Baby Led Weaning (what is it?) appropriate from 7 months if you omit salt.
When I can, I try to grind my own meat. It sounds complicated but it actually is not at all and it takes just a few minutes. The only thing you would need to do is wash an extra piece of kitchen equipment. I know it sounds like a hassle to most moms and dads who don’t have time for anything extra, but to me it is really worth it.
WHY GRIND YOUR OWN MEAT:
- SAFETY: It is much safer to consume freshly ground meat versus the ground meat that has been sitting in the store for a few days (only very high-end stores grind their meat daily). Once exposed to air, it is more likely to be contaminated with bacteria. I honestly don’t even want to go into the bacteria topic, it’s so gross. There is plenty written about it online.
- QUALITY: It tastes better and fresher.
HOW TO GRIND YOUR OWN MEAT:
I don’t have a special meat grinder (one day when I have a bigger kitchen, I’ll invest into something like this). I used to use my Vitamix but I found it was way too difficult to clean afterwards because the fibers of the meat would roll around the blade and get stuck. For a while now, I have been using my small, affordable kitchen helper Cuisinart Mini Prep Food Processor (view and buy it on Amazon). I use it for everything from chopping to making my own hummus, nut butter, tomato sauce, etc. It’s tiny and only costs $40.
To grind your meat, just cut it up into big chunks and pulse for 15-20 seconds. Don’t over process because you will get a very pasty mass, which would still work for meatballs but I prefer to leave meat with a little texture. For a big batch, you would need to grind in batches but it really takes little time.
Make sure to thoroughly clean everything afterwards in warm soapy water. Once done, I like to pour boiling water on all the parts for extra disinfection. Dry completely before putting away.
Onto the recipe…
It’s ideal to use steel cut or old-fashioned oats in this recipe. I’m a big fan of leftovers. Just make a larger than usual batch for breakfast and use whatever is left for this recipe.
These meatballs freeze well.
- 1 cup cooked oats (I used the leftover steel cut)
- 2 large chicken breasts or 1 lb ground chicken
- 2 eggs
- ½ onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp turmeric
- panko breadcrumbs (or any other breadcrumbs)
- Mince or finely chop the onion. Mix all the ingredients well together reserving the breadcrumbs for later. Season with salt and pepper (unless preparing for babies under 1). The mixture will seem a little runny but once you dredge the meatballs in the breadcrumbs, they will hold up well.
- Preheat your large pan. I didn't have a non-stick available so had to use a bit more oil. Avocado oil is perfect for it since it has a very high smoke point.
- Form little balls and roll them in breadcrumbs. I love using Japanese panko breadcrumbs because they make the meatballs nice and crunchy. Any other breadcrumbs will do.
- Pan fry on medium heat for 8 minutes on each side. Place on a paper towel once done to soak up extra oil.
Avocado oil and coconut oil are ideal for frying as they have very high smoke point.
Turmeric is a strong anti-inflammatory spice that is very mild in flavor and bright in color.
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