10 or more servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom
What you’ll need
2 1/2- or 3-pounds ground beef chuck
All-purpose flour
Large eggs (Room temp)
Better than bouillon beef base
Salted butter
1-pound thin spaghetti
Seasonings
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul’s poultry magic
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Dried oregano
Dried thyme
Dried parsley
1 yellow onion
2 ribs celery
1 green bell pepper
Garlic
Tools you’ll need
11 by 17-inch baking pan
Cheesecloth
Fat separator
Preparation of ingredients
Seasonings
Step 1- Chop 1 yellow onion, 2 ribs celery, 1 green bell pepper and 2 cloves garlic until minced. Rinse off celery and bell pepper before chopping.
Beef base mixture
Step 2- Add 5 1/4 cups hot water and 3 teaspoons of better than bouillon beef base into a large bowl. Stir with whisk until beef base dissolves into water. Cover with lid and set aside.
Ground beef Part 1 (Seasoning the meat balls)
Step 3- Add 2 1/2- or 3-pounds ground beef chuck, 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion, 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper and 1/2 tablespoon chopped garlic into large bowl. Combine seasonings into ground beef with your hands.
Step 4- Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/2 or 1 teaspoon Chef Paul’s poultry magic, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or plain breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup beef base mixture (Made in step 2), 1/4 teaspoon better than bouillon beef base and 2 large eggs beaten (Room temp). Combine all ingredients well with your hands.
Ground beef Part 2 (Forming and baking the meat balls)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Step 5- Form 2.5 ounces in weight of seasoned ground beef into a ball and place onto an 11 by 17-inch baking pan. Place into a preheated 325-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
Note: While meatballs are in the oven, let’s make the spaghetti
Cooking the Spaghetti (Part 1)
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 6- Add 2 1/2 quarts water and 2 teaspoons salt into a large pot and let come to a simmer. Add 1-pound thin spaghetti. You can add the spaghetti into the pot whole or break it in half. Stir and let simmer for 6 to 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
Step 7- Add spaghetti into mesh strainer and let cool completely.
Cooling of meat balls
Step 8- Once the baking time is up, remove meatballs from oven. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
Note: While meatballs are cooling, lets season the spaghetti.
Cooking the spaghetti (Part 2)
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 9- Add 3 tablespoons salted butter and spaghetti into a large pot. Once the butter melts, stir spaghetti until it’s coated with the butter. Once done turn fire off.
Step 10- Add 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano and 1 or 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional) Stir all ingredients together and set aside.
Final preparation of meat balls
Step 11- Take each individual meat ball and pat it dry with a paper towel. Once done, place into a serving dish and cover with aluminum foil to keep meat balls warm.
Pan juices from the meat balls
Step 12- Add pan juices from the meat balls into a fat separator lined with the cheesecloth on top to catch any unwanted food particles that came from the meat balls during the baking process. You should only have oil left over into the fat separator.
Making the roux and sautéing the seasonings
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 13- Add 1/3 cup of the meat ball pan juice oil from the fat separator into a large saucepan and let get hot for 1 minute. Add 1/3 cup all-purpose flour. Stir with a wooden spatula for 6 minutes or until mixture reaches a brown color.
Step 14- Add 1/2 or 2/3 cup chopped yellow onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic into the roux. Stir all ingredients together and let sauté for 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 15- Add 5 cups beef base mixture (Made in step 2), 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon Chef Paul’s poultry magic, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Stir all ingredients together and let come to a simmer.
Step 16- Add meat balls and stir. Let simmer for 35 minutes or until gravy thickens. Once the cooking time has ended, turn fire off and let cool for 30 minutes to an hour before serving. Serve meat balls and gravy mixture over seasoned spaghetti and enjoy!
YouTube instructional video
