Make Ahead Meatballs. Two Varieties All Beef or Beef and Italian Sausage.

Make Ahead Meatballs are flavorful, savory and moist. These can be made the day you need them, but my favorite way is made ahead and store packages of the meatballs in  the freezer. Where they wait, ready to help get a quick dinner on the table, when needed. We offer two flavors, All Beef Meatballs or Beef and Sausage!

Is time your missing ingredient, when it comes to making dinner? 

It sure can be around here! While it seems the ideal life, homesteading is a lot of work (work I love, just to clarify!) and time can and does get away from me on more occasions than I care to admit. To be honest, since we don't eat eggs much at breakfast. I save making breakfast for dinner when that happens. But I try not to do that too often. Otherwise I am telling on myself...But with a package of these meatballs in the freezer, dinner, a complete dinner is on the table, very quickly. 

Meatballs have not always been my "go to" choice in a dinner recipe. 

A fried meatball is often a dry meatball. Or it seems so, when I cook them. And then I got the idea to bake them in broth, to see if that didn't improve the situation. And I have to say, even my daughter who is a wonderful cook in her own right, said "Those are the best meatballs, how did you get them so tender?" My reply? "I baked them, they were not fried". And I don't think I will make meatballs any other way, ever again!

A simple mix of meat, but so easy to customize for your family. 

Never one to be satisfied with just a basic idea, I took the idea further and decided why not have two flavors. The first recipe I used a pound of lean ground beef and a pound of natural Italian Sausage. A basic 50-50 blend. And they are lovely that way, especially when served with a red sauce over pasta. 

But there is no reason to only have one kind in the freezer, so the next time, I made an all beef variety. But you could use an entirely different flavor of natural sausage, such as chorizo. The key point remember is to bake the meatballs in the broth for that tender, moist texture. 

OK, I have meatballs in the freezer, what should I do with them...

Meatballs and pasta are a given! You could also offer meatballs over pesto pasta with a splash of red sauce on the side. Or how about a Meatball French Bread Pizza? Add a few black olives, maybe a bit of red bell pepper and lots of cheese. If on the other hand you need something a bit more substantial for you dinner, make up a pan of Meatball Lasagna. But one of our favorite serving ideas is the all beef variety in a simple sour cream gravy over rice. 

I don't think you will have much difficulty using these delicious meatballs for future meals...if you need a quick and easy red sauce, I would like to offer Marcella Hazen's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter. This sauce is so easy, and can be made while the pasta is cooking! Plus this delicious standby, a make ahead and store in the freezer method, with  Quick and Easy Marinara Sauce. And while a red sauce is always delicious, these flavorful meatballs are also wonderful simply simmered with cannellini beans and bitter greens for a quick, and delicious dinner in a bowl!

Additional thoughts on this recipe:

I add the cooked onion pieces from the bottom of the cooking pan, to my packages of meatballs. Feel free to add more onions to the pan before cooking, if desired.

If the 50/50 mix of beef and sausage is too much sausage flavor, try a half pound of sausage and one and a half pounds of ground beef. Proceed as written. 

When using a pork sausage the cooking time will be a bit longer than the all beef variety. 

If you find you have more meatballs than your pan will hold in one layer, simply place the extra meatballs on top and continue as directed. 

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• lean ground beef 
• Italian Sausage
• whole wheat bread
• oatmeal
• eggs
• garlic
• onion
• salt 
• freshly ground pepper
• beef stock

You will also need the following:

• food processor
• large mixing bowl
• large flat saucepan with lid
• silicone spatula
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Now we are ready to begin!

Make Ahead Meatballs, Beef and Italian Sausage Variety

by the seat of my pants

350-degree oven

For a strong sausage flavor:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound of Italian Sausage

OR

For a mild sausage flavor:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 pound Italian Sausage

2 slices whole wheat bread

1/2 c oatmeal

2 eggs

1/2 t salt or to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste 

1 c beef stock

1 large onion diced

3 cloves garlic minced

Dice the onion, toss into the bottom of the large flat saucepan. Mince the garlic, scatter over the diced onion. Set the pan aside.

In the work bowl of the food processor, add the oatmeal, and crumble the whole wheat bread over the oatmeal. Process the mixture until you have what looks like bread crumbs. 

In a large mixing bowl, crumble the ground beef, and the sausage. Add the two eggs. Add the bread oatmeal mixture along with the salt and pepper. 

Mix well. The mixture will appear dry. Mix well leaving no egg streaks or dry streaks. Roll into one inch balls.

