Description
Homemade slow cooker salisbury steak meatballs offer a comforting classic with rich gravy and hearty flavor. Beef meatballs simmered in savory sauce create a satisfying meal you’ll crave for dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) ground beef
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup (60 g) breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- 2 small onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups (473 ml) beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsps water
- 1 cup (85 g) mushrooms, sliced
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Meatball Preparation: Blend ground beef with breadcrumbs, egg, milk, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Meticulously form compact, uniform meatballs ensuring consistent size and texture.
- Searing Process: Heat a skillet with minimal oil, carefully brown meatballs on all sides to develop a caramelized exterior, enhancing depth and structural complexity.
- Gravy Construction: Whisk beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and Dijon mustard into a seamless, flavor-packed liquid foundation.
- Slow Cooker Assembly: Create a base layer of sliced onions and mushrooms. Strategically place seared meatballs atop this aromatic landscape, then cascade prepared gravy covering the entire composition.
- Cooking Transformation: Configure slow cooker to low heat for 6-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours, allowing flavors to meld and meatballs to tenderize completely.
- Gravy Refinement: Introduce cornstarch slurry to elevate cooking liquid into a luxuriously thick sauce. Adjust seasoning with precise salt and pepper increments for balanced flavor profile.
- Serving Composition: Plate meatballs generously draped in glossy gravy over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley for vibrant visual and flavor enhancement.
Notes
- Meat Selection Matters: Choose ground beef with 80/20 fat content for juicier, more flavorful meatballs that won’t dry out during slow cooking.
- Searing Secrets: Quickly brown meatballs before slow cooking to lock in flavors and create a delicious caramelized exterior that adds depth to the overall dish.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Arrange meatballs in a single layer in the slow cooker to ensure even cooking and prevent them from becoming mushy or breaking apart.
- Gravy Consistency Trick: Mix cornstarch with cold water before adding to the cooking liquid to prevent lumps and create a smooth, glossy gravy that clings perfectly to the meatballs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg