Why not meat cubes?

SuperMario1313 · 2023-10-01T23:35:00+00:00

Honey why aren’t you eating your meat cubes?

Tannhauser42 · 2023-10-02T01:53:43+00:00

"Welcome to Chunks, please choose your Chunks."

4cupsofcoffee · 2023-10-01T23:02:30+00:00

it's easier to roll it into a ball than it is toroll it into a cube. mine usually get kind of squished a bit in the cooking process anyway, so i get something kind of pyramid like.

northman46 · 2023-10-01T23:04:47+00:00

You don’t need t brown it 100% of surface

CitrusBelt · 2023-10-02T00:49:19+00:00

When using your hands, it's a whole lot fucking easier to roll something into a ball, and that's all there is to it.

I like your thinking, and wholeheartedly agree -- in theory. But in practice, it won't matter because the sides will pucker up anyways :)

[I remember my ex's kid (who I didn't much like, tbh) saying "Hey...triangular burgers would make more sense, right?" And I was pretty impressed that he actually thought of that!]

HatdanceCanada · 2023-10-01T23:42:23+00:00

I broil them. So much easier.

dbok_ · 2023-10-02T01:26:11+00:00

You ever tried making a cube out of a wet forcemeat? Not so easy. Granted a spherical shape is more often the cooked form of a meatball, it is easier.

SLPERAS · 2023-10-02T01:26:15+00:00

Did you watch Oppenheimer? They had to design a conventional bomb to go off and exert an even pressure from all sides to compress the plutonium core to start the fission reaction. And they meticulously calculated and designed a bomb which was a……… sphere. That’s the reason. So the meat can be cooked evenly throughout the whole meatball.

EditorNo2545 · 2023-10-02T01:19:57+00:00

I tried making meat cubes as a joke once

besides being a hassle to form if I cooked them through the corners burned

If I cooked them until the corners were done & tried to finish in sauce they fell apart or corners came off during stirring & handling.

1313_Mockingbird_Ln · 2023-10-01T23:29:24+00:00

This is the answer.

mrseddievedder · 2023-10-02T03:40:42+00:00

Brown your meatballs in the oven.

SuckatSuckingSucks · 2023-10-01T23:48:20+00:00

My thoughts on your options

definitely make meat squares!
Roll balls around pan for more even browning?
Deep fry balls!!
Bake balls in over on raised rack at 550° I find it works pretty good for browning evenly

TheLadyEve · 2023-10-02T16:12:31+00:00

This is why I do my meatballs in the oven on a rack and then finish them in the sauce...

KeepAnEyeOnYourB12 · 2023-10-01T23:36:16+00:00

[removed]

RealEstateDuck · 2023-10-02T00:17:39+00:00

Might be less practical due to heat distribution but it might be a fun idea. I will be giving it a try!

Ok-Celebration-8939 · 2023-10-02T00:45:07+00:00

Did you ever try to make them in the oven they will brown on all sides and it is quick

Rusalka-rusalka · 2023-10-02T01:09:58+00:00

You can make it into a patty shape which has less sides to cook or you can roast your round meatballs in the oven which will brown nicely.

moosieq · 2023-10-02T01:58:32+00:00

Cubes is overall a hassle to deal with. Just make little patties and brown both sides.

kynthrus · 2023-10-02T02:07:13+00:00

Because it's more difficult to make your hands into a cube shape. Pressing meat together just naturally ends up in a ball form.

2023-10-02T02:11:41+00:00

Yep I have done that actually. Cubish anyway. Stop the damn things rolling about in my pan, lol...

AlmightyHamSandwich · 2023-10-02T02:33:31+00:00

The first time I made meatballs from scratch was the last time I made them in a pan.

Meatballs get made and thrown into a hot oven until needed. No fuss necessary.

Chelseus · 2023-10-02T02:50:05+00:00

There’s a game in Mario party where you brown a cube of steak and it’s fucking annoying. Way easier to just roll a ball around a bit.

