Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Last week I came home from grocery shopping with a pound of ground beef but no fixed idea how I was going to use it. That's not really all that unusual and I picked it up because I knew I needed dinner ideas, even if I didn't know what they were. One of my go-to ground beef dinners is meatballs and my basic recipe includes an egg and breadcrumbs with the herbs and spices varying. A basic tomato sauce works most of the time but the sauce is a good opportunity to give the dish a new flavor. So, what flavor?

I've made Salisbury steak before and managed to nail that childhood nostalgia recipe. But that distinctive taste comes from the gravy, not the beef, which is just my standard meatball recipe in patty form. The truth is that, when I was a kid, I always begged my mother for Salisbury steak frozen dinners but hardly ever ate the meat. I really just wanted that gravy with the mysteriously wonderful flavor.
 

Mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce, folks. That's what that flavor is. It's a mushroom gravy. The mysteries of childhood solved! Or one of them, anyway. And since I like cooking my meatballs in the oven and just finishing them in sauce on the stove top, Salisbury gravy is easy because I can let the mushrooms brown while the meatballs cook. And because my homemade meatballs are so much better than whatever was in that frozen package, this dish pleases both kids and grownups. Or grownups who are still really just big kids. Enjoy!

Yield: 4 Servings

Author: Anita Schecter

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Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Recipe for meatballs in a beef, mushroom and Worcestershire gravy.

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

• 1 lb. Ground beef
• 1 Onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 Egg
• 1/4 Cup breadcrumbs
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon garlic powder

For the Gravy:

• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 2 Cups beef stock
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Use a 1 oz. scoop to form meatballs and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
3. While the meatballs are cooking, add the butter and mushrooms to a large skillet or cast iron pan. Saute on medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes or until the mushrooms turn slightly brown. Move the mushrooms to the edges of the pan, add in the flour and whisk into the remaining butter in the pan. Whisk in the beef stock until the flour is thoroughly incorporated. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking, on medium low heat, until the mixture begins to thicken up slightly.
4. When the meatballs are ready, add them to the gravy, lower the heat and allow to simmer for 5 - 10 minutes. Serve hot over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

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