I have made meatballs in a mushroom soup based recipe for years. It was a family favorite, but I hated making the meatballs because I didn’t like browning them in a skillet on all sides before adding them to the sauce. I know the pan drippings added additional flavor to the sauce, but I was not a fan of turning the meatballs, burning my fingers, and cleaning up a messy stovetop.
I have learned a different method of making meatballs since I retired. I now bake them in the oven. Normally I use a cookie sheet, but I have evolved to using a roaster pan placing them on the rack and catching the drippings below. I then add the drippings to the sauce and the entire process is easier, both in prep and cleanup.
I have worked to adapt my mushroom soup recipe to a more complex version and it is easily one of the best meatball recipes I have made.
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
- 1 Pound Bulk Sausage I use Bob Evans Hot
- 1 onion Diced
- 1/2 Green Pepper Diced
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tbsp Dill Chopped
- 3/4 Cup Breadcrumbs
- 1/4 Cup Buttermilk
- Salt To Taste
- Pepper To Taste
- 1 Pound Mushrooms Sliced
- Hot Sauce To Taste I use Sriracha
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 Cup Cream
- 2 Cups Beef Broth
- 3 Tbsp Flour
- 1/4 Cup White Wine
- In a large bowl add the ground beef, sausage, 1/2 of the onion, 1/2 of the dill, green pepper, eggs, breadcrumbs, buttermilk, and salt and pepper. Mix together with your hands.
- Shape the meat mixture into balls.
- Place the meatballs on a cookie sheet or roaster pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- In a skillet melt the butter, add the remaining onion and saute until translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute for about 10 minutes.
- Add the flour to the mushrooms, then add the beef broth and hot sauce stirring until well combined. Add the cream, wine, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Remove meatballs from cookie sheet. Add drippings to the mushroom mixture and blend. Add meatballs to the mushroom mixture. Add remaining dill. Cook together for several more minutes.
After combining the meatballs to the mushroom mixture I put all ingredients into a crock pot and put on low until I was ready to serve. I served this with mashed cauliflower and a salad. Raves from the family!
**If dill is not available, parsley works well. Oatmeal can be used in lieu of breadcrumbs.
This sounds incredible! Definitely one that The Tinker will love!