SPONSORED CONTENT
Making Magic with Meatballs
These savory spheres are rolling onto modern Mexican menus
SPONSORED CONTENT
Making Magic with Meatballs
These savory spheres are rolling onto modern Mexican menus
By Flavor & The Menu
June 17, 2024
By Flavor & The Menu
June 17, 2024
Meatballs, those protein-packed orbs often served with sauce or gravy, enjoy a long-established popularity across global cuisines. And, as today’s chefs continue to invigorate menus with new translations of familiar favorites, they’re looking at the opportunities offered by the humble meatball. What is it about ground meat pressed and rolled into small balls that is so appealing to diners? “Classic, familiar comfort,” says Erich Chieca, Executive Chef, Hormel Foods Culinary Collective. “But, ultimately, it is about their flavor. Meatballs offer an unlimited range of flavor options, from the main protein—be it beef, pork, chicken, turkey or lamb—or even a combination of meats. From there, the ability to customize is endless.”
Chieca cites several characteristics that, in his opinion, define the consummate meatball: texture, bite/mouthfeel, size and flavor. “To me the perfect meatball must have whole milk ricotta cheese blended into the meat mixture—it lends a silky texture and unique depth of flavor,” he says. Size matters, of course, depending on the role the ingredient plays in the final dish. “A 1- to 1.5-oz. meatball is great for sandwiches and most pastas. A 2-oz. meatball offers enhanced visual in a pasta dish or if meatballs are featured as an appetizer. Smaller, 0.5-oz. meatballs are ideal for soups or pastas with more than one protein.”
Given unflagging diner interest in authentic Mexican, Mexican-inspired and American-Mexican cuisines, chefs and menu developers are casting for new, flavor-forward ways to satisfy this demand. Meatballs can serve as a low-risk, high-impact ingredient in many dishes that deliver a Mexican flavor story, whether as a star that elevates and transforms familiar dishes in unexpected ways or as a supporting player that provides subtle texture and flavor interest.
Meatballs may not be the heaviest scratch-prep lift in a foodservice kitchen, but savvy operators managing thin margins recognize the value of products that can provide labor-saving benefits without any compromise in quality. When it comes to exploring new applications in the Mexican flavor space, Burke Corporation’s line of fully-cooked and seasoned BURKE® Mexican-Inspired premium meat toppings provides the advantages—including economies of scale, 100% product yield, reduced food safety risk, product consistency and menu versatility—that can make all the difference.
PLAY BALL
The BURKE® line features six varieties of meatballs, sausage and beef crumbles that take flavor inspiration from Mexico’s seven culinary regions. These products may be small in size, but they deliver a big, bold taste plus a bounty of menu inspirations, thanks to their versatility and ease of use. Let’s get the ball rolling by exploring menu opportunities featuring three products.
Pork & Beef Meatballs with Albondigas-Style Seasonings
Albondigas means “meatballs” in Spanish, although it’s often translated more specifically as “small meatballs.” Fundamentally, they are savory meatballs that are key ingredients in a number of cherished dishes in both Mexico and Spain. “In Mexico, albondigas are featured in a simple broth with vegetables, while in Spain, the meatballs are generally served as an appetizer or main course in a rich tomato sauce,” says Chieca. “A classic albondigas meatball will feature rice, garlic, fresh breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and cilantro and/or mint. Burke’s version pays homage to this tradition using several of the same ingredients.”
Above, the product is used for an Albondigas Meatball Flatbread, a fresh twist on conventional flatbread applications, which often use crumbles as the protein format. Turning instead to a meatball product offers visual distinction—especially if they are sliced, notes Chieca. To make this dish, he would start with a rustic flatbread brushed with olive oil and seasoned with a Mexican spice blend. “Then, I’d top it with enchilada sauce, a Mexican cheese blend, the Albondigas meatballs sliced into thirds and a sprinkle of Cotija cheese. It would be finished with sliced, fresh jalapeños and a drizzle with of avocado crema.”
Here, the Albondigas-style meatballs are featured in Mexican Meatball Soup. While this is a traditional Mexican dish, Chieca notes that it’s only one example of soups that can be enhanced by adding savory meatballs. “A rich broth, different vegetables and a Burke meatball—there are different soup varieties that can be built around the flavor profile of the meatball, while staying in the Mexican pantry,” he says, knowing that American diners are continuing to develop their palate for such applications. “Our product line offers operators the ability to customize their soup offerings and expand their creativity without waste or added labor.”
