In this creative spin on a classic, Salisbury Steak patties are miniaturized into meatballs and cooked in their traditional onion- and mushroom-laden gravy. The result is a homey, satisfying supper that’s tasty on its own but even better over Mashed Potatoes. Hey, at least those frozen dinners of yore got that part right!
YIELD: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
1 medium yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6-mm) slices
8 oz (227 g) white mushrooms, cleaned and cut into ⅛- to ¼-inch (3- to 6-mm) thick slices
STEAK MEATBALLS
2 lb (910 g) lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
1 cup (120 g) unseasoned dried or fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp (2 g) dried parsley
1 tbsp (12 g) House Seasoning
1 tsp (2 g) mustard powder
GRAVY
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
1 tbsp (17 g) tomato paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp (2 g) mustard powder
2 tsp (8 g) House Seasoning
3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch plus 3 tbsp (45 ml) cool water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Hot Mashed Potatoes or cooked egg noodles, for serving
Place the onions and mushrooms in the bottom of a large slow cooker. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, House Seasoning and mustard powder, and form into 24 equally sized meatballs (see Samantha’s Tip for the Swedish Meatballs here). Arrange a layer of meatballs over the onions and mushrooms in the slow cooker, and add the remaining meatballs in a second layer on top.
In another large bowl, whisk together the beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder and House Seasoning. Evenly pour this mixture over the meatballs in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through yet still tender. Homemade meatballs cooked in the slow cooker may still look slightly pink in the center even after they are fully cooked, but they are safe to eat once they have reached an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C)—see here for a more detailed explanation.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs, onions and mushrooms to a platter. Cover the platter to keep them warm. Skim the fat from the surface of the gravy in the slow cooker. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and the water until smooth, and whisk the cornstarch slurry into the slow cooker. Add the meatballs, onions and mushrooms back to slow cooker and stir well. Adjust the seasoning of the gravy with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 30 minutes and serve the meatballs hot over the Mashed Potatoes or noodles.