Place the meatballs on top of the onion and garlic in the saucepan. Add the beef stock. Cover and bake for 1 hour. 

When baked, remove from the oven, and remove the lid. Use a silicone spatula to gently lift and separate the meatballs. They do not cook together, and should lift apart easily. Use immediately or let cook and package for the freezer. 

Storage options for Make Ahead Meatballs, Beef and Italian Sausage Variety.  If not using right away, store in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage time, package and store in the freezer for up to three months. 

Make Ahead Meatballs, All Beef Variety

By the Seat of My Pants

350 degree oven

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 slices whole wheat bread

1/2 c oatmeal

2 eggs

1/2 t salt or to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste 

1 c beef stock

1 large onion diced

Dice the onion, toss into the bottom of the large flat saucepan. Mince the garlic, scatter over the diced onion. Set the pan aside.

In the work bowl of the food processor, add the oatmeal, and crumble the whole wheat bread over the oatmeal. Process the mixture until you have what looks like bread crumbs.

In a large mixing bowl, crumble the ground beef. Add the two eggs. And the bread oatmeal mixture along with the salt and pepper. 

Mix well. The mixture will appear dry. Mix well leaving no egg streaks or dry streaks. Roll into one inch balls.

Place the meatballs on top of the onion and garlic in the saucepan. Add the beef stock. Cover and bake for 45 - 50 minutes.  

When baked, remove from the oven, and remove the lid. Use a silicone spatula to gently lift and separate the meatballs. They do not cook together, and should lift apart easily. Use immediately or let cook and package for the freezer. 

Storage options for Make Ahead Meatballs, All Beef Variety.  If not using right away, store in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage time, package and store in the freezer for up to three months. 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Make Ahead Meatballs, Beef and Italian Sausage Variety and Make Ahead Meatballs, All Beef Variety have been included below. 

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

 

Make Ahead Meatballs, Beef and Italian Sausage Variety

by the seat of my pants

350-degree oven

For a strong sausage flavor:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 pound of Italian Sausage

OR

For a mild sausage flavor:

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 pound Italian Sausage

2 slices whole wheat bread

1/2 c oatmeal

2 eggs

1/2 t salt or to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste 

1 c beef stock

1 large onion diced

3 cloves garlic minced

Dice the onion, toss into the bottom of the large flat saucepan. Mince the garlic, scatter over the diced onion. Set the pan aside.

In the work bowl of the food processor, add the oatmeal, and crumble the whole wheat bread over the oatmeal. Process the mixture until you have what looks like bread crumbs. 

In a large mixing bowl, crumble the ground beef, and the sausage. Add the two eggs. Add the bread oatmeal mixture along with the salt and pepper. 

Mix well. The mixture will appear dry. Mix well leaving no egg streaks or dry streaks. Roll into one inch balls.

Place the meatballs on top of the onion and garlic in the saucepan. Add the beef stock. Cover and bake for 1 hour. 

When baked, remove from the oven, and remove the lid. Use a silicone spatula to gently lift and separate the meatballs. They do not cook together, and should lift apart easily. Use immediately or let cook and package for the freezer. 

Storage options for Make Ahead Meatballs, Beef and Italian Sausage Variety.  If not using right away, store in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage time, package and store in the freezer for up to three months. 

Make Ahead Meatballs, All Beef Variety

By the Seat of My Pants

350 degree oven

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 slices whole wheat bread

1/2 c oatmeal

2 eggs

1/2 t salt or to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste 

1 c beef stock

1 large onion diced

Dice the onion, toss into the bottom of the large flat saucepan. Mince the garlic, scatter over the diced onion. Set the pan aside.

In the work bowl of the food processor, add the oatmeal, and crumble the whole wheat bread over the oatmeal. Process the mixture until you have what looks like bread crumbs.

In a large mixing bowl, crumble the ground beef. Add the two eggs. And the bread oatmeal mixture along with the salt and pepper. 

Mix well. The mixture will appear dry. Mix well leaving no egg streaks or dry streaks. Roll into one inch balls.

Place the meatballs on top of the onion and garlic in the saucepan. Add the beef stock. Cover and bake for 45 - 50 minutes.  

When baked, remove from the oven, and remove the lid. Use a silicone spatula to gently lift and separate the meatballs. They do not cook together, and should lift apart easily. Use immediately or let cook and package for the freezer. 

Storage options for Make Ahead Meatballs, All Beef Variety.  If not using right away, store in the refrigerator for up to three days. For longer storage time, package and store in the freezer for up to three months. 

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