Savory Italian Meatballs Or Meatloaf

Total Time: 2 hrs 5 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 5 lbs ground beef
• 1/2 cup italian style breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
• 1 lb hot italian sausage (optional)
• 2 tablespoons emeril's italian spice essence
• 3 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce

Recipe

• 1 wash your hands.
• 2 form your ground beef into a tube on a large cutting board. cut a slice down the middle of the tube forming a pocket along it's length.
• 3 remove the italian sausage (optional) from casing and place it into the pocket, then sprinkle all other ingredients over it (except the spaghetti sauce).
• 4 knead your ground beef tube with your hands until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
• 5 form your meatballs rolling them with the palms of your hands.
• 6 if you are making meatloaf instead of meatballs, form your meatloaf tightly and bake it on a broiler pan (so the grease will drain through the holes) at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. during the last 10 minutes of cooking, pour your favorite spaghetti sauce over your meatloaf. when the meatloaf is done, it is ready to serve.
• 7 place your meatballs on tin foil in a large roasting pan. roast at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. this recipe makes about 50 meatballs. you may need to use 2 roasting pans depending on your pan size. remove from oven when done.
• 8 pour your sauce (i always use paul newman's sockarooni sauce) into a crockpot until it is about 1/2 full. add your meatballs and cover with a bit more sauce. freeze any extra meatballs or set them aside in your fridge for a second serving later.
• 9 set your crockpot on high. your meatballs will be ready to serve in about 1 hour.
• 10 try to keep the crowd back once word spreads about the juicy italian flavor. whatver else is happening at your party, a line will always be formed in front of your meatballs.