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Meatballs And Gravy Recipe

Meatballs And Gravy Recipe

Make Meatballs And Gravy Recipe for cozy dinners; tender beef meatballs simmered in a glossy brown gravy.

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time60 minutes
Yield6

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Soak the breadcrumbs in milk

Place the fine bread crumbs in a small bowl and pour the 1/4 cup of milk over them, letting them sit until fully softened and plumped. Gently press with a spoon to help the crumbs absorb the milk; the texture should turn from dry and powdery to a cohesive, damp paste that will help bind the meatballs and keep them tender.

Step 2: Combine onion, soaked crumbs, egg, and seasonings with the beef

In a roomy mixing bowl add the finely chopped onion, the milk-soaked breadcrumbs, the egg, salt, and pepper. Cradle the ground beef into the bowl and fold everything together using your hands or a sturdy spoon, mixing just until homogeneous—avoid overworking. Aim for an evenly combined mixture where the flecks of onion and the flecks of soaked crumbs are visible throughout.

Step 3: Shape the meatballs

Portion the mixture and roll it into uniform 1 1/2-inch spheres, compressing gently so they hold together but remain tender. Arrange the formed raw meatballs on a small plate or parchment-lined tray in neat rows so they’re ready for the pan; you should be able to see the grain of the meat and the tiny pockets of moisture from the soaked crumbs.

Step 4: Brown the meatballs lightly on all sides

Place the meatballs in a frying pan in a single layer and brown them gently, turning so each side develops a light, golden crust. The visual change here is important: raw, soft exterior shifting to a seared, caramelized surface with little browned speckles and rendered juices collecting in the pan.


Step 5: Remove meatballs and set aside

Lift the lightly browned meatballs out of the pan and set them aside on a clean plate, leaving behind the fond and small pools of cooking juices. The meatballs should look browned but not fully cooked through; the interior will remain slightly rosy and plump.

Step 6: Melt the margarine for the gravy

In the same frying pan melt the margarine until it foams and the faint nutty aroma rises. Use the residual pan fond and a gentle heat to pick up flavor; this is the foundation for the gravy’s glossy texture.

Step 7: Stir in flour and blend until smooth

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour into the melted margarine and stir continuously to form a smooth roux. Cook briefly until the mixture is uniform and pasty—no lumps—so the gravy will be velvety rather than grainy.

Step 8: Slowly add boiling water and bouillon while stirring

Gradually pour in the boiling water in a thin stream while whisking or stirring constantly, then stir in the beef bouillon granules and a pinch of pepper. The liquid should integrate into the roux, turning into a thin sauce that will thicken with gentle cooking.

Step 9: Cook the gravy until thick and glossy

Continue stirring and simmering the sauce until it transforms into a thick, velvety brown gravy that coats the back of a spoon—smooth, glossy, and free of lumps. Taste and adjust the seasoning, noting the gravy’s silky mouthfeel.

Step 10: Return meatballs to the pan

Nestle the browned meatballs back into the thickened gravy, spooning sauce over them so each sphere is partially submerged and the surface glistens with the brown sauce.

Step 11: Cover and cook until the meatballs are done

Cover the pan and let the meatballs simmer in the gravy for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and tender. The final result should be plump meatballs coated in a glossy, thick gravy, ready to be served over creamy mashed potatoes.


Notes