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+-- Thread: salty meatballs (/showthread.php?tid=147259)
salty meatballs - Chops52 - 02-06-2013
i just made a batch of meatballs to serve with pasta and tomato sauce, but the meatballs are too salty for my taste. Has anyone a method of saving these otherwise delicious meatballs from ending in the trash bin?
Re: salty meatballs - labradors - 02-06-2013
For soups and other things more liquid, some people say you can cook some raw potatoes in them for a while, then discarding the potatoes, but many have debunked that. Regardless, that wouldn't help with the meatballs, themselves.
To me, it would seem that you can't take any salt out of the meatballs, so you'll need either to remake them or re-purpose them. That's going to mean breaking them apart and adding something else to them so that the excess of salt will be distributed throughout a greater amount of material.
Whatever you choose, remember not to add much (if any) salt (or salt-containing ingredients) - especially with any sauces, etc. Also be careful with reducing any sauces, since that will not only intensify flavours, but also concentrate the salt.
Good luck!
Re: salty meatballs - cjs - 02-06-2013
What Labs said is perfect. If the meatballs are very firm, I'd suggest grating them (in the largest holes) and adding to a sauce that you don't salt at all and cooking down to absorb some of the saltiness into the sauce. Good luck.
Re: salty meatballs - Chops52 - 02-06-2013
thanks for the advice. I'm going to try the potato thing next time I reheat them for leftovers. I'd heard that bit about the potato, but never had to try it before now. As you mention, working it with soups or sauces seems more apt to work than with something more solid like the meatballs, but it's worth try.
will keep you posted.
gk
Re: salty meatballs - labradors - 02-06-2013
You'd probably get better results breaking them apart (or grating them - excellent idea, Jean) to be able to dilute the salt more. My reference to potatoes was primarily to point out that it is a commonly known remedy but that it probably wouldn't help with solid foods such as meatballs (and that there are more-scientific tests to indicate that even in soups and other liquids, the helpful effect of the added potatoes is limited).
Re: salty meatballs - Mare749 - 02-06-2013
I have never had any luck with the potato idea, but that's just me. Jean's idea is the best. Only happened once here, but I cut the meatballs into quarters, then made Italian wedding soup and did not add any salt. It actually worked out.
Re: salty meatballs - DFen911 - 02-06-2013
What flavoring are they? You could break them up into a chili and omit any salt that the chili recipe calls for.
Re: salty meatballs - Trixxee - 02-06-2013
I like the idea of breaking them up and diluting them in a big sauce. You could have meat sauce instead of meat balls. I bet it would be great.
Re: salty meatballs - luvnit - 02-07-2013
Quote:
I like the idea of breaking them up and diluting them in a big sauce. You could have meat sauce instead of meat balls. I bet it would be great.
I agree! I bet it would be just super!