Salisbury Steak Meatballs

I obviously don't like salisbury steak.... but I like Salisbury because it's next to our beach house.  Does that count?  And I know my family are big fans of all things meat, including but not limited to salisbury steak and meatballs.  This meal combines both, so I decided to try it out for them.

This meal makes a lot of food.  It says it serves 12 and that's no joke.  2 pounds of ground beef get the salisbury steak treatment by getting mixed with brown mustard, ketchup, beef case, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper.  One note - there's no egg, and that makes them kinda crumbly so I would add a couple next time to help them stick together.  Then they get cooked in a sauce with many of the same flavors, like beef broth, Worcestershire, and Kitchen Bouquet, with the addition of some caramelized onions.  You serve the whole saucey, meaty mess over egg noodles and sprinkle it with pasta.  Voila: dinner.

As expected, my family all loved this meal.  It was hearty, filling and fit for a family of carnivores.  If that sounds like you, then go for it!

Recipe:

salisbury steak meatballs
from The Pioneer Woman
serves 12

Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
3/4 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup brown mustard
1/4 cup +1 tablespoon ketchup, divided
1 teaspoon powdered beef base or crumbled beef bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 half stick (1/4 cup) salted butter
1 whole large onion, halved and sliced
2 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with a little beef broth to make a thin paste
1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet
1 pound egg noodles, cooked to al dente and drained
minced fresh parsley

Instructions:

1) To make the meatballs, combine the first 8 ingredients in a mixing bowl (not including the 1 tablespoon ketchup or 1 tablespoon Worcestershire) and knead until completely combined.  Form into medium-sized meatballs and place on a plate.

2) Heat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat, and then add 2 tablespoons of butter.  When melted, add half the meatballs and gently move around the pan to brown.  When brown, remove them to a clean plate and repeat with the rest of the meatballs.

3) In the same skillet, add the onions and book for 3 - 4 minutes until golden brown and starting to soften.  In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup beef broth with the cornstarch.

4) Next add to the skillet 2 cups of beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon ketchup, and mustard.  Stir to scrape the bits off the bottom the pan.  Bring to a gentle boil and add the cornstarch mixture.  Return the metals to the pan, reduce the heat to low, and allow them to simmer in the sauce for 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and sauce is thick.  Splash in more beef broth if needed for thinning.  Add a little Kitchen Bouquet to give the sauce a deeper color.   Sauce should be thick and glossy.

5) Serve meatballs over a platter of egg noodles, tossed in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.  Sprinkle with minced parsley.