Beef Meatballs with Smoky Chipotle Seasonings
These meatballs offer a rich beef flavor, accentuated with the underlying smokiness of the chipotle (aka roasted jalapeño peppers). “It’s not spicy,” Chieca affirms. “It has a nice, smoky-sweet flavor profile.” Here, they are featured in an authentic Mexican Meatball Torta, a street cart favorite south of the border. (For guests less familiar with the broad range of Mexican cuisine, the dish could be positioned as a classic meatball sub with Mexican stylings.)
To create this dish, Chieca would use a bolillo roll, split and brushed on the inside with avocado crema. He’d add seared kale, as well as the chipotle meatballs tossed in enchilada sauce. “I’d top it with asadero and Cotija cheeses and finish with drizzles of roja street sauce and more avocado crema,” he notes.
Chorizo Sausage Crumbles
Inventive chefs can lean into the popularity of savory balls of flavor without using a conventional meatball. Here, Chorizo Spanish Rice Balls feature Chorizo Sausage Crumbles, offered in both pork and chicken varieties. “These have a rich depth of flavor from many seasonings, including roasted ancho peppers, garlic, cumin and smoked paprika,” says Chieca.
Breaking briefly from Mexican applications, Chieca excitedly points to menu opportunities featuring crumbles from other Burke product lines: “A chef could make a cool arancini with any of our Italian-flavor crumbles. Create a spicy Italian sausage ricotta arancini with Parmesan and Asiago cheeses served with a garlic marina dipping sauce. Or how about a breakfast bite using breakfast sausage crumbles and bacon?”
THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT
Meatballs can be used across all dayparts, tapping into Mexican flavors and traditional dishes and launching from there, says Chieca. “Operators only need to use their creativity to build menu items tailored to their customer base.”
The versatile BURKE® Mexican-Inspired product line makes for a valuable pantry partner as chefs explore opportunities to leverage the popularity of Mexican cuisine along with an enduring affinity for savory meatballs with their simple, power-packed flavor bite. From their scratch-made feel to the benefits of reduced labor costs, zero waste and no yield loss and the customization spectrum they offer, these products provide unparalleled advantages to today’s chefs.
Click here to learn more about the meatballs, sausages and beef crumbles in Burke Corporation’s Mexican-Inspired product line.
Meatballs, those protein-packed orbs often served with sauce or gravy, enjoy a long-established popularity across global cuisines. And, as today’s chefs continue to invigorate menus with new translations of familiar favorites, they’re looking at the opportunities offered by the humble meatball. What is it about ground meat pressed and rolled into small balls that is so appealing to diners? “Classic, familiar comfort,” says Erich Chieca, Executive Chef, Hormel Foods Culinary Collective. “But, ultimately, it is about their flavor. Meatballs offer an unlimited range of flavor options, from the main protein—be it beef, pork, chicken, turkey or lamb—or even a combination of meats. From there, the ability to customize is endless.”
Chieca cites several characteristics that, in his opinion, define the consummate meatball: texture, bite/mouthfeel, size and flavor. “To me the perfect meatball must have whole milk ricotta cheese blended into the meat mixture—it lends a silky texture and unique depth of flavor,” he says. Size matters, of course, depending on the role the ingredient plays in the final dish. “A 1- to 1.5-oz. meatball is great for sandwiches and most pastas. A 2-oz. meatball offers enhanced visual in a pasta dish or if meatballs are featured as an appetizer. Smaller, 0.5-oz. meatballs are ideal for soups or pastas with more than one protein.”
Given unflagging diner interest in authentic Mexican, Mexican-inspired and American-Mexican cuisines, chefs and menu developers are casting for new, flavor-forward ways to satisfy this demand. Meatballs can serve as a low-risk, high-impact ingredient in many dishes that deliver a Mexican flavor story, whether as a star that elevates and transforms familiar dishes in unexpected ways or as a supporting player that provides subtle texture and flavor interest.
Meatballs may not be the heaviest scratch-prep lift in a foodservice kitchen, but savvy operators managing thin margins recognize the value of products that can provide labor-saving benefits without any compromise in quality. When it comes to exploring new applications in the Mexican flavor space, Burke Corporation’s line of fully-cooked and seasoned BURKE® Mexican-Inspired premium meat toppings provides the advantages—including economies of scale, 100% product yield, reduced food safety risk, product consistency and menu versatility—that can make all the difference.
