How To Make a Big-Ass Meatball

Café Martorano chef Steve Martorano teaches you how to build a ball to rule them all.

Café Martorano chef Steve Martorano teaches you how to build a ball to rule them all.

Photo: Photographed for Maxim by Jonathon Kambouris | Licensed to Alpha Media Group 2013

MIX IT

1. Mix together 3 oz. each of ground veal, beef, and pork. Whisk a large egg and add it to the meat mixture. Season with fresh black pepper, salt, granulated garlic powder, fresh Italian parsley, ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, and ¼ cup Italian-style bread crumbs.

2. Break up a quarter-loaf of day-old Italian bread. Soak the bread in warm water until soft, then squeeze all the excess water out. Combine the bread with the meat mixture and roll the ultimate 9 oz. ball. 

THE GRAVY 

You need: A sweet Italian sausage and 4 oz. of pork butt cut into ½ inch pieces. Plus: extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh garlic, a big can of San Marzano tomatoes, and fresh basil.

FRY IT

Here’s the secret to a great meatball: Don’t bake or steam it—you have to fry it. Fill half a deep pan with vegetable oil and make sure it’s hot before adding the ball. Brown it three to four minutes on each side.

1. In a pot, heat 4 Tbs. olive oil. When it’s hot, add pork butt and season with salt, black pepper, and garlic. Brown all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meat and repeat same steps with the sausage. Sauté some smashed garlic and crush the tomatoes; put them in the pot and bring to a boil. Season with salt, pepper, and 

the basil. Bring down to a low simmer, put the meat back in, and cook for about an hour. 

2. Let your fried meatball soak in the gravy. Eat. If you’re still hungry, cook some pasta and clean the plate!

Get more food how-to’s! Check out Mario Batali’s Summer Recipes and How to Make a 5-Foot Long Burrito.