meatballs

We like a lamb meatball recipe broiled under the broiler.

Do the meatballs have enough fat in them? I made some yesterday and I usually add some diced bacon or pancetta in with the ground pork and beef. I also roll them in flour as mentioned previously. No sticking.

You might be trying to move the meatballs too soon. Most proteins, once they form a crust, will dislodge easily from a pan. That crust formation is really important. Have a little patience and wait for the crust formation before you try to un-stick the meatballs. If they're stuck and burning, the heat is too high. So keep a moderate heat and wait a few minutes.

You need the oil to be fairly deep, so that the meatballs will be partially floating in it- this not only will prevent sticking, it will keep you "balls" from flattening into squiggets. And the oil does need to be pretty hot- you need to boil off any surface moisture before it reaches the pan.

I find baking is a lot easier and consistent. They only time I would fry is if I do a quick fry and toss them in pasta sauce to finish cooking. Frying is a bit of a pain anyway. Maybe someone else here can provide a better answer to why they stick. Maybe you are turning them too soon. Once they brown they should release.

A work-around.
Bake the meat first as a meatloaf, then cut in smallish pieces and add to your sauce.
Not exactly meatballs, but this method will give you cooked insides and not-charred outside.

Are you heating the pan and oil before putting the meatballs in? The pan needs to be nice and hot. Meat shouldn't be ice cold either.