Me again.....Meatballs again......cooking them?

[ScaryMonsterStories]

Have made pork meatballs, based loosely on delias recipe.

Currently sitting in the fridge resting.

When I cook them can I brown them then stick them in the oven for 20mins (so I can make my sauce in the pan I fry meatballs to use 'flavour')? Will they go rubbery or tough or self destruct if I do that?

Can I reheat meatballs? (DP won't be home till late and I have made too many for me and DDs, and we have put rather a lot of garlic in )

Why is my kitchen in such a mess?

personally I find meatballs benefit from longer cooking and become deliciously tender.

So what I do is brown the meatballs, put them on a plate, make the sauce in the pan, put the meatballs back in the pan, put the pan in the oven on low for at least 45 mins.

I also reheat them in the oven or on the hob no problem

Admits to buying Ikea frozen meatballs and the cream sauce to go with them mmmmm.

Do you just do them in a tomatoe sauce?

I have a couple of cartons of passata. Was going to saute some ultra finely chopped onions, celery, peppers & garlic. Add the passata and simmer for 5 mins. Shall I pop in the oven at this stage?

Also they are pork, will that matter?

Scary - that's what I do - I always make a tomato sauce of some kind and then bung the meatballs back in it, bring back to the boil and shove in the oven

I usually do beef or lamb, but I'm sure pork will be lovely too.

I presume I will need to cover pan so sauce doesn't evapourate?

oh yes cover pan to keep moisture in - like casseroling them

is your pan ovenproof - I don't want you melting any handles

No it is not - but I had that one covered. Will do them in my wok and transfer to my oval roaster.

great - hope they turn out well

TY....so do I my kitchen is a bloody tip as a result...I hope they are worth it.

Must go and start frying if I am to bake for 45mins.

One more Q, I don't think my sauce will completely cover meatballs, will tehy be alright or will I need to make more sauce?

Please come back. You are so helpful. This is hte last Q I promise hope....

[begging]

my meatballs stick half out of the sauce, and I turn them about halfway through the cooking. Also you will have a tight-fitting lid on them so they kind of steam - remember the oven must be low - I use about 120C - if it's too high the sauce bubbles away and dries up too much.

1/2 out the sauce is probably what I am expecting. Don't have a tight fitting lid (I broke that (am going to by an iron coated enamel one for XMas I think as I break at least 1 casserole dish every year), was going to use foil. Will be OK I think.