Feta-Stuffed Greek Turkey Meatballs Recipe with Garlic Yogurt Sauce (2024)

FAQs

Why are my turkey meatballs tough? ›

Overworking the mixture will result in tough meatballs, so use your hands to mix in the meat and stop when it's just combined. Simmer the meatballs gently in the sauce. These are delicate meatballs, so you'll want to treat them that way. When adding them to the sauce, make sure the sauce is just gently simmering.

The Key to Tender Meatballs

Here, we're soaking fresh or dried breadcrumbs in a little milk until the bread becomes soggy, then mixing that right into the meat. This binder (aka panade) helps add moisture to the meatballs and also prevents the meat proteins from shrinking and becoming tough.

Ground meat: I use a combination of lean ground beef and ground lamb or pork. Egg: 1 egg goes into the meatball mixture, and we use an egg yolk to thicken the lemon sauce at the end. Herbs: Fresh mint brightens the recipe while dried oregano provides an earthy element.

Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

Because meat shrinks when cooked, mince proteins are likely to separate and crumble unless bound together. Whether it's breadcrumbs or egg (or both), or simply salt, binding the mince is a crucial step in maintaining the softness of your meatballs while preventing them from falling apart.

Add Milk for Moisture

A little bit of milk will add moisture to your meatballs. (Many people think it's the eggs that add the moisture, but their role is to bind the meat, breadcrumbs, cheese and herbs.)

I find that baking them and then finishing them in the sauce is the best method. Baking them ensures even cooking and browning as well as good flavor development. Throwing them into the sauce for a few minutes before serving flavors the sauce and keeps the meatballs moist and delicious.

This process allows the baking soda to neutralize acid on the surface of the meat, resulting in less toughness and a cooked meat that is juicy on the inside while remaining crispy on the outside. Note: Some cuts of meat may take longer to soak in the baking soda to fully tenderize.

Traditional Swedish way: Do not make the cream sauce at all. Serve meatballs over plain or stewed macaroni, plain or mashed potatoes, and lingenberry jam (optional)

The best side dishes to serve with turkey meatballs are mashed potatoes, jasmine rice, Worcestershire green beans, quinoa, scalloped potatoes, zucchini noodles, ratatouille, polenta, gluten-free pasta, Caesar salad, cornbread, sweet potato fries, sautéed spinach, apple coleslaw, chickpea salad, and tomato basil soup.

What are the three dots called meatballs? ›

The term "meatballs menu" is a colloquial name derived from the visual appearance of the three dots, which somewhat resemble meatballs stacked on top of each other. It's a fun and informal way to refer to this type of menu.

Greek cuisine is the cuisine of Greece and the Greek diaspora. In common with many other cuisines of the Mediterranean, it is founded on the triad of wheat, olive oil, and wine. It uses vegetables, olive oil, grains, fish, and meat, including pork, poultry, veal and beef, lamb, rabbit, and goat.

Not adding any moisture to the meat.

Without it, the protein content forces the meatballs to shrink as they cook, and produces a final dish with a tough texture. → Follow this tip: To ensure tender meatballs, be sure to include eggs or a binder, like bread crumbs soaked in milk, in the mix.

Collagen in the bird (one of three protein fibers that attaches muscles to the bone) breaks down into softer gelatin molecules as it unwinds. If a turkey is cooked too long, the muscle proteins coagulate within the meat and cause dryness.

When meatballs are tough, it's often because they've been overworked. Start by thoroughly mixing all of the ingredients except for the ground meat. Once you add the meat, you want to work it only just enough so the ingredients are evenly distributed.