How to Cook Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs?
Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs are a great time-saving idea for a delicious and nutritious meal. I love these delicious meatballs because I can make them when I’m in a hurry, but they also work great when I want to take my time and experiment. Even if you are a newbie in the culinary department, you’ll have no trouble making them.
I know that making a meal can be a bother when you’re out of ideas. Below you can find both ideas and how to make them happen! So, how to cook Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs?
Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs Cooking Instructions
Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs are pre-cooked, so your job is already taken care of for the most part. Still, you can always use having the steps lined up for you. So, below I share my method of cooking this delicious dish!
Step 1: Thawing the Meatballs
Since you get your Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs frozen, you’ll need to thaw them before cooking. You can either let them thaw in the fridge overnight or thaw them at room temperature. If you aren’t in a hurry, I recommend the fridge since the sudden change in temperature may damage the integrity of the meat.
Also, frozen meatballs and ground meat, in general, tend to release liquid when cooked directly from frozen. This makes the meat dehydrate quickly, giving you stiff and dry meatballs. So, thawing is pretty much a critical step in this cooking procedure.
If you decide to thaw the meatballs at room temperature, let them thaw naturally on the counter. Don’t try to speed up the process by placing them in a bowl with warm water or on a warm surface.
Step 2: Cooking Process
You can cook your Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs either in the oven or in the microwave. I prefer the oven since it produces a much better flavor. You can use the microwave, of course, but in my experience, the meatballs come out a bit watery, but if you don’t mind, go for it.
If you use the microwave, place the thawed meatballs inside and set the timer to three minutes. Check the level of doneness of the meatballs and continue microwaving them until you are satisfied with the results. Make each subsequent cycle 30 seconds shorter than the previous one to avoid overdoing them.
If you use the oven, like me, the first thing to do is preheat the oven. If you pop the meatballs in a cold oven, the gradual heating could cause the meatballs to stiffen and become greasy since the fats will likely surface.
Set the temperature at about 150 °C, i.e., 300 °F, and let the oven preheat for about ten to 15 minutes before popping the meatballs inside. Carefully take the meatballs out of the tray and place them on a parchment paper-covered baking tray.
You can also spray the meatballs with cooking oil to add a little moisture to their surface. No seasoning is necessary, but if you want to, you can sprinkle some salt and dried herbs for extra aroma and flavor.
Make sure to leave enough space between the meatballs, and don’t place them too close to each other. They need space around them to cook properly without sticking or dehydrating.
Usually, turkey meatballs require about 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven at around 375 °F, i.e., 190 °C. Still, don’t rely solely on time and check the level of doneness of your meatballs after about ten minutes.
Step 3: Resting
Once you remove the Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs from the oven, let them rest for a while. The biggest and most common mistake people tend to make in such cases is leaving the meatballs inside the oven after they are done.
Since the oven is turned off, it is no longer heating, giving condensation a chance to emerge. This means that your meatballs will absorb the condensed liquid and become soggy. So, once your meatballs are done cooking, remove them from the oven immediately and let them rest for ten minutes before you serve them.
If you want to leave them in the oven, open the hatch so that the steam can escape.
What to Serve With Shady Brook Farms Meatballs?
The best part about these meatballs is the serving. You can serve and enjoy your Shady Brook meatballs with virtually everything. From salads to sauces to bread, or veggies, everything goes, so take your pick and enjoy!
I like to let my meatballs simmer in marinara sauce and have them over mashed potatoes. If you want, you can make mini-burgers with fries and salad.
If you are on a restrictive diet, these meatballs and a simple green salad make a delicious meal. Rice, quinoa, bulgur, or beans are all great ideas to serve your meatballs.
Roasted, grilled, or steamed veggies are always a great side; French onion soup or mushroom soup are also excellent pairs to these meatballs. Pies and various types of bread always come in handy.
Fresh and creamy salads and countless sauces and dips or cheese platters are excellent ways to serve your turkey meatballs as a snack.
How to Store Leftovers?
The biggest mistake in storing this dish is leaving it at room temperature, thinking that it will survive because it’s fully cooked. If you want to enjoy these meatballs as long as possible, you must store them properly.
The first thing you have to do is place them in a suitable airtight container. If you plan on storing them short term, you can place them in a place and cover them with tin foil. You can also wrap them in tin foil and place them in a regular plastic container if you don’t have an airtight one.
Your meatballs will be safe in the fridge for about three to five days. If you want to store them longer, you can always freeze them. You can either place them in a freezer baggy or in an airtight container.
Be careful not to place anything heavy on top of the baggy-packed meatballs.
How do you like this recipe? Are you up to trying it out? You can also rate the recipe, but I would love to hear about your experience in the comments below!
Shady Brook Farms Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pack Shady Brook Farms Italian Style Turkey Meatballs
Instructions
- Firstly, thaw your meatballs.
- Set the temperature of the oven at about 150 °C, i.e., 300 °F, and let the oven preheat for about 10 to 15 minutes before popping the meatballs inside.
- In the meantime, carefully take the meatballs out of the package and place them on a parchment-paper-covered baking tray. Make sure to leave enough space between the meatballs, and don't place them too close to each other.
- Spray the meatballs with cooking oil to add a little moisture to their surface.
- Bake them for about 15-20 minutes at around 375 °F, i.e., 190 °C. Check the level of doneness of your meatballs after about ten minutes.
- Your meatballs should be done after about 17 minutes, but if you want to make sure, try one, and if it's done, remove them from the oven.
- Let your meatballs rest for ten minutes before you serve them.
- Serve your meatballs with one of the recommendations from the article, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