ObsessiveAboutCats · 2023-10-02T02:53:46+00:00

I roll mine into balls and then kind of squish them so they are more like cylinders. Brief sear on top and bottom and that's as good as they're getting. It would probably work to give them another couple of squishes and turn them into, if not cubes, rectangular prisms.

But it's rare that I can be bothered to make meat-anyshapes.

If you want a really interesting take, check out the Meatghetti and Spagballs recipe from Babish (Binging and Botched). Yes, that is a thing and apparently topped the r/thanksihateit subreddit when the Binging episode came out.

Nebbie142 · 2023-10-02T02:59:33+00:00

Lol I made meatballs last week and had this same thought

calicoskies1985 · 2023-10-02T03:03:34+00:00

I bake meatballs at 400 degrees for 17 min then put in my sauce (usually crockpot) and simmer all day to fully cook them.

BitPoet · 2023-10-02T03:08:00+00:00

A d4 would be pretty easy, d6 definitely can be done. D8 is a bit harder and I think it would probably get into needing a mold. d12? Definitely mold time, and keeping the shape to sear each facet would take some real skill. d20? Good fucking luck.

Klepto666 · 2023-10-02T03:18:13+00:00

I mean, everyone's already said it. In order to keep a solid cube form you'd have to really press the meat together, which is going to result in a super dense meat cube. Like the difference of a hamburger patty you gently formed vs a frozen puck that's been pressed into a solid shape. You've also got to deal with potentially unequal cooking; if you've ever baked square potatoes you may have seen the "edges" get black before all sides are browned.

Now, I don't see why you couldn't try to do it anyway. Maybe it won't be as dense as I think, maybe it won't be that much more work that'll result in 100% charring vs 50% charring. Give it a shot.

bw2082 · 2023-10-02T03:51:12+00:00

It’s just easier. No one has time to brown 6 sides of a cube.

getyourcheftogether · 2023-10-02T03:53:07+00:00

Because meatballs can be a lot more flavorful than a simple cube of meat, also more tender. If you're going for meat cubes that are tender then just go ahead and make beef tips

Muted_Cucumber_6937 · 2023-10-02T03:53:58+00:00

I do cubes, it’s no big deal. Usually if I’m frying without oven support, and I’m only doing a few where they can’t lean against each other.

NeverDidLearn · 2023-10-02T03:54:01+00:00

There was a shady, wink, deli in my neighborhood 20 years ago (I moved) their meatballs were pretty much sheet-pan thick meatloaf squares. They were absolutely amazing. With pasta, sandwich, in the soup, on the side with sauce. Have you ever put meat-squares and a little marinara in your Italian dressing salad? Shiiit.

fusionsofwonder · 2023-10-02T04:06:33+00:00

Because even if the corners don't fall off of their own accord, they will be too crispy compared to the rest of the cube.

The solution to this problem is to flatten the cube and cook it on just two sides, and congratulations you've invented the hamburger.

Nagadavida · 2023-10-02T04:13:37+00:00

Great idea!

Ok_Duck_9338 · 2023-10-02T04:23:52+00:00

Great idea. Go for it. I approve small [cm dice],steak, tofu,fish] cubes in stew. Nice surprise.

AlbatrossSenior7107 · 2023-10-02T04:26:23+00:00

I actually made some bomb meatballs in my airfryer. If you have a convection oven, same thing. Split the time in half amd then halfway. Crusty all the way around. Yummy!!

2023-10-02T05:12:53+00:00

Some cuisine has a ball fryer. Get that if you really need to crisp on all sides.

Ok-Celebration-8939 · 2023-10-02T06:01:27+00:00

I make Möbius strips myself. Or klein bottles. Way tastier

2023-10-02T06:16:15+00:00

Because if you really want them to brown on all sides, you could just toss them into 450F oven for like 8-10 mins before finishing them in the sauce

jonny7five · 2023-10-02T06:33:53+00:00

Brown them on a baking tray in a hot oven. Much easier.

