HELP! making meatballs for dinner, no almond flour!

[Jhana]

Hello! I am making meatballs for dinner in the slow cooker.  All the recipes call for almond meal or flour, which I don't have and can't get (sick kid at home). Does anyone have any ideas on what I could use to help bind them?

[ladyshanny]

Didn't notice you mentioned slow cooker......that's a tough one because there will be a lot more liquid so they are more likely to fall apart.  Do you have coconut flour or even arrowroot powder? Those might work?

 

You don't necessarily need a binder but you can use an egg if you like.  I never use one.

 

Per pound of meat, Mel Joulwan uses the following to tenderize the meat.  Basically just mix those three in a bowl, get the rest of your ingredients ready and then dump the liquid in and mix the meat and then form balls per normal.

 

2 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

[GlennR]

Tapioca starch works. Eggs can help, too.

[Jhana]

it doesn't have to be the slow cooker. does that make it easier?

[ladyshanny]

it doesn't have to be the slow cooker. does that make it easier?

It might make them stand up better if you were to bake them first.  That way you almost certainly don't need a binder, they'll get crispy on the outside and then you can bake them in a sauce (we LOVE baked meatballs) or do whatever with them.  I've never made meatballs in the slow cooker with out using a binder like conventional flour...just not sure how that would work.  They'd be super tender, no doubt!

[Jhana]

thanks!