I love preparing meatballs using a blend of ground pork, ground beef and ground veal when I prepare meatballs and polpette. I also prefer frying the meatballs to baking-it's a totally different product when you fry the meatballs!
I'll usually add a little extra beef to the ratio and I love a lot of grated parmesan cheese and Italian parsley in my meatballs and polpette.


   Meatballs & Polpette

My uncle Peanie used to tell us a great story about when he and my Uncle Vic were kids, they would sneak into Grandma's kitchen and fill their pockets with warm, greasy polpette to snack on ...  polpette are football shaped, fried meatballs with no sauce.


There would usually be a plate stacked with polpette on the counter and the round meatballs would be simmering in the tomato sauce for lunch.


Nowadays, people make baked, 'meatballs' with ground turkey, bison, lamb, chicken and even ground salmon.

Obviously salmon or chicken is healthier than beef.

I like all of these proteins but it's simply not the same as a fried, Italian meatball with beef, veal and pork.


 Meatloaf

Prep Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 40 min

Yield: 8 portions


Ingredients                                          

3  oz.           Olive oil   

1/2 Cup.     Spanish onion, chopped 

3 cloves     Garlic, peeled                             

1/2 tsp        Kosher Salt                                       

t.t.                Black pepper     

1/4 Cup.     Breadcrumbs (I like Progresso Italian style)

2 ea             Eggs

3 Tbsp.      Tomato paste

2  lbs          Meatloaf blend (ground beef, veal, pork)   

3 Tbsp       Italian parsley, chopped

1/4 Cup.    Parmesan cheese, grated     



                         


How to Prepare Meatballs


Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the onions and garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes; cool.






Place the blend of ground veal, beef and pork into a mixing bowl.

Step 2

Add all of the ingredients into the mixing bowl, mix until incorporated. Take one spoonful & fry it in oil  to taste. Add more seasoning if desired. Form small balls with meat mixture & place onto a sheet pan lined with parchment.


Step 3

Heat a sauce pot of oil to 350°F and place the meatballs into the hot oil (4 or 5 at a time to retain the heat of the oil).

Fry the meatballs in batches, taking the browned meatballs out with a slotted spoon and placing onto a plate with paper towel to absorb extra oil.


notes:

Allow the oil to reheat for a minute after each batch.


You may need to add oil, depending on how many meatball recipes you are preparing.


If the oil seems too hot, lower the temperature to avoid the oil from boiling over.


Be careful, the oil is very hot so work cautiously.





You can enjoy as is or add to tomato sauce.

Beginners recipe: Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
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Paella

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
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Copy of Beginners Recipe: Breakfast Burrito

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I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable. 

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