Start Rolling Meatballs Like This And Never Worry About Messy Hands Again

Everyone loves tender, flavorful meatballs that'd make your nonna proud, but not everyone enjoys making them. Simply put, rolling meatballs by hand can be messy: Sticky palms and fingers, uneven portioning, and constant rinsing in the sink make a quick and simple meal prep frustrating. This is where time-saving kitchen hacks for home cooks come in handy. A video shared by TikTok user bryngarr showcased a genius trick for making perfectly round meatballs without getting your hands dirty.

Start by spraying the inside of a glass with a little cooking spray or oil. You can use a wine glass like bryngarr, or you can also use a mason jar. Once the inside is wet with oil, scoop a portion of the meat mixture into the glass, then start swirling the stemware until the meat forms a ball, and then remove it by rolling the ball out of the glass.

"This technique is particularly useful for individuals who prefer to avoid direct contact with uncooked meat," wrote bryngarr, who's a retired nurse, in the video's caption. "The cooking spray acts as a non-stick barrier, making the process clean and efficient." 

@bryngarr

My daughter-in-law sent me this little cooking hack from Mel Lapela last night and I had to give it a try! I sprayed my glass with a little cooking spray to make sure the meat didn't stick. This worked like a charm and would be great for those folks who don't want to touch uncooked meat. #creatorsearchinsights #cookinghacks #cookingtrick #kitchentips #foodhacks

♬ Chas Cha Cha – Charlie Brissette

Rolling meatballs by hand is an age-old technique, but it isn't foolproof. It's one of those common kitchen habits that can give you food poisoning if proper hygiene is not practiced. Hands can easily transfer harmful bacteria from surfaces to the meat and vice versa. TikToker bryngarr's hack limits contact with hands to ensure that the meatballs do not get contaminated. It also makes it easy to produce uniform meatballs with minimal effort, since scooping the same amount of meat mixture into the glass already guarantees equal portioning. Not only that,  the speed at which a glass can shape the meat into balls makes this trick very helpful when cooking for a crowd or preparing large batches of meatballs.

Making meatballs by hand requires an inordinate amount of oil just so the meat does not stick to your palms and fingers. With the hack, you don't have to worry about messy hands and cleanup, since you no longer need to touch the meat with your hands. You also won't have to deal with sticky residue on your countertops and utensils, because you will only be working with a single glass for an entire batch of meatballs. For both stemmed glass and mason jars, you can simply wash them over the sink or place them in the dishwasher afterward.