For Even Browning, Your Meatball Placement Really Matters

Meatballs are found in countless cuisines around the world, and everyone makes them a little differently. You can enjoy these hearty, comforting spheres of protein in a sauce or curry as the main dish; tossed inside a homemade meatball sub, into a salad, or onto a pizza; or by themselves as a party-friendly appetizer. It's a delectable experience no matter what.

Meatballs can be boiled or baked, but frying and baking are popular techniques because of the brown crust, distinctive taste, and tantalizing aroma that develop via the Maillard reaction. Browning meatballs not only gives them an appetizing crispness and color, but the resultant golden-brown shell also helps them to hold their shape, especially when they are added to a sauce or stew to cook further. This is why it's especially important to brown each meatball evenly, the success of which depends on how you arrange them in a pan or on a baking sheet.

Let's say you choose to pan-fry your meatballs. Now, some recipes may tell you to simply roll your meatballs around in the pan for five minutes until they are brown on the outside, but this often results in uneven cooking and a patchy exterior. Instead, try America's Test Kitchen's two-part hack, the secret of which is how you place meatballs in the pan and then turn them. Start by putting the first meatball in the pan, close to the handle, and then arrange the rest in a clockwise spiral. (Try not to overcrowd the pan, as they'll steam instead of fry). The key is to flip the meatballs one side at a time in the same order, ensuring that all of the meatballs are cooked for the same amount of time on all sides and become evenly browned.

Surprisingly, America's Test Kitchen says you can pull off similar results by baking your meatballs, which is much easier if you're serving a crowd. The secret is to set them on a greased wire rack positioned on top of a sheet tray. This way, hot air is able to get underneath the meatballs as well as on top, so they brown all over. And now, they're ready for whatever sauce or fixings you like, such as the sweet and savory sauce in a teriyaki meatballs recipe.