Meatballs for a Crowd

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox had to bring a dish to an all-male get together this afternoon. I thought some all-male meatballs woulds be perfect for them and for me. As it happens, these meatballs, which are baked rather than fried, are easy to make and when napped with a flavorful gravy they are absolutely delicious. I sent them with sandwich rolls, but they are also great when paired with buttered noodles or creamy mashed potatoes. This is a straight foreward recipe that is quick to put together. The thing that sets this dish apart from others like it, is the wonderful onion gravy in which the meatballs are warmed. The recipe can be doubled to double or triple if you need to serve more than 12 people. I do hope you'll try this recipe. Here's how the meatballs and their gravy are made.


Meatballs in Caramelized Onion Gravy...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2-1/2 lbs lean ground beef, room temperature
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups panko
1 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoon garlic salt
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided use
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided use
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 very large (softball size) onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup flour
4 (10.5-oz.) cans condensed beef broth
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt, to taste

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
2) Place bread crumbs (panko) and buttermilk in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add eggs, garlic salt, 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well.
3) Place ground beef in a large bowl. Add egg mixture and mix to combine. Form into 80 meatballs, about 1 level tablespoon each. Place on prepared rack over baking sheet. Bake meatballs for 20 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet (with high sides) over medium-high heat. Add onions, cover pan, and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until onions have wilted, about 10 minutes. Remove cover and cook until onions area deep golden brown, about 20 minutes longer. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stir and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add about 4 cups of condensed beef broth, stirring until flour is completely incorporated into liquid. Bring contents of pan to a simmer. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the nutmeg. Add salt to taste. Return meatballs to skillet, lower heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until meatballs are heated through. Serve with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles. Yield: 10 - 12 servings.

                    

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