Meatballs and Meatloaf
Recipe courtesy of Mark Sokolofsky, Executive Chef, Essex County Country Club, West Orange, N.J.
Ingredients
- ground meat - 10 lbs., filet mignon off-cuts, chain and Angus blend
- large eggs - 5 ea., whipped
- white bread - 1 loaf, chopped in food processor
- milk - 1 pint
- dried basil - 2 Tbsps.
- dried oregano - 2 Tbsps.
- granulated dried garlic - 2 Tbsps.
- parsley - 1 cup, fresh, chopped
- onion - 1 large, chopped fine in food processor until smooth, then strain excess liquid
- ground pepper - 1 Tbsp.
- Parmesan cheese - 2 cups
- ketchup - 3 cups, separated into 1-cup portions
Instructions
Procedure:
- Soak the bread in the milk.
- Mix all ingredients except ketchup in a large mixer
For meatballs:
- Scoop 4-oz. meatballs onto lined sheet pan.
- With hand, wipe extra virgin olive oil onto another sheet pan.
- Lightly moisten hands. Roll balls until smooth and with no cracks.
- Place meatballs on olive-oiled sheet pan.
- Cook at 350º F. for 15 minutes.
- Using a fish spatula, turn meatballs over and let rest until cool.
- To store: Place nine cold meatballs each (three orders, three meatballs per order) into two-gallon Ziploc bags, label and date. Refrigerate until needed.
For Meatloaf:
- Divide meat mixture among three loaf pans.
- Smooth the top, with no cracks, and press meat lower around the edge of the pan.
- Top each loaf with one cup ketchup.
- Cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil.
- Bake in a deep hotel pan with two inches of water at 350º F., until temperature in the middle is a minimum 165º F.
- Drain excess liquid from loaf pans.
- Let cool on a rack in the refrigerator.
- Remove from pans and slice into eight portions, being careful to maintain a smooth edge.
- Cryovac each portion individually, label and date, and refrigerate.