Why'd my (first attempt at) neatballs fall apart? perhaps because I didn't let them cool completely before putting them in the sauce? (following directions would just take all the fun out of everything, ya' know! :)

I also felt like I had to knead each ball a little bit, so it'd hold its shape but (possibly b/c they didn't cool enough, before simmering) they seemed a stringy ... some stringy is good, these were a little too stringy.

ps: Thanks for the pumpkin seed info ... at least, roasting pumpkin seeds isn't (yet) above my culinary skill ... I don't know what's happening to me in the kitchen lately!

Bryanna
Owner/Moderator
2428 posts
Jan 22, 2009
5:16 PM

Here is a chat I had with another reader a while back on the same subject:

10:01 AM
Ruthlyn: Hi Bryanna....I tried your neatballs on Sunday, but now I'm thinking that maybe your TVP granules might have been smaller than mine

I had difficulty getting the balls to hold together

what did I do wrong?

10:07 AM
me: Hi, Ruthlyn! It seems that vital wheat gluten can vary, from what subscribers have told me! Try using a little less gluten next time. And press FIRMLY! It is normal to lose a few crumbs, though. Cheers, Bryanna

10:08 AM
Ruthlyn: I got the Bob Red Mills brand and I squeezed for all I was worth

most of my TVP got left behind although I even ventured to add a little more gluten flour....I don't know what happened

10:11 AM
me: Use LESS gluten flour next time-- it gets very tough sometimes and may not "accept" the tvp.

Ruthlyn: ooooh!

got u!

frances
18 posts
Jan 23, 2009
8:15 AM

yeah, quite a bit of my tvp got left behind, too ... i tried to get the bottom, smaller pieces. lol, i also, sprinkled in a little more gluten when they weren't holding together.

i will keep trying, though ... I can tell these will be better than store-bought, if i can get the texture right! :)

thanks!

Last Edited on 23-Jan-2009 8:15 AM