less fat. 85/15 blend could work as well, however the 80/20 blend for me is too much fat, especially when frying meatballs.
The end result was so successful that I’m updating my recipe with their blend. Thanks fellas!
Short and sweet…here is my 2025 updated recipe and showing below all my chosen ingredients.
So…here goes…
Ingredients:
-Blend 1 1/2 lbs. 90/10 ground beef, 3/4 lb. ground short ribs, and 3/4 lb. of ground brisket.
-3 extra large whole egg yolks whisked
-2 large cloves of fresh pressed garlic
-3/4 cup whole milk
-1 3/4 cups no trans-fat seasoned Panko bread crumbs
-1/4 tsp. dried oregano
-1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf Italian parsley
-1.5 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano
-EVOO (When I use olive oil, it’s always extra virgin…ie…EVOO). My choice ILIADA Greek EVOO.
-Canola Oil
-3 large shallots/coarse chopped (Shallots have a sweet and mild, although pronounced flavor with a hint of garlic) OR 1 medium size Vidalia onion coarse chopped
2-3 tsp. kosher salt (I use the 3 tsp….but up to you) and 12 or so grinds of fresh pepper
-Heavy 1/2 cup Heinz ketchup…that’s right, ketchup (recommend Simply Heinz with no high fructose corn syrup)
Preparation:
-Stirring often, sauté the shallots (or Vidalia Onion) and pressed garlic in 2 Tbsp. EVOO* until transparent. Put garlic in after the shallots or onion have/has cooked for a few minutes so it doesn’t brown. Set aside to cool.
-In a bowl, mix together the bread crumbs with the milk until breadcrumbs are totally absorbed
-Place ground beef, short rib and brisket blend in a bowl and add whisked egg yolks, Parmigiano Reggiano, cooled caramelized shallots or onion, parsley, ketchup, oregano, salt and fresh ground pepper. Then add the milk/breadcrumb blend.
-Blend all ingredients with your hands until mixed well and shape into large golf ball size balls. Be gentle when rolling your meatballs…do not hard pack.
-Using your EVOO and canola oil equally, fill a 14″ frying pan about 1/2 inch. Cook the first batch on both sides until medium brown…remove from the oil and lay on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat this process for the second batch by tossing the oil away and adding the new oil combination. In this manner, there will be no burnt meat attaching itself to the second batch and the flavor (and texture) will be unaffected. Repeat process if necessary depending on the size meatballs you roll and the size frying pan you use.
-Suggestion: you can use the wiped dry empty can of tomatoes used to make your sauce to carefully pour out first round of hot oil after it has cooled for a few minutes.
-I do not add meatballs to the sauce. I serve alongside or on top of the pasta dish ladling sauce at that time (see top pic). Of course, you can add the meatballs to your sauce as they can enhance the flavor of your sauce overall. Up to you…depending on your taste.
*EVOO = Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Yield: About 35-40 meat balls
Please feel free to comment in the box below. I always love to hear your input or suggestions.
Mangia Bene!
Bert
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The post on the Hershel’s Deli pastrami sandwich may force me to break my no-red-meat rule, I’ve never seen food pictures that looked so mouth watering as yours.
Thank you for your comment!
Sincerely appreciate your input and appreciation of my pics.
Bert
My wife and I decided to visit Vincent’s on New Years Eve. Haven’t visited since my birthday back in June with my family. I was not disappointed. You can get Italian food anywhere. But great Italian seafood dishes are far and few. I decided on the Snapper Abruzzese. The Gnocci was cooked to perfection, the snapper was not as firm as I would have liked, but it still was tremendous because of the breaded crust. The lemon butter sauce really set the entire plate off because neither the butter nor the lemon overtook each other. The spinach is a nice touch. And for dessert they torched the fresh Brûlée at the table. The service was absolutely impeccable. I have been going there with my wife (driving in from Brooklyn) for several years. Met Bobby, the owner, for the first time last night and he is truly a great gentleman. We always complimented the best in the Army with a big hooah. HOOAH Vincent’s