Spicy Meatball Banh Mi Recipe - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

Why are Vietnamese meatballs chewy? ›

Some of the Bò Viên brands you would find at Asian stores are very chewy due to the hàn the (borax) that is added. In oriental cooking, hàn the used as a cooking ingredient is to add a firm rubbery texture to the food, or as a preservative.

An authentic Lion's head meatball recipe that uses breadcrumbs, water chestnuts, and aromatics to make super light, fluffy and juicy meatballs that are bursting with flavor. Chinese pork meatballs are also called lion's head (狮子头, shi zi tou). They feature tender, moist, and light meatballs with a savory taste.

Baking soda acts as a meat tenderizer by changing the physical composition of meat fibers. It raises the pH levels on the surface and makes it tougher (pun intended) for the proteins in the meat to bond.

If the meatballs are packed together too tightly, they will cook up rubbery, chewy, and tough. If the meatballs are different sizes, they will cook unevenly. The smaller meatballs may end up dry and overcooked, while the larger ones may end up undercooked.

All you need is some ground beef, plus milk, eggs, breadcrumbs, and a few seasonings. The secret to these sweet and sour meatballs is the deliciously sticky sauce. (and the sauce ingredients are super simple to grab!) Not only is it soaked into every bite, but it creates a glossy coating that lets these beauties shine!

Vietnamese beef balls (bò viên) consist of ground beef and seasonings that have been churned into a paste, and formed into round balls, similar to fish balls. They are most commonly served in Vietnamese beef pho noodle soup.

The meatballs are a pretty simple mix of ground chicken, garlic, ginger, and lots of black pepper. Roll this all together, then pan-fry the meatballs in a bit of olive oil to get them nice and crispy on the outside. At this point, add in the shallots, bell peppers, and peanuts.

But being ball-shaped is not enough: meatballs should also be tender to the bite. To get the meat to form balls without being tough when cooked, mixing must be kept to a minimum. Mix by hand just until the ingredients smooth out and become hom*ogeneous.

What are Vietnamese beef balls? Vietnamese beef balls (bò viên) consist of ground beef and seasonings that have been churned into a paste, and formed into round balls, similar to fish balls. They are most commonly served in Vietnamese beef pho noodle soup.

Meatballs should not be chewy or bouncy. Rather they should be light and finely textured. No, you don't want them to fall apart, but holding together just well enough to avoid that is perfect. Meatballs get tough when they are overmixed.

Why are my beef meatballs tough? ›

More Reasons Your Meatballs are Hard

Sticky hands can result in an overworked farcemeat. Too much time spent forming the balls can also make them tough, and you're more likely to overwork them if you can't get them off your hands.