Matzoh Ball Soup: Tips and Tricks?

**BeanDip4All** · 10-30-2009, 10:42 AM

Sadly, after much primary and secondary research, I am woe to reach the conclusion that there is no good matzoh ball soup in this god-forsaken city (damnimissnyc, damnimissnyc). Therefore to satisfy my needs I am going to have to HTF up and make my own matzoh balls.

Any tips and tricks, o' wise and seasoned matzoh makers?

From my [ame="http://www.amazon.com/New-York-Cookbook-Firehouses-Restaurants/dp/089480698X"]NYC-native cookbook[/ame], I've got two award-winning recipes, but I'm not sure which one to go with.

The matzoh balls I yearn for with mouthwatering lust were softball sized, fluffy but hearty, flaky, and flavorful. One of the recipes I have calls for vodka and seltzer. The other one, "Sheila Rosenbaum's No-Fail Floaters" is pretty simple- just matzoh meal, salt, eggs, and broth.

Any tips, tricks or beloved recipes to help a gal out? Should I just quit while I'm ahead and have PJ Bernstein overnight me a couple quarts?

**rideit** · 10-30-2009, 10:44 AM

Garlic powder, onion powder, and a touch of cayenne into the balls.
Rendered chicken fat.

**crackboy** · 10-30-2009, 11:00 AM

be aware they will suck a lot of the broth up if you cook them in soup

**rideit** · 10-30-2009, 11:09 AM

Good point.
Don't serve them in the same broth you cook them with, it will come out too cloudy. Make a different broth to put them in just before serving. A wee bit of turmeric helps them visually as well.

Oh, do NOT 'roll' them like meatballs, just roughly form them, they will come out a tad fluffier. You want floaters, not sinkers.

**MMP** · 10-30-2009, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by rideit

Rendered chicken fat.

you have to call it Schmaltz when cooking matzoh ball soup. Don't cook the balls in soup.

when i was in high school i came home high one day and mom was making MB soup. I grabbed some matzoh balls and broth and sat down to eat. mom watched in amazement as i ate the water she was boiling the matzoh balls in. wish i'd seen the soup in the next pot over. busted. thats why they call it dope i guess

**newschoolerz** · 10-30-2009, 11:16 AM

wanna tip? Motsa balls suck ass. Get some campbells chicken noodle and save yourself the time. that one's free.

**Pegleg** · 10-30-2009, 11:26 AM

^^^
Spoken like someone that's never had real matzoh ball soup (and can't spell it, either). Campbell's chicken noodle soup is for 6 year olds; it just tastes like salt and msg.

Tips:
- Separate the yolks from the egg whites and beat the egg whites until fluffy, then gently fold the whites into the batter. This will add some air and make them fluffier.

- Schmaltz makes them taste better, but IMHO vegetable oil makes them fluffier. Follow your preference.

- Herbs can be fun - thyme or dill are favorites of mine. Always add garlic powder and onion powder (one of the few instances where powders are better than fresh).

- Don't over-handle; use wet hands and just barely form into a ball before dropping into the boiling water/broth (separate from the soup).

**Sinecure** · 10-30-2009, 12:09 PM

Max's actually has pretty good MB Soup. If you like big, fluffy balls. Other than Max's I only eat Matzoh Balls made by my mother or my aunt.

**EarlyWood** · 10-30-2009, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by rideit

.. and a touch of cayenne into the balls.

"the pearl" ain't gonna like that BD

**dk_alaskan** · 10-30-2009, 12:23 PM

to keep it kosher, do you have to use jewish balls instead of gentile balls?

**BeanDip4All** · 10-30-2009, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by Sinecure

Max's actually has pretty good MB Soup. If you like big, fluffy balls. Other than Max's I only eat Matzoh Balls made by my mother or my aunt.

can you be more specific, please?

**BeanDip4All** · 10-30-2009, 01:04 PM

also- are you guys purists- do you just like the matzoh ball in a simple broth?

i actually like matzoh balls with some chicken soup- chicken, broth, veggies.... PJ Bernsteins where I used to order from all the time in nyc actually had noodles in addition to matzoh balls in the matzoh ball/chicken soup. not sure if that is sacrilegious or not... but man their soup was amazing. I CRAVE, i crave.

have a big ole turkey breast taking up in the freezer. gonna roast it up this weekend, shred it, make a turkey/chicken type soup with some veggies AND ATTEMPT MATZOH BALLS AND PUT EM IN IT.

already drooling, hope this comes out well. **crosses fingers**

one of the biggest things i miss about nyc is being able to come home late from wherever on a weeknight at 11pm/midnight, huddle up in a booth in a freaking diner one block away from your apartment and chow down on a cheap, good, dinner like matzoh ball soup. there is no decent, filling, moderately healthy, late night dining here in suburbia

(ashbury heights part of SF). :grumble: on positive side of things, SF not being nyc has been forced my (previously pampered) hand into learning how to cook.

**crackboy** · 10-30-2009, 01:05 PM

i prefer my matzoh balls on teh denser side personally.

what would do is cook your soup and before you are ready to serve pull some of the broth out and use that to cook the balls in. then recombine.

to add. i lik eit in chicken soup with big ole chunks of vegetables like carrots and parsnips

**rideit** · 10-30-2009, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by BeanDip4All

also- are you guys purists- do you just like the matzoh ball in a simple broth?
.

To be absolutely true to the Jewish tradition, make em' and serve them any fucking way you want....

And then spend the next twenty years arguing about it every holiday.

**BeanDip4All** · 10-30-2009, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by rideit

To be absolutely true to the Jewish tradition, make em' and serve them any fucking way you want....

