These gigantic meatballs are easy to make. If you want, form them early in the day and stash them in the fridge. Meatballs can also be frozen, cooked or cooked, and heated up later--and they can be taken straight from the freezer, too; just add a few more minutes to the cook time. This is also a great recipe to double to feed a crowd.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: beef, cheese
Servings: 8meatballs
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
food scale
9x13 dish or large rimmed baking pan
Ingredients
2Tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil plus extra for pan and hands
2large eggs
1 1/2cupspanko
1/2cupmilk or water
3/4teaspoonkosher salt
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
1/2teaspoondried Italian seasoning
1teaspoongarlic powder
1ounceParmesan or Grana Padano, freshly grated, roughly 1/2 cup
1poundground beef
Instructions
Move rack to top third of oven and start to preheat at 425-degrees. Rub or brush a 9x13 casserole pan or rimmed baking sheet with oil.
In a large bowl, use a big spoon to mash together the 2 Tablespoons oil, eggs, panko, liquid, salt, pepper, seasoning, garlic powder, and cheese. The goal is to create a smooth paste. Add a handful of meat. Mix in, and gradually drop in the rest of the meat to thoroughly combine.
Use a food scale to weigh the meat, then divide that total by 8 (or any other desired increment). With oiled hands, press together meatballs, weighing each to create ones of equal size.
Bake meatballs for 20 minutes. Use a metal spatula to carefully flip over each for the browned-bottom is on top. Bake for another 6 to 10 minutes, until meatballs are fully browned. An instant read thermometer plunged into one should read over 160-degrees.
Serve as desired. Leftovers are great to refrigerate or freeze.