For this reason, many recipes will include a binding ingredient like egg, and a filler like breadcrumbs. Filler ingredients like breadcrumbs or meatball recipe are important too because they stop the meatballs becoming dry.

The breadcrumbs absorb the juices from the meat as it cooks, trapping them within the meatball. Meatballs pop up in a wide range of different cuisines, and that’s no surprise as they’re simple to serve, easy to eat and a good way of making a relatively small amount of meat go that bit further. They’ll take around 10-15 mins over a medium heat, depending on their size. Cook until they are no longer pink in the middle and any juices run clear. You’ll need to turn them regularly to make sure they cook evenly and retain their round shape. This can be easier and allows you to cook a bigger batch at once. However, if the meatballs have a high meat content they can easily become dry in the oven, so it’s best to try this with recipes that contain a higher proportion of other wetter ingredients such as finely chopped or grated vegetables.

2 or 3 from each sausage. Sausages should already contain a type of breadcrumb called rusk, so they’ll stay juicy and flavourful once fried. Ready-made meatballs are also available and they are just as easy to cook. Most take around 10-15 mins on the hob or under the grill. Just make sure you turn them regularly to make sure they cook evenly.