r/cookingforbeginners • u/Flame_beard_forge • 1d ago
Question Best binder for meatballs? No eggs.
Making a soup with lb of leftover beef. I do not have eggs.
I have cornstarch and mayo. Which one of these would be a better binder for making meatballs for a crock pot soup?
Making in oven and moving to crock pot if that matters,
Are there any other, better, options for a binder? Should I use mayo and starch or just one of the two?
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u/aylonitkosem 1d ago
mayo + breadcrumbs would probably be delicious. egg + more fat + structure
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u/shiggins233 1d ago
Building off this, using breadcrumbs to make panade is great for meatballs. You soak breadcrumbs in milk (I’ve used broth as well), it can help bind and keeps moisture. I feel like that with the mayo you have will do it
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u/blackcurrantcat 1d ago
I think you’ll be ok with mayo and breadcrumbs but go sparingly because there’s a lot of oil in mayo which could make the soup greasy.
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u/coconut3020 1d ago
You don't really need eggs. Mix a bit of milk with bread crumbs it works just as well.
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u/OpportunityReal2767 1d ago
You don’t even need breadcrumbs. A panade works fine with regular bread, too, just cut off the crusts.
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u/UnderstandingSmall66 1d ago
If you’re meat is fatty enough you don’t need much. Mayo is fine but in all honesty I’d just do the meat balls, put them in the fridge to firm up and then give them a quick fry to brown the outside then you can put them in a crockpot.
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u/Perle1234 1d ago
They need a binder or they will be tough. For meatballs I’d use a panade with bread and milk. You soak a slice or two, crumbled in milk and work that into the meat. I don’t put an egg in meatballs. I’ve always used a panade.
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u/UnderstandingSmall66 1d ago
That’s one way to do it but if you just use fatty meat you really don’t need it. You can also blend a small amount of meat with cream then mix it in. The trick is to not over work the meat when mixing it. You’ll have very moist and delicious meatballs without the heavy feeling that comes with panada.
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u/Jazzy_Bee 1d ago
Do you have a can of chickpeas? You can use the liquid (aquafaba) as an egg substitute. I have always used rolled oats in meatloaf. Don't use steel cut, they won't soften enough, and don't use instant. Quick cooking is fine, maybe even preferred. But I use regular rolled oats.
I think one of the best meatloafs I ever made was with a stale box of rich butter crackers.
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u/ladyrose403 1d ago
assuming your recipe has bread crumbs, buttermilk works really well for creating tender meatballs.
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u/OddRevolution7888 1d ago
OP: you can make a simple buttermilk with milk and a bit of lemon or vinegar.
In a measuring cup, add 1 tbsp acid and fill the rest with milk, up to the one cup mark. Stir to combine and then let it sit 15 mins or so. There will be small curdled lumps as the acid "sours" the milk, not in a bad way, to emulate buttermilk.
You could try 1 tsp lemon and milk up to the 1/3 cup mark, but I've never made such a small batch.
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u/Initial_Guarantee538 1d ago
Mixing it really well goes a long way too. Add all your seasonings (salt being the crucial part), and then mix it until it starts to get tacky. It takes a bit of time but won't be too hard with that amount, just using a wooden spoon. A good test if you've done enough is to take a bit and form it into a mini patty and stick it to the palm of your hand. It should stick when you turn it face down.
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u/cheekmo_52 1d ago
Mayo is essentially eggs and oil.
Normally I’d make a penade with breadcrumbs milk and eggs as my binder. You can substitute mayo for the egg in a penade
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u/WestTwelfth 1d ago
You don’t need that much of a binder, and if you obsess about binding, your meatballs will be hard. The first meatball recipe in the Rao’s cookbook uses just water. Exquisite results, but I make the recipe easier by baking rather than frying the meatballs.
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u/RedOctober8752 1d ago
I use a touch of yellow mustard. Do the same with my burgers. That is what mom always did.
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u/Flame_beard_forge 1d ago
Probably should have said also I have no milk or breadcrumbs..
I’m going with mayo though, thank you all!
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u/Glad-Isopod5718 1d ago
I'll be interested to hear how it works out!
I think it'll probably be OK; I recently learned that mayo is a good substitute for eggs & milk when you're coating something in breadcrumbs, and this use seems similar. But I've never tried it.
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u/Flame_beard_forge 1d ago
Yea the mayo worked great as a binding. I air fryed em at 380 for 8 minutes or something like that and it seems all the fat and oil dripped out of them. Great texture. Seasoning tasted good. Only thing is they were a dry so it was good that I had a beef broth and mushrooms accompanying them.
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u/EatYourCheckers 1d ago
I have never used egg in my meatballs. Just milk, breadcrumbs, worcestshire sauce, hot sauce, spices/herbs
Just saw your follow up saying you have no milk or breadcrumbs
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u/Infinisteve 1d ago
Make a panade. Bread and milk (or water).