The Baking-Inspired Hack To Easily Portion Out Meatballs

When one imagines meatballs, the picture that usually forms in the mind is one of uniform, succulent orbs of meaty delight swimming in a sea of rich tomato sauce, possibly accompanied by spaghetti, nestling comfortably on a bed of fluffy rice, or sandwiched within a crusty loaf of bread. However, creating these uniform morsels can often be a task fraught with inconsistency and frustration, resulting in uneven portions that cook at different rates, compromising both flavor and texture. In the pursuit of meatball perfection, we've found a baking-inspired hack that guarantees even sizing and ease without compromising on taste.

Traditionally, the formation of meatballs involves meticulous hand-shaping, and eyeballing each sphere for uniformity, an effort-intensive process that often yields inconsistent results. This is where the sweet, structured world of baking lends its hand. Just like you do with cookie dough, simply roll the meat mixture into a log, slice it into even portions, then shape each portion into a meatball.

This baking-inspired hack is a breeze to implement. First prepare your meatball mixture as you usually would, with your chosen meats, breadcrumbs, eggs, seasonings, and other ingredients. Once you have a well-mixed batch, instead of diving in and forming balls immediately, begin by placing a portion of the mixture on a clean countertop or a sheet of parchment paper dusted with flour. Roll it gently with your hands until you have a smooth, even log. The diameter of this log should roughly equate to the diameter you'd like your meatballs to be.

With a sharp knife, proceed to slice the log into even sections. These slices are your pre-portioned meatballs. The thickness of your slices will determine the size of each meatball, allowing for consistency throughout. After slicing, take each portioned slice in your hands and gently roll it into the traditional meatball shape. Not only does this method ensure uniformity in size, but it also significantly reduces the time you'd typically spend forming each meatball.

This approach is particularly beneficial if you're making a large batch for a party or prepping meals for the week. It ensures that each meatball cooks evenly, given their consistent size, and presents beautifully on a plate or in a sub.