Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, at least 85 percent lean
- 1/2 pound ground pork, or bulk ground sausage
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup oats, quick cooking
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method
-
Combine the ground beef, pork, egg, onion, Parmesan cheese, oats, milk, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix until well blended. If you use a stand mixer with paddle attachment, take care not to overmix.
-
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Shape the meat mixture into about 30 to 36 meatballs equal in size. For very uniform meatballs use a small cookie scoop or weigh them.
-
Arrange the meatballs on the baking sheet and transfer to the freezer. Freeze for about 1 to 2 hours, until very firm.
-
Vacuum seal the frozen meatballs in individual bags or seal in zip-close food storage bags, removing as much air as possible. Return to the freezer.
-
Set the sous vide cooker temperature to 144 F (62.2 C).
-
When the cooker gets to 144 F (62.2 C), put the bag(s) of frozen meatballs in the water. If you didn’t have a vacuum sealer, make sure the meatballs are well immersed in the water. You can use a clip to attach the top of the bag to the pan.
-
Set the timer to 2 hours.
-
When the meatballs are cooked, take them out of the bags, gently pat them dry, and sear them for a minute or two in hot olive oil to brown the outside. Add them to a pasta sauce or toss them with some sweet and sour sauce or marinara and serve them with rice or pasta.
-
If you aren’t eating them right away, drop the bags in a container with half ice and half water to cool the meatballs quickly to 40 F (4.44 C) and store in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for up to one year.