Make A Better Meatball

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: Your hands are your best kitchen tool. When it comes to mixing salad, making pie dough, and salting your food, your hands do the job better than any gadget in your kitchen. 

Making meatballs is no exception to our use-your-hands-for-almost-everything rule. When you’re setting up your meatball-making station—the bowl of meat mixture and a sheet tray pan for holding those ready to be cooked—keep a bowl of water nearby and wet your hands before you form each meatball. Rolling meatballs with dry hands means the mixture will stick to your skin, preventing you from getting a perfectly round shape. Wetting your hands allows the meat to stick to itself between the gentle rolling motion of your palms. You’ll be less likely to overwork the meat, which can make the meatballs tough. 

Bonus: Combine the ingredients for the meatballs with your hands, too. By using your built-in meat-mixers, you can gently incorporate all the ingredients without overworking the protein the way a spoon can.