Slowly Simmered Pork and Beef Meatballs in Sauce
Making homemade Italian meatballs usually requires either baking meatballs or frying but grandma's meatballs are cooked right in the tomato sauce. Learn how much quicker and easier it is to simmer meatballs in sauce on the stove making the most tender Italian meatballs! Watch your crew run home for family dinner!
Servings 12
Equipment
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 2 lbs. ground chuck 80% but no more than 85%
- 2 lbs. ground pork
- 1 T kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs or fresh from 4 slices of bread blended in a food processor
- ¾ cup seasoned Italian panko
- ¾ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese no green can please!
- 2 T chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cloves garlic minced , or 2 teaspoon from a bottle
- 1 cup warm tap water
For the sauce
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 T olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 6 oz can of tomato paste
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 T sugar
- 28 oz can of whole tomatoes or tomato puree
- 30 oz tomato sauce equals 2-15 oz cans
- 15 oz can water I fill one of the empty tomato sauce cans
- bunch fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Make the meatballs
- In a large bowl and using your hands, blend the meats together until mixed well. You don't want to see big clumps of either meat but a nice uniform mixture.2 lbs. ground chuck, 2 lbs. ground pork
- Add the salt, pepper, oregano, both breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and spices. Mix well into the meat along with the eggs.1 T kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 large eggs, 1 cup plain breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup seasoned Italian panko, ¾ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, 2 T chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the warm water and mix gently with both hands making sure to incorporate all the water. It will feel like it won't mix together but it will eventually!1 cup warm tap water
- Shape into 2” balls using either your hands or a medium-sized scoop. The mix will be very wet. As you go along and your hands start to get a little sticky, rinse your hands with warm water but don't dry them and go back to making your meatballs laying them on a baking sheet until the sauce is on simmer.
Make the sauce (or skip if using premade sauce)
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add and sauté the onion in oil until translucent. After 5 minutes, add in garlic and tomato paste. Swirl until the tomato paste is caramelized for about 1 minute or so.1/2 cup chopped onion, 2 T olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, 6 oz can of tomato paste
- Add 1/2 tsp salt first along with the seasoning, herbs and sugar to the tomato paste for about 2 minutes, stirring the whole time. Add in tomatoes and water and then stir again along with the rest of the salt. Lay in fresh basil and simmer until bubbling.28 oz can of whole tomatoes, 2 tsp salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tsp oregano, 2 T sugar, 30 oz tomato sauce, 15 oz can water, bunch fresh basil leaves
- Drop meatballs in sauce and cook for 2 hours until tender. Serve with cooked pasta and lots of Parmesan cheese for topping.
Notes
- Store leftovers in airtight containers or resealable bags for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooled meatballs in freezer safe bags for up to 3 months.
- Reheat leftover meatballs either in a saucepan on the stove in sauce over medium heat until warmed through.
