Beloved meatballs combine veal, pork, beef
It’s probably something so simple but what makes the meatballs at Ford Fry’s No. 246 so good? — Jeff Frenzel, Atlanta
Turns out, it’s not something so simple. It’s the result of a lot of decisions on the part of Drew Belline, Rocket Farm’s vice president of culinary. No. 246 is one of the collective of Rocket Farm restaurants.
“It really comes down to simple comfort food for me. For as long as I can remember spaghetti and meatballs has had a special place in my heart. I crafted this recipe over the years through not only my childhood memories but also years of work in New York City and Atlanta. Different tips, techniques and ratios have all been tweaked and dialed in to create what I think is a pretty tender, balanced and rich meatball that stands up well to great, thick pasta noodles or just a really good piece of crusty hot sourdough. The meatball has been on the menu since we opened and it’s always the best seller on our menu. I think it really strikes an approachable, nostalgic note with guests.”
At the restaurant, Belline’s crew grinds the three different meats — veal, pork and beef — and he suggests you consider doing the same or find a good butcher to freshly grind the meat for you.
The recipe requires time to make, but everything can be done in stages at your leisure, and that includes the finishing step of braising the meatballs. Belline says you can serve these immediately, but he recommends letting them cool in the sauce and then serving the next day to allow the flavors to deepen.
At the restaurant, an appetizer serving is one meatball. Our photo shows the meatballs served in the restaurant’s spaghetti and meatballs.
No. 246 Meatballs
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cups 1/4-inch diced sourdough bread, crusts removed
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
- Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, nutmeg
- 1 cup chopped parsley
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 pound ground veal
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging meatballs
- Pork fat or vegetable oil, for frying meatballs
- 8 cups tomato sauce, for braising
- Fresh basil sprigs, if desired
- In a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add diced bread and saute until golden and crunchy on all sides, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove bread from skillet and set aside in a large bowl. Lower heat to medium. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter and add onions and garlic. Slowly cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper and red pepper and cook 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Add sauteed onions to bread and stir in parsley, ricotta and cream. Cool mixture and refrigerate at least four hours.
- When ready to make meatballs, in a large bowl, combine bread mixture with ground veal, ground beef and ground pork. Use your hands to mix together. Add eggs and continue mixing until everything is evenly incorporated.
- In a small skillet, cook a teaspoon of the meatball mixture to check for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper or red pepper as needed. If you like, add a little nutmeg.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour all-purpose flour into a pie plate. Using your hands, form 4-ounce meatballs. Roll each meatball in flour and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Continue until all meatballs are formed, then refrigerate meatballs at least one hour.
- When ready to cook, heat oven to 275 degrees.
- In a Dutch oven, heat oil to 325 degrees. Carefully add meatballs, 3 or 4 at a time. Cook until golden on the outside, about 5 minutes, then arrange in a large casserole dish. Repeat until all meatballs are fried, arranging cooked meatballs in a single layer. Pour tomato sauce over meatballs and add fresh basil sprigs, if desired. Cover with foil and put casserole in oven. Braise meatballs 1 1/2 hours. Serve immediately or let them cool in the sauce. Refrigerate and then warm and serve the next day. Makes: 10 meatballs
Nutritional information
Per serving: (one meatball) 638 calories (percent of calories from fat, 65), 24 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 47 grams fat (20 grams saturated), 176 milligrams cholesterol, 1,401 milligrams sodium.From the menu of … No. 246, 129 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur. 678-399-8246; www.no246.com.
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