Salisbury Meatballs & Gravy (Small Batch)

Just because you are a small family or only one or two people, that doesn't mean that you have to give up your old favorites!  I have found that most of the time it is quite easy to cut our old favorite recipes in half to make a much smaller amount.

This Salisbury Meatballs & Gravy recipe is one that I cut down from an old family recipe.  My children used to love it when I made them these for supper. Of course I used to have to double it back then!  

 

I had five children, three of them boys and we all know boys (especially teens) have hollow legs. I am sure there were times I had to triple the recipe.

My home and arms are empty now. There is only one of me and I am having to cut everything back. I like to cook and I like to eat and so I am in the process of halving some of my old favorites to please myself.  

 

This delicious recipe will feed two people. If you are singleton like myself, it will make you a decent meal for one night and then give you another single serving sized meal to freeze.  Win/win! 

And this really is a winning combination. Tender, juicy meat balls in a beautiful onion gravy, just right for serving with a nice fluffy pile of mash or rice, or even noodles. Pick your own favorite winning combination! 

Plus (Bonus!) they are quick and easy to make as well!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SALISBURY MEATBALLS & GRAVY

Plain wholesome every day ingredients. Nothing special required!  

For the meatballs:

• 1 pound extra lean beef mince (ground beef)
• 1 heaped dessertspoons of dried bread crumbs (about 1/8 cup)
• 1/2 TBS tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• oil for frying (If you want to save calories and fat, you can bake in a hot *220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7 for about 10 minutes until browned. Just shape the meatballs and place on a baking tray which you've sprayed with some low fat cooking spray.)

 

For the gravy:

• 2 TBS butter
• 1 medium cooking onion, peeled, cut in half and then thinly sliced into half moons
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 2 cups hot beef stock
• 2 TBS plain flour (all purpose)
• 1 TBS tomato ketchup
• 1 TBS BBQ Sauce
• black pepper and salt to taste

 

True confession here. I left the gravy the full size as my old recipe. I like lots of gravy, and I am betting you do too!

I buy my ground beef at the Goucher's farm market, just down the road a few miles. It is organic and it is fresh, fresh, fresh. Its also very lean.  

I have always found that buying cheap fatty beef is a false economy as most of what you are paying for gets poured away in fat.

 

You can either fry or bake the meatballs. I usually bake them to cut back on fat myself. Baking them in a hot oven gives excellent results.

My gravy has a few extra ingredients that you probably don't find in most Salisbury meatball recipes, in the main being a bit of ketchup and some BBQ sauce. That is the way my family always enjoyed them.

You can leave them out if you wish!  There's not a lot of either one, just a bit to give the gravy a certain je ne sais quois!

 

HOW TO MAKE SALISBURY MEATBALLS & GRAVY

Nothing could be simpler. 

Mix all of the meatball ingredients together to combine well. Shape into 1 inch balls.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the balls and brown them on all sides. Alternately they may be baked in the oven. This is what I usually do. (See above in the ingredients list.)

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onions. Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until the onions are softened and translucent.

 

Season with the garlic power and salt and pepper. Whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute. Add the beef stock slowly, whisking constantly, until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken.

Whisk in the ketchup and BBQ sauce. Drop in the meatballs. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the gravy has thickened nicely and the balls are cooked through and tender.

Serve hot with mashed potatoes or rice. 

 Tender meatballs in a flavor filled onion gravy . . .  served with creamy mash.   Nobody's complaining!  Everybody's happy!

All you need is a couple of vegetables or a salad on the side and dinner is served!!

Salisbury Meatballs & Gravy (small batch)

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min

This is a delicious stove top entrée that is a real pleaser. Tender, delicious meatballs in a fabulous gravy. Mashed potatoes go very well.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 pound extra lean beef mince (ground beef)
• 1 heaped dessertspoons of dried bread crumbs (about 1/8 cup)
• 1/2 TBS tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• oil for frying (If you want to save calories and fat, you can bake in a hot *220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7 for about 10 minutes until browned. Just shape the meatballs and place on a baking tray which you've sprayed with some low fat cooking spray.)

For the gravy:

• 2 TBS butter
• 1 medium cooking onion, peeled, cut in half and then thinly sliced into half moons
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 2 cups hot beef stock
• 2 TBS plain flour (all purpose)
• 1 TBS tomato ketchup
• 1 TBS BBQ Sauce
• black pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

1. Mix all of the meatball ingredients together to combine well. Shape into 1 inch balls.
2. Heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the balls and brown them on all sides. Alternately they may be baked in the oven. This is what I usually do. (See above in the ingredients list.)
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onions. Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until the onions are softened and translucent.
4. Season with the garlic power and salt and pepper. Whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute. Add the beef stock slowly, whisking constantly, until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken.
5. Whisk in the ketchup and BBQ sauce. Drop in the meatballs. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the gravy has thickened nicely and the balls are cooked through and tender.
6. Serve hot with mashed potatoes or rice.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # TheEnglishKitchen

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com. 

Thank you so much for visiting! Do come again!

 Follow my blog with Bloglovin