And then spend the next twenty years arguing about it every holiday.

ha ha. not jewish, but soitenly wouldn't mind having a little jew in me

**dk_alaskan** · 10-30-2009, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by BeanDip4All

ha ha. not jewish, but soitenly wouldn't mind having a little jew in me

what does nerd love feel about this?

**Pegleg** · 10-30-2009, 03:02 PM

My favorite relatively quick matzoh ball soup recipe leaves the veggies in; I think soup that's just broth and balls is kind of anemic. Here's the recipe:

Chop up an onion, a large turnip, a large parsnip, a few stalks of celery, and a few carrots into reasonably large chunks, and quarter a couple of cloves of garlic. Put in a stockpot, cover with plenty of chicken broth (homemade is best, but if not, I like the "Better than Bullion" base better than canned/cartons), and bring to a simmer. Add a few chicken legs/thighs (bone-in is best; take off the skin and any easily trimmed fat first), simmer until the chicken is well cooked and the veggies tender. Take the chicken out, pull it off the bone into pieces, and put the pieces back into the broth. Add matzoh balls (cooked separately), a handful of chopped fresh parsley and some black pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. Nosh.

For some reason, this doesn't seem to work very well in a crock pot. No idea why - maybe the simmering is key to getting the nice flavors out of the veggies/chicken. But in any case, once the veggies are chopped it only takes an hour at the stove in a stockpot.

**unpossible** · 10-31-2009, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by BeanDip4All

Sadly, after much primary and secondary research, I am woe to reach the conclusion that there is no good matzoh ball soup in this god-forsaken city (damnimissnyc, damnimissnyc). Therefore to satisfy my needs I am going to have to HTF up and make my own matzoh balls.

Agree with you on this, have tried a number of places in the Bay Area and have been disappointed every-time. Yet there are a bunch of places in Detroit, I don't get it.

As far as the home made stuff goes, I'm a fan of the Manischewitz Matza Ball mix. You can usually add your own touches from there.

**The Dad** · 10-31-2009, 02:25 PM

There's more variation among cookstaff shifts in the Max's empire than among locations. They're a good bet, though.

Originally Posted by BeanDip4All

ha ha. not jewish, but soitenly wouldn't mind having a little jew in me

Can't help you there -- I'm a big Jew. And married. See splat's monogamy thread.

**rideit** · 10-31-2009, 02:25 PM

There is really only the Manishevitz...all others suck balls.
LA has some great kosher joints...

**carvedog** · 10-31-2009, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by newschoolerz

wanna tip? Motsa balls suck ass. Get some campbells chicken noodle and save yourself the time. that one's free.

OK so I have indulged you through your whole "World Pissing in mY cheerios" and "Should I buy a douchebag car if I can undouche it enough" and "Oops now I need to sell my douchebag car" and don't fucking call it a truck cuz it's not, but to sit there and say fucking Campbell's chicken noodle soup is better than a home made matzoh ball soup is.................

...

...

almost leaving me speechless as to your complete moranity. STFU already.

Originally Posted by BeanDip4All

ha ha. not jewish, but soitenly wouldn't mind having a little jew in me

Did beandip just say what I think I thought she said? I think she just did say that? And here I thought you..........weren't gay, but I mean........

At least you made me do a literary double take and read that again.

**timnormandin** · 10-31-2009, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by carvedog

OK so I have indulged you through your whole "World Pissing in mY cheerios" and "Should I buy a douchebag car if I can undouche it enough" and "Oops now I need to sell my douchebag car" and don't fucking call it a truck cuz it's not, but to sit there and say fucking Campbell's chicken noodle soup is better than a home made matzoh ball soup is.................

...

...

almost leaving me speechless as to your complete moranity. STFU already.

Did beandip just say what I think I thought she said? I think she just did say that? And here I thought you..........weren't gay, but I mean........

At least you made me do a literary double take and read that again.

I think he was kidding. He must have been, right?

**iceman** · 10-31-2009, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by timnormandin

I think he was kidding. He must have been, right?

Yeesh. He's doing what he's been doing very successfully ever since he showed up.

He does a killer Greg From AlpineZone imitation, btw.

**Flexon Phil** · 10-31-2009, 08:28 PM

As mentioned Manishevitz is the best, follow the recipe on teh box but ad 30% more eggs. Club soda and not water makes a lighter ball. Make mix and refrigerate it for at an hour before putting it in the soup. I make mine right in the broth (use the heart and neck in the broth too)

**BeanDip4All** · 11-01-2009, 07:17 PM

Well, I jumped right in and now am trying to swim.

a potta' New York Penicillin is on the simmering on the stove as I write this.

Sheila, don't steer me wrong!!!

Had to sub Streits for Manishevitz because it was all I could find, after consulting Oy, Bay, "your one-stop site for all Jewish goings-on and news for the San Francisco Bay."

Originally Posted by Pegleg

My favorite relatively quick matzoh ball soup recipe leaves the veggies in; I think soup that's just broth and balls is kind of anemic. Here's the recipe:

Chop up an onion, a large turnip, a large parsnip, a few stalks of celery, and a few carrots into reasonably large chunks, and quarter a couple of cloves of garlic. Put in a stockpot, cover with plenty of chicken broth (homemade is best, but if not, I like the "Better than Bullion" base better than canned/cartons), and bring to a simmer. Add a few chicken legs/thighs (bone-in is best; take off the skin and any easily trimmed fat first), simmer until the chicken is well cooked and the veggies tender. Take the chicken out, pull it off the bone into pieces, and put the pieces back into the broth. Add matzoh balls (cooked separately), a handful of chopped fresh parsley and some black pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. Nosh.

this is awesome, thank you for the detailed recipe. I am following it right now! Love how the final instruction is to "nosh."

Originally Posted by The Dad

Can't help you there -- I'm a big Jew.

lol.