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Turkey Meatballs with Soy and Sesame

Our turkey meatballs rival those made from beef or pork, thanks to a few test kitchen tricks. We start with 93 or 85 percent lean turkey; the 99 percent lean type didn’t have enough fat to create a palatable meatball. Next, we add an egg and fresh bread crumbs (instead of a panade, which made the meatballs too wet) to help bind the meat. We also add a small amount of unflavored gelatin, which mitigates graininess by trapping moisture and giving the meatballs a juicy mouthfeel.
To boost meaty flavor, we add glutamate-rich ingredients such as Parmesan cheese, anchovies, and rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms. These meatballs are also flavored with scallions, soy sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil.
Servings: 4
Author: Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread torn into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese grated (½ cup)
  • 6 scallions white parts minced, green parts sliced thin on bias
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
  • salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons white pepper
  • 2 anchovy fillets rinsed and patted dry
  • 1 ½ pounds 85 or 93 percent lean ground turkey
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

Instructions

Prepare the mushrooms:

  • Microwave broth and mushrooms in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute.
  • Let sit until softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Drain mushrooms in fine-mesh strainer and reserve the liquid.

Prepare the bread crumbs:

  • Pulse the bread in a food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses; transfer the bread crumbs to a large bowl (do not wash processor bowl).
  • Add the Parmesan, scallion whites, half of the scallion greens, sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons of gelatin, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon white pepper to the bowl with the bread crumbs and mix until thoroughly combined.

Make the meatballs:

  • Pulse the mushrooms and anchovies in the food processor until chopped fine, 10 to 15 pulses.
  • Add the mushroom mixture, turkey, and egg to bowl with the bread-crumb mixture and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined.
  • Divide the mixture into 16 portions using a #16 portion scoop, (about ¼ cup each).
  • Using your hands, roll each portion into ball.
  • Transfer the meatballs to a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Prepare the gelatin and brown the meatballs:

  • Sprinkle remaining 1 teaspoon gelatin over water in a bowl and let stand until the gelatin softens, about 5 minutes.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  • Add the meatballs and cook until well browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.

Make the sauce:

  • Add garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Increase the heat to high, stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, reserved mushroom liquid, gelatin mixture, and remaining ½ teaspoon of white pepper and bring to a simmer.

Finish and serve:

  • Return the meatballs to the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until meatballs register 160 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes, turning the meatballs once.
  • Transfer the meatballs to a platter.
  • Season the sauce with salt to taste, pour over the meatballs, garnish with remaining scallion greens, and serve.