Mrs. Tutwitter’s Meatballs
Servings: 40-42 meatballs, 6 – 7 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup coarse sourdough breadcrumbs
2/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon oil
1 cup onion, minced
1 cup mushrooms, minced
½ teaspoon salt
1 pound ground bison, venison, or beef
½ pound ground meaty sowbelly
1 egg (optional), whisked until uniform in color and foamy*
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon of minced and pressed garlic
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
*Egg is a binding agent. Many meatballs include egg as an ingredient to help them maintain their shape. Alternatively, without the egg, these meatballs are incredibly tender, almost melting. Therefore, when turning and serving, they have to be treated with care. It is suggested that they be turned with a spoon. If this is difficult and it is judged that a binding agent is necessary, please add the egg.
Process:
Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk.
Make the gravy (see below) and reserve.
Heat a cast iron frying pan over medium heat.
When hot, add oil.
When the oil shimmers, add onion. Sprinkle onions with salt.
Saute the onion until translucent, stirring occasionally. Do not brown the onions.
Add the mushrooms. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the mushroom begin to sweat and the onions are soft.
Sprinkle vegetable mixture with nutmeg, allspice, and pepper. Stir. When the mixture becomes aromatic, remove from heat and allow to cool.
Add butter and garlic to the vegetables. Stir together until the butter melts.
Place a rimmed baking sheet on the counter.
Combine chosen ground meat and sowbelly with a fork.
Add milk and breadcrumbs to meat and mix in with a fork.
Whisk the egg until frothy and uniform in color. Add to meat and combine with a fork.
Add spiced onions to meat. Combine.
Wet hands with water.
Use a tablespoon measure of the meat and form a meatball with your hands.
Place each meatball on the rimmed baking sheet.
Repeat making meatballs until all of the meatball mixture has been formed into meatballs.
When finished making the meatballs, place in the icebox overnight.
One half hour before frying, place meatballs on counter to allow them to come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 1 teaspoon of oil to skillet. Rotate the skillet to distribute the oil evenly over the bottom of the skillet.
Add some of the meatballs. Do not crowd.
Fry until lightly brown (do not make the exterior crisp) on each side of the meatballs, turning with a spoon.
When a meatball is done, place it in a large ovenproof casserole dish with lid.
After browning all of this group of meatballs, strain two cups of gravy over the meatballs and place the ovenproof casserole dish, covered, in the preheated oven.
Continue browning meatballs until all are done, cover and placed in the casserole dish.
Bake the meatballs for 20 minutes in the oven.
Place in a serving bowl, strain gravy over the top and serve.
Clear Brown Gravy
Yield: Approximately 3 – 3 1/2 cups gravy
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
2 Tablespoon cold unsalted butter
Proceess:
Combine the broth and cornstarch in a cold saucepan. Whisk until the cornstarch is totally dissolved.
Heat over medium heat until simmering, whisking continually until thickened to the desired consistancy.
Add garlic, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
Decrease the heat to medium-low.
Let it gently simmer for 5 minutes, whisking frequently.
Place meatballs in the serving dish.
Add cold butter to gravy and whisk gently until melted.
Strain the gravy over the meatballs.
Any remaining gravy can be strained into a gravy boat.
Serve immediately with the meatballs and sopping bread.