Slow Cooker Meatballs and Onion Cream Gravy

Source video by What's For Tea? on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

An equal-weight blend of pork mince and beef mince binds with two eggs, 60 g of breadcrumbs, 100 ml of whole milk, half the softened onion and a spice mix of allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper. The mixture rests in the fridge for at least an hour, then forms into tablespoon-sized meatballs (about 30). Each meatball sears for colour, not all the way through. The gravy is a hob roux of butter and three tablespoons of flour, built up with 750 ml of beef stock, 110 ml of double cream, half a teaspoon of sugar, the rest of the onion and a splash of Worcester sauce. Half the gravy