PLAY BALL
The BURKE® line features six varieties of meatballs, sausage and beef crumbles that take flavor inspiration from Mexico’s seven culinary regions. These products may be small in size, but they deliver a big, bold taste plus a bounty of menu inspirations, thanks to their versatility and ease of use. Let’s get the ball rolling by exploring menu opportunities featuring three products.
Pork & Beef Meatballs with Albondigas-Style Seasonings
Albondigas means “meatballs” in Spanish, although it’s often translated more specifically as “small meatballs.” Fundamentally, they are savory meatballs that are key ingredients in a number of cherished dishes in both Mexico and Spain. “In Mexico, albondigas are featured in a simple broth with vegetables, while in Spain, the meatballs are generally served as an appetizer or main course in a rich tomato sauce,” says Chieca. “A classic albondigas meatball will feature rice, garlic, fresh breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper and cilantro and/or mint. Burke’s version pays homage to this tradition using several of the same ingredients.”
Above, the product is used for an Albondigas Meatball Flatbread, a fresh twist on conventional flatbread applications, which often use crumbles as the protein format. Turning instead to a meatball product offers visual distinction—especially if they are sliced, notes Chieca. To make this dish, he would start with a rustic flatbread brushed with olive oil and seasoned with a Mexican spice blend. “Then, I’d top it with enchilada sauce, a Mexican cheese blend, the Albondigas meatballs sliced into thirds and a sprinkle of Cotija cheese. It would be finished with sliced, fresh jalapeños and a drizzle with of avocado crema.”
Here, the Albondigas-style meatballs are featured in Mexican Meatball Soup. While this is a traditional Mexican dish, Chieca notes that it’s only one example of soups that can be enhanced by adding savory meatballs. “A rich broth, different vegetables and a Burke meatball—there are different soup varieties that can be built around the flavor profile of the meatball, while staying in the Mexican pantry,” he says, knowing that American diners are continuing to develop their palate for such applications. “Our product line offers operators the ability to customize their soup offerings and expand their creativity without waste or added labor.”
Beef Meatballs with Smoky Chipotle Seasonings
These meatballs offer a rich beef flavor, accentuated with the underlying smokiness of the chipotle (aka roasted jalapeño peppers). “It’s not spicy,” Chieca affirms. “It has a nice, smoky-sweet flavor profile.” Here, they are featured in an authentic Mexican Meatball Torta, a street cart favorite south of the border. (For guests less familiar with the broad range of Mexican cuisine, the dish could be positioned as a classic meatball sub with Mexican stylings.)
To create this dish, Chieca would use a bolillo roll, split and brushed on the inside with avocado crema. He’d add seared kale, as well as the chipotle meatballs tossed in enchilada sauce. “I’d top it with asadero and Cotija cheeses and finish with drizzles of roja street sauce and more avocado crema,” he notes.
Chorizo Sausage Crumbles
Inventive chefs can lean into the popularity of savory balls of flavor without using a conventional meatball. Here, Chorizo Spanish Rice Balls feature Chorizo Sausage Crumbles, offered in both pork and chicken varieties. “These have a rich depth of flavor from many seasonings, including roasted ancho peppers, garlic, cumin and smoked paprika,” says Chieca.
Breaking briefly from Mexican applications, Chieca excitedly points to menu opportunities featuring crumbles from other Burke product lines: “A chef could make a cool arancini with any of our Italian-flavor crumbles. Create a spicy Italian sausage ricotta arancini with Parmesan and Asiago cheeses served with a garlic marina dipping sauce. Or how about a breakfast bite using breakfast sausage crumbles and bacon?”
THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT
Meatballs can be used across all dayparts, tapping into Mexican flavors and traditional dishes and launching from there, says Chieca. “Operators only need to use their creativity to build menu items tailored to their customer base.”
The versatile BURKE® Mexican-Inspired product line makes for a valuable pantry partner as chefs explore opportunities to leverage the popularity of Mexican cuisine along with an enduring affinity for savory meatballs with their simple, power-packed flavor bite. From their scratch-made feel to the benefits of reduced labor costs, zero waste and no yield loss and the customization spectrum they offer, these products provide unparalleled advantages to today’s chefs.
Click here to learn more about the meatballs, sausages and beef crumbles in Burke Corporation’s Mexican-Inspired product line.
