How do you mix your meatloaf/meatballs?

Zmokin · January 2016

I've seen videos of people mixing the meat and eggs and filler and seasonings with a wooden spoon or other implement.
Seems like a lot of work that way. I've always used my bare hands, seems like it is so much easier to make sure it is all mixed together really well. The only problem I find is if the meat is real cold, straight from the fridge, it can really suck the heat out of the fingers.
So, how do you mix your meatloaf/meatball mixture?

johnnyp · January 2016

I use my hands, but I use nitrile exam gloves.

bgebrent · January 2016

Always by hand and careful not to over work the mix.

johnnyp · January 2016

@bgebrent pardon my ignorance, but I always work the meat to death to get it good and mixed up. What adverse reactions does this do to the meat?

RRP · January 2016

My favorite meatloaf recipe includes raw egg, bread crumbs, cold meat and warm sauteed garlic, peppers, onions and tasty spices cooked in hot oil. Reason I explain all that is my bare skin can't take it so I wear disposable gloves so I can squish all the ingredients thru my fingers! I too have never understood the spoon stirred recipes.

bgebrent · January 2016

johnnyp said:

@bgebrent pardon my ignorance, but I always work the meat to death to get it good and mixed up. What adverse reactions does this do to the meat?

When meatballs, like hamburgers, or another analogy pancake batter is over worked, in the case of meat mixtures it gets dense and not tender when cooked. With pancakes, tough and not tender. I like my meatballs tender, not dense like old school meatloaf. The other secret to this is adding milk soaked, crust removed white bread instead of bread crumbs. Just my preference, not any ignorance on your part. Try it and let me know what you think brother.

RRP · January 2016

bgebrent said:

johnnyp said:

@bgebrent pardon my ignorance, but I always work the meat to death to get it good and mixed up. What adverse reactions does this do to the meat?

When meatballs, like hamburgers, or another analogy pancake batter is over worked, in the case of meat mixtures it gets dense and not tender when cooked. With pancakes, tough and not tender. I like my meatballs tender, not dense like old school meatloaf. The other secret to this is adding milk soaked, crust removed white bread instead of bread crumbs. Just my preference, not any ignorance on your part. Try it and let me know what you think brother.

Interesting, but my use of raw egg plus finely ground bread crumbs makes my meatloaf sliceable and stays intact. This solid state versus loose makes for great left over cold meatloaf sandwiches which I love. Once again do what you like not what I like!

bgebrent · January 2016

RRP said:

bgebrent said:

johnnyp said:

@bgebrent pardon my ignorance, but I always work the meat to death to get it good and mixed up. What adverse reactions does this do to the meat?

When meatballs, like hamburgers, or another analogy pancake batter is over worked, in the case of meat mixtures it gets dense and not tender when cooked. With pancakes, tough and not tender. I like my meatballs tender, not dense like old school meatloaf. The other secret to this is adding milk soaked, crust removed white bread instead of bread crumbs. Just my preference, not any ignorance on your part. Try it and let me know what you think brother.

Interesting, but my use of raw egg plus finely ground bread crumbs makes my meatloaf sliceable and stays intact. This solid state versus loose makes for great left over cold meatloaf sandwiches which I love. Once again do what you like not what I like!

I agree with you Ron. I like my meatballs to fall apart in my mouth. I also use eggs. As leftovers, as with my meatloaf, the next day there has been some dehydration either in the fridge, depending on storage choice or with the reheat or both, providing stable, generally sliceable meat.

Zmokin · January 2016

So, those of you who like your meatballs/meatloaf to fall apart in your mouth. How fall apart are we talking about? I don't want my meatballs to fall apart when I add them to my marinara sauce to re-heat. I expect them to hold together. I don't expect them to melt like an M&M. I expect my meatball to not be chewy like a piece of steak, but I expect it to need the force of a tooth to break apart in my mouth. I expect my meatloaf, to slice and hold it's shape while hot, not crumble apart while trying to serve it onto a plate, but I expect it to succumb easily to being cut with the side of my fork. I know I mix my mixture as long as it takes to be confident it is thoroughly mixed. I have a hard time believing I can over-work it squishing it through my fingers, but maybe how I like it some might consider overworked. I know one thing I do is I pre-scramble the eggs with a little milk so I know the yolk and the whites are well mixed prior to being mixed into the meat.

bigbang1955 · January 2016

We used to mix by hand in a large mixing bowl. Now we "cheat" a little bit and use our kitchen aid mixer. Can't tell any difference in the texture, but it sure is easier to mix.

Lit · January 2016

I grind the meat into my kitchenaid bowl with my kitchenaid then pour the ingredients in and mix it on low until everything is combined. I use martins potato bread and heavy cream in my meatloaf as well as eggs and other stuff. I do one grind on the meat with the most coarse insert so I don't really worry about over mixing.

blasting · January 2016

I use my hands - yep, it's cold.

Keep your belt tightened around the guys using nitrile gloves. You may get an unscheduled prostate exam if you get too close. jk

Phatchris · January 2016

I don't want my meatballs falling apart and I go bare hands with some oil on my hands, helps with the sticking .

bgebrent · January 2016

Tender, not falling apart. Different textures. Hands on always.

How do you mix your meatloaf/meatballs?

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