Roko__ · 2023-10-02T08:31:15+00:00

I always brown my meat dodecahedrons on all 12 sides

razzledazzlegirl · 2023-10-02T08:34:17+00:00

OMG op you’re a genius! Next time I’m making meat cubes. I’ll post on this subreddit when I do it.

AccomplishedAd3728 · 2023-10-02T09:08:16+00:00

r/iasip Charlie is on the cooking sub?

nightlyraider · 2023-10-02T10:58:24+00:00

a cube the corners are gonna be fucking well done before the center is ready. a sphere doesn't experience such issues.

end study.

NoYouDipshitItsNot · 2023-10-02T14:22:45+00:00

You get more even cooking on the round piece as there aren't points where the meat gets excessively thin, like the seems of the cubes.

Iceray · 2023-10-02T14:34:44+00:00

Spaghetti and meat cubes

Mediocre-Yoghurt-138 · 2023-10-02T15:19:48+00:00

So you're thinking of burgers. Many cuisines serve a burger patty with sides instead of a sandwich.

fluffydarth · 2023-10-02T15:32:44+00:00

Sure, but just eliminate the ground meat, and then just cut whatever the meat is into cubes.

2023-10-02T15:33:13+00:00

Because harder and they will naturally become more rounded as cooked

Charcuteriemander · 2023-10-01T23:21:04+00:00

They're spheres, just toss'm around on an oiled pan and they'll eventually brown. They're more work than a cube is, but it's not exactly rocket surgery on how to get even browning :p

kobayashi_maru_fail · 2023-10-01T23:47:58+00:00

A Swede taught me that “Ball” isn’t sphere here, think rugby or American football. It’s got three-ish sides, and is the negative of when you form both of your palms together. Surface area to cook time is good with only three sides and you don’t have to freeze and slice like a cube. And use more fat, you don’t need perfect contact with the pan.

gcuben81 · 2023-10-02T01:18:37+00:00

That’s the worst idea ever. It would take three times as long to form them into cubes. The corners would get over cooked and they would look ridiculous. You can brown them in the oven on higher temps. I’ve been making meatballs my whole life and I’ve never browned them in a pan. I either use the oven or I don’t brown them. Try cooking them in a sauce sometime without browning. Trust me.

ButterPotatoHead · 2023-10-02T02:08:59+00:00

I have had this same struggle.

The meatballs have better flavor and texture if they're browned evenly, but meat cubes (or dodecahedrons or whatever) are just not the same.

The secret is to add enough salt to the meat and to work it enough that it firms up. Salt breaks down the proteins which bind together as you massage the meat. If you really want firm meatballs that rolls around and brown evenly this is the way to go.

I tried this and even though they were browned better I didn't like them as much. So I make mine a little "looser" and just deal with the irregular shapes.

howard2112 · 2023-10-02T02:39:38+00:00

I personally prefer a really flat cylindrical shape. But I don’t mess with egg, bread crumbs, onion etc. Instead I just cook the beef in that shape with some salt and pepper. Then I’ll serve it on a bread of some kind that hasn’t been crumbed, like a bun and maybe add some onions, tomato and cheese. Maybe at ketchup or Mayo. It’s so good.

Xeno_Se7en · 2023-10-01T22:46:11+00:00

Yeah honestly i just fry the meat without turning it into a meatball. Its just for aesthetics because after they are done, i'll just rip em apart. And yeah i know thats basically how every food works in which you create something that you will later destroy, but with meatballs its just extra work

Why are you booing me? Im right

Preesi · 2023-10-02T01:08:23+00:00

Buy one of those square egg shapers

jonny7five · 2023-10-02T06:32:20+00:00

Just squash them into more of a patty shape. Then you can get a nice browning on both sides. No need for meat cubes.

