10 lb Freezer Meatball Recipe
Making 10 pounds of meatballs at once might sound like a lot, but it’s a huge money and time-saver in the long run. An afternoon of prep can stock your freezer with multiple meals so you can relax on those busy weeknights.
And actually I normally make 20lbs of meatballs to freeze at once. Since it’s cheaper to buy meat in bulk. We buy 80lb boxes of ground beef from Sam’s Club and get a much cheaper per pound price.
The other ground beef you have can be made into raw pre made hamburgers, meatloaf, and Salisbury steak if you have the time for it. Otherwise just part them up into quart 1-3 pound packages for making into whatever you want.
Pair your meatballs with some golden oven baked rice and a microwaved veggie for a very hands off meal. I also make a quick meatball sauce using a bottle of chili sauce and a jar of strawberry or blueberry jam.
Meatballs are incredibly versatile—you can use them for spaghetti, subs, rice bowls, soups, or quick protein add-ins. Bulk meal prep also helps stretch your grocery budget and reduces the temptation to rely on takeout.
How to Make Meatballs That Freeze Well
Good freezer meatballs start with the right balance of moisture, seasoning, and binding. Mixing the eggs, seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce together first to help distribute flavour evenly. Then I like to sprinkle my flour (or breadcrumbs) over the meat, and mix by hand to combine.
You want to make sure and mix by hand just until combined. Overworking ground meat can produce dense, tough meatballs.
How to Freeze Raw Meatballs
Freezing meatballs raw is one of the best ways to preserve their texture and flavour. It’s definitely one of my favourite food prep hacks.
Shape your meatballs into about 2 inch balls and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets. You can do a double layer by adding parchment on top of your meatballs and another layer of meatballs. Then freeze until solid.
Once they are frozen transfer them to freezer bags and put back in the freezer. I usually use about 5-6 meatballs per adult for a meal. My 3 year old eats about 2 for a meal.
They freeze well and can be kept for months when properly stored.
The Best Way to Bake Raw Frozen Meatballs
The best way to bake raw frozen meatballs is to thaw them first, which of course means they are no longer frozen… Yes I’m confused about my original sentence too, but I digress.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and thaw for 30-60 minutes. Then bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes. You can also bake them straight from frozen just add a little extra time (30-35 min.).
Baking at 350°F allows the meatballs to cook through gently without drying out. Always check that the internal temperature reaches 160°F for safe, perfectly cooked meatballs.
10 lb Freezer Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
Add To Large Bowl
- 10 lb ground beef or 7lbs beef & 3lbs ground pork
Mix Together
- 6 eggs
- 1 ½ tsp pepper
- 3 tsp salt
- 5 tsp dried parsley
- 3 TBSP Worcestershire
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda optional
Sprinkle Over Meat
- 3/4 cup flour or breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Remove packaging from meat and put in a large mixing bowl.
- In a medium sized bowl whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, Worcestershire and baking soda.
- Sprinkle the flour over the ground beef in the large bowl. Then pour in the egg mixture and mix by hand until combined.
- Form into 1 ½ or 2 inch round balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets. I make double layers on my sheets to save space. Use a small cookie scoop to help save time. Cover the baking sheets with plastic wrap and freeze overnight or until hardened. Transfer the meatballs to freezer bags and store in the freezer for future use.
- When ready to use, remove from freezer and thaw on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for about 25-30 minutes or until internal temp is 160F.
Notes
*Make sure the temperature is 160F to ensure doneness. Honestly though a bit less than that is fine too if you’re not overly concerned about beef.
* The baking soda is optional but it does help the meatballs to retain moisture while baking.