Michaels Smith’s Old School Meatballs, our versions: Gluten and Gluten Free
This was adapted from Michael Smith’s recipe for Old-School Meatball Subs. Originally it calls for the bread crumb mixture to be blended in a food processor, which works great if you don’t like chunks of onion. We prefer a bit of texture so finely chop everything. Serve the meatballs in a meatball sub, or as part of an appetizer with Simple Tomato Sauce. The appetizer pictured was inspired by one of our favorite places, Central Kitchen and Bar, Kelowna. It’s not on the menu anymore so here is our rendition, along with a build your own meatball skewer with pasta for the girls. The meatballs are also great with Marinara Sauce for a hearty dish of Spaghetti and meatballs.
Ingredients
Meatballs – Gluten
- 2 lbs (908 gr) lean ground beef 0 CHO
- ½ cup (36 gr) Panko Bread Crumbs (23 CHO/30GR) 27.6 CHO
- 1/3 cup (40 gr) onion, very finely diced 3 CHO
- ½ cup (43 gr) Parmesan cheese, grated 0 CHO
- 1 egg 0 CHO
- ½ cup (125 ml) milk 6 CHO
- ¼ tsp. minced garlic if desired 0 CHO
- 2 TBSP (1 TBSP dried) fresh chopped Oregano 0 CHO
- 2 TBSP (1 TBSP dried) fresh chopped Parsley 0 CHO
- ¾ tsp salt 0 CHO
- ¼ tsp pepper 0 CHO
TOTAL CHO 36.6 CHO
- 37 (31 GRAMS EACH BEFORE COOKED) MEATBALLS 1147 GRAMS
- 37 (23 GRAMS EACH AFTER COOKED) MEATBALLS 851 GRAMS
- 36.6 CHO DIVIDED BY 851 GRAMS = .043 CHO/GRAM
- .043 CHO x 23 GRAMS PER MEATBALL AFTER COOKED = .989 CHO EACH
Meatballs – Gluten Fee
- 2 lbs (908 gr) lean ground beef 0 CHO
- 1/3 cup (59 gr) Rice Bread Crumbs (17 CHO/20GR) 50.15 CHO
- 1/3 cup (40 gr) onion, very finely diced 3 CHO
- ½ cup (43 gr) Parmesan cheese, grated 0 CHO
- 1 egg 0 CHO
- ½ cup (125) ml milk 6 CHO
- ¼ tsp. minced garlic if desired 0 CHO
- 2 TBSP (1 TBSP dried) fresh chopped Oregano 0 CHO
- 2 TBSP (1 TBSP dried) fresh chopped Parsley 0 CHO
- ¾ tsp salt 0 CHO
- ¼ tsp pepper 0 CHO
TOTAL CHO 59.15 CHO
- 39 (31 GRAMS EACH BEFORE COOKED) MEATBALLS 1209 GRAMS
- 39 (25 GRAMS EACH AFTER COOKED) MEATBALLS 975 GRAMS
- 59.15 CHO DIVIDED BY 975 GRAMS = .06 CHO/GRAM
- .06 CHO x 25 GRAMS PER MEATBALL AFTER COOKED = 1.5 CHO EACH
Instructions
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pre heat oven to 400.
- Mix bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together. Add milk and combine until just mixed. Let rest for 10 minutes so the bread crumbs absorb the milk. The rice bread crumbs may need gently stirred a few times to incorporate.
- Add finely diced onion, garlic if using, egg, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper to the bread mixture. Mix well.
Place ground beef in a large bowl, add bread mixture and mix thoroughly. Form into balls, 31 grams each and place on baking sheets. Cook for 20 - 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool. If freezing, place meatballs in a single layer on baking sheet without the parchment and freeze solid. At this point they can be stored together in a Zip Lock bag. Defrost in the fridge and use in any recipe you wish.
- *We find it easy to control the weight by making each meatball and weighing before they go on the baking sheet. It really does go by quickly and you have lots of meatballs for easy meals.