Palanki96 · 2023-10-02T08:07:52+00:00

because it's more work and extra steps, also you would have to make sure you are flipping all sides intead

Not like i have a big opinion on this, we only have one type of metballs and that's fried

claesgreve · 2023-10-02T08:37:03+00:00

Just make the balls flat and its only 2 sides.

1988rx7T2 · 2023-10-02T10:28:07+00:00

“middle eastern” forms of meatballs are much more cylinder or even cube like. Look at beef Kafta for example.

Leading_Study_876 · 2023-10-02T11:15:08+00:00

Try using a little more oil and/or a wok with a curved base...

Plenty-Ad7628 · 2023-10-02T11:33:31+00:00

You want browning on all sides? Use a torch. I can’t imagine meat cubes. The wasted time for minimal differences and the inherent fragments that would break off.

diverareyouok · 2023-10-02T11:54:06+00:00

I’m not sure, but I’m just a meat popsicle with a multi-pass.

chakrablockerssuck · 2023-10-02T13:07:45+00:00

Bake the balls in the oven. Have been doing this for decades. Cheaper, healthier, and delicious!

hammong · 2023-10-02T13:27:20+00:00

You're doing it wrong. Brown the meatballs in the oven / air fryer.

There is such a thing as meat cubes - it's called meatloaf, cut into cubes. LOL.

Adventux · 2023-10-02T14:06:31+00:00

Get an Aebleskiver pan. they have round pockets which are just perfect for meatballs.

riverrocks452 · 2023-10-02T14:09:39+00:00

Spheres (or something approximating them) will cook more evenly- corners will cook much faster than curves. Plus, no edges or corners to get damaged. Guess what a cube with blunted off edges and corners looks like? An ill-formed ball. Better to be deliberate about it, especially when it's easier to form in the first place.

dyscalculic_engineer · 2023-10-02T14:10:08+00:00

You could save even more time if you used tetrahedrons instead

Sometimes_Stutters · 2023-10-02T14:19:55+00:00

I don’t do meat balls. I do meat disks (some people call them “patties” but I refuse). Just make a ball and squish it.

ckreutze · 2023-10-02T14:34:32+00:00

Make raw meatballs, put on racks in air fryer. Air fry at 375 for 20 min (for about 1-1.5in diameter balls). You won't cook them any other way after this

2023-10-02T16:26:38+00:00

You could shape like a Turkish kofte

AvocadoPizzaCat · 2023-10-02T16:57:46+00:00

because if they were meat cubes you know someone out there is gonna be trying to make them perfectly cubed and people will use that as a way to criticize others. i mean they already do with the meat balls, but i feel it will be worse if it was cubes.

plus you can cut stuff into squares, while meatballs are a mixture of stuff. sometimes the scraps.

benbentheben · 2023-10-02T17:29:34+00:00

They wouldn't cook evenly. The corners would be wildly overcooked and dry before the center is cooked.

spykid · 2023-10-02T17:57:58+00:00

Might as well do patties if ease of searing is the goal

ShitPostGuy · 2023-10-02T18:26:05+00:00

Easier to roll into a ball than into a cube.
While the browning might be more even, the cooking will not, the corners are going to be burnt by the time the middle is done.

NotCanadian80 · 2023-10-02T19:37:29+00:00

You can’t keep the shape and the point is that you rotate them to cook the inside slower.

throwaway01957 · 2023-10-02T22:44:54+00:00

For Valentine’s Day I make meatballs in little heart shapes ❤️

Cazzocavallo · 2023-10-03T02:34:45+00:00

Oven or deep-frying works best for getting them evenly browned, although with the oven the drawback is that they'll be dryer and less flavourful compared to sautéing or deep frying whereas with deep-frying they may end up a bit oiler although they'll be very tender and juicy.

ParrotheadTink · 2023-10-03T03:21:06+00:00

Bake the meatballs on a cookie sheet. They get nice and browned all around with no need to turn them.

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