Low carb option for meatballs 2replace breadcrumbs

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uli, Mar 10, 6:06am
I often make small meatballs for snacks which are literally just mince, herbs, salt and pepper. You can add psyllium husks if you feel like it, but the above mix will make nice little meatballs.

I line them up in my big frypan with no oil or anything as my mince is fatty enough and then when I have formed them all I just switch on the heat and first they will cook a little in their own juice, and later once they have firmed up a little and the liquid evaporated I carefully turn each one and they fry in their own fat.

Once done you can use them as snacks (they keep in the fridge for a week or longer) or in any recipe you want to cook. They also freeze well.
strathview, Mar 10, 8:05pm
I use the creamy porridge oats when making my burger patties. Helps them to retain their size and shape and the oats are really good fibre. I have also used cooked short grain rice to extend my mince patties when I have had to feed a few extras.
jan2242, Mar 10, 8:45pm
I don't use anything, just mould the balls tightly then microwave them for a bit before frying or adding to whatever. They stay held together that way. i have used psyllium but find it makes anything a bit 'gluey' in texture. I wonder if ground chia seeds would work?
baalamb, Mar 12, 1:20am
I use lsa quite a lot for things like these. I have even replaced half flour amount in recipes like fruit loaves with lsa ori used a combination of lsa, milk powder and flour.
wildflower, Mar 12, 1:28am
What about cooked quinoa?
kmole, Mar 12, 1:37am
Almond flour/meal?
trogedon, Mar 12, 3:24am
I hope you're not pretending to be caring about your health by trying to go low carb on breadcrumbs. If you were interested in your health you wouldn't be eating the egg and mince!
uli, Mar 12, 5:47am
Now here is a thought how not to be healthy :)
Why not go the full hog then and eat soybeans? After all that is what the hunter/gathers ate aye?
trogedon, Mar 12, 6:33am
It would be nice if you knew what you were typing about but you DON’T neither human health wise nor historically.
huntlygirl, Mar 12, 11:29am
I didn't have rolled oats or bread crumbs the other night so used couscous it made a lovely texture.
uli, Mar 14, 7:23am
Look trogedon - we will never agree on what is healthy eating aye? So why not just give up?
Of course I could swamp you with my biochemistry knowledge, but then you would just counter with something like ". do you believe in. "
and I would say "NO" . " we do not believe" in science - we check things out.
I will not go further but it is easy to google what the difference is between "believing" (works great for "Christians") . and what science is checking out.
timturtle, Mar 14, 8:53am
Lol Plus 1 from me Uli AND Amen to that
dibble35, Mar 17, 3:04am
I have a meatball recipe that i really love (countdown recipe) which uses egg and breadcrumbs to bind the mince etc together. What are some options to replace the breadcrumbs as im trying going low carb. I brought some Psyllium husks today. would these work? Thanks.
davidt4, Mar 17, 3:16am
I haven't tried psyllium husks ( I use rolled oats in place of breadcrumbs) but I think it's a good idea. Psyllium husk powder is often used as a binder in low carb cakes and breads, it forms a gel with liquid, so give it a go and let us know. I would try a fairly small quantity, maybe a flat tab to 500g of minced meat.

By the way, you don't actually need egg or breadcrumbs to bind meatballs - the salt acts with the protein to bind the mixture if you mix it well and knead for a few minutes.
dibble35, Mar 17, 3:45am
Cool thanks. I think I tried making this recipe once without breadcrumbs. I had cut out sugar only at the time and I was shocked what was in breadcrumbs when i read the list of ingredients. Recipe didnt work the same. But having said that im trying half beef and half pork mince this time so its going to be diff anyway.
poppit15, Mar 17, 4:22am
How about using oatbran - dukan diet which is all low carb using oatbran a lot
kaddiew, Mar 17, 4:50am
Rolled oats do work well in meatballs, and eggs aren't necessary.
dibble35, Mar 17, 5:57am
Thanks, yes i wish I hadnt added the egg, was very wet mix. Added 4 teaspoons of Psyllium husks and ended up adding a cup of rolled oats. Tasted rather good and even though it upped the carbs a fair bit it was still within my limits for the day. So all good.
mousiemousie, Mar 17, 6:07am
Leave them out. I have never used breadcrumbs in meatballs.
lythande1, Mar 17, 7:33pm
Skip any crumb type thing altogether. It's perfectly possible to make meatballs without it. It's just to bulk it out cheaply.
mecanix, Mar 17, 7:56pm
use carrot to bulk them up. or courgette. sometimes i use pine nuts. or just plain mince with seasoning and herbs.

i never use egg so never need anything to dry them out
mecanix, Mar 17, 7:59pm
with the courgette sometimes i slice them about 5 mil thick. cook them in a tiny amount of oil so they go like potatoe chips. chop the buggers up and use them as i would crumbs.

the more colour. . more flavour.
hd07, Mar 17, 8:09pm
Just leave the egg and breadcrumbs out. You won't need them with a beef and pork mince combination. There is enough fat in the pork to bind it.
malcovy, Mar 17, 8:40pm
You really do have such a wonderful, reliable source of knowledge and you are generous to pass it on, thank you.
uli, Mar 18, 6:03am
Hi timturtle - good to see you are still around. So sad the low carb site is gone aye? I used to post lots of scientific research links etc and all of this is now gone.