Fried Greek Meatballs

While the word 'meatballs' typically conjure images of old school Italian restaurants and greasy pizza joints, that's far from the whole story. As just one example, meatballs are a prominent fixture and staple of Greek cooking. However, Greek meatballs are quite different from their Italian counterparts (polpettes), which in turn are vastly different from 'Italian American Meatballs.'

While Italian-American meatballs steal most of the limelight, both Greek meatballs and traditional Italian polpettes are certainly worth becoming acquainted with - and it's the Greek variety that we'll be covering today.

Greek meatballs - dubbed Keftedes - differentiate themselves by combining ingredients like raisins, cinnamon, and oregano, and sometimes nutmeg, mint, and honey into the ground meat. As you might expect, this creates a 'sweeter' meatball, while also lending the meatball notable earthy and herbal undertones. In addition, they are typically (but not always) a combination of lamb, beef, and sometimes pork, although all-lamb and all-beef variations are common.

Alrighty, with the introductions out of the way, let's make some meatballs.

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes, Tips, and Substitutions
• Meatball Primer
• Selecting Quality Chop Meat
• More Greek Recipes to Love
• Fried Greek Meatballs

Ingredient Notes, Tips, and Substitutions

1. Fresh Basil vs Dried - and possible substitutions. As with most herbs, fresh basil and its dried counterpart are 'usually' but not always safe substitutions for one another. I'm using fresh basil today the 'licorice' or 'anise' flavor of the fresh herb plays nicely with the raisins and cinnamon - but both of these flavors are entirely absent in dried basil, where a slightly 'mintier' flavor dominates. Furthermore, fresh basil has powerful aromatics that are reminiscent of a bright summer garden in full bloom, whereas dried basil boasts an earthier, vaguely 'darker' herbal aromatic profile.
   • Substitutions: Fresh oregano. However, this is not an exact substitution, as oregano has a flavor that's markedly less 'bright,' as well as somewhat more 'herbal,' whereas basil is simply 'fresher' on the palate.
2. Cumin - A Brief Overview. Unlike cayenne, turmeric, black or red pepper, or really any 'common' spice one might think of, cumin is rarely if ever used on its own or as the 'primary' flavor in a recipe. Being somewhat bitter, earthy, and nutty all at once, cumin isn't immediately inviting or even terribly 'palatable' by itself. However, it makes a great 'grounding' flavor or 'background' for spice blends, such as rubs, curries, and marinades, pairing particularly well with meaty dishes, shining in things like curry, chili, and dry rubs for steaks, chops, and roasts. It also is a 'seasoning of choice' when it comes to all things meaty - and that includes meatballs. While not immediately a "Hellenic" ingredient by any means, I just couldn't resist adding in some cumin, since the spice just plays so well with moist, juicy meat, especially alongside oregano and garlic.
3. The Raisins. If you want today's recipes to be 'very Greek,' go with golden raisins. However, I'm using standard black raisins, because that's simply what I had on hand. Golden raisins, being dried in temperature-controlled vats, and treated with antioxidant sulfur dioxide, not only retain more of their nutrients, but also more of their plumpness and flavor. Thus, golden raisins are both healthier and tastier, and will also slightly enhance the texture of the recipe, but honestly the difference is very, very subtle. That said, if you have golden raisins on hand, go for it, if not, black raisins will do just fine.

Meatball Primer

How I learned to Stop Overworking and Love the Mess

• Don't Overwork The Meat. While it might be tempting to work the meat 'thoroughly' before you begin rolling it into balls, let me stop you right there and advise you 'thoroughly' against it. You want the meat and the ingredients to be uniformly combined, and that's it. Overworking will have the effect of adding too much air to the meat, and of 'squeezing' the meat too much, draining away the juices, or causing the meat to drain too much during cooking. This results in 'rubbery,' 'firm,' and 'dry' meatballs.
• Don't Over Roll Them. Once again, this comes down to overworking. You don't need to pack the meat tight or form 'perfect' circular balls. Set them together into rough, loose balls just tight enough to maintain their form, and that's it. Seriously, work the mixture as little as possible.
• They Love Being Fried. I used to bake my meatballs, but honestly frying them in a cast iron pan with some oil just makes a world of difference. Not only does it give them a crisp and succulent outside, but it truly makes them moister on the inside.

Selecting Quality Chop Meat

• Fat Is Flavor. This may come as a shock, but muscle tissue has 'almost zero' in the way of flavor-giving compounds. Instead, virtually everything we humans perceive as 'flavorful' in meat, be it fish, pork, beef, or poultry, comes directly from 'fat.' As a result, the more 'fat' a piece of meat has, the more 'flavor' we perceive. Muscle tissue also cooks up dry and is naturally tough. By contrast, fat is soft and reduces to a thick 'grease' during cooking, and so the more 'fat' a piece of meat cooks in, or has laced through it as 'marbling,' the more tender and moist that piece of meat will be. Yes, I know I'm offending someone somewhere with this, but I'm just giving you the truth.
  • Thus, it should come as no surprise that despite ground sirloin being the most expensive chop meat out there, it is also the leanest, driest, and 'least' flavorful, containing somewhere in the vicinity of 8-14% fat by volume. Ground round is in the same boat, but typically contains somewhere between 10-13% fat. Both of these types of chop meat are often labeled 'Extra-Lean Ground Beef.' Ground chuck is widely considered the 'best' ground beef for burgers, meatballs, and meat sauces, and contains somewhere in the realm of 20% fat by volume.
  • However, so-called 'Regular' ground beef, which can contain in excess of 30% fat is sometimes 'filled' or 'laced' into ground chuck simply to give the chop meat more flavor. The reason 'Regular' ground beef is rarely used on its own is that so much of it simply 'melts away' during cooking, that it actually becomes a hassle to use. There's also the matter of 'price bias.' Since 'Regular' ground beef is far and away the cheapest, it's also assumed to be the lowest quality. The opposite is true of ground sirloin.

• Color - Your Only Guiding Light. In truth, the only 'guidance' that can be offered when buying pre-ground beef is to look at the coloring. Grey or brown ground beef has begun decaying. Instead, you want the meat to be a bright pink color, and to be 'moist' looking. Also, take note of the cling wrap, which should appear pristine and free of 'droplets.'
• Never Buy In Bulk. Never, ever buy those massive opaque containers of 'Ground Beef' that have been popping up in the refrigerator aisles of your local grocery-carrying big-box stores. There is a reason those tubs are derided in culinary circles as 'chub rolls.' While I'm all for affordable food, those bulk containers of ground beef should be avoided like the plague.

More Greek Recipes to Love

1. Pork Souvlaki with Homemade Tzatziki: My take on the ubiquitous Greek-Immigrant classic, combining herbed barbecued pork, with homemade flatbreads and fresh tzatziki. Super simple, satisfying and delicious, this recipe is perfect for backyard barbecues.
2. Greek Salad Pita Pockets: Combining fresh salad greens with sliced peppers, crumbled feta, Kalamata olives, and red onions, packed into a pita pocket and then drizzled with an balsamic vinaigrette, this is one salad you should definitely have in your repertoire.
3. Greek Tacos: My answer to the question "What tacos might taste like, had they originated in Greece." Honestly, check these out, you won't be disappointed.

Print

And that's our recipe for Fried Greek Meatballs. If you enjoyed this guide or tried any of the linked recipes, be sure to let us know in the comments below. We always love hearing from you.

Happy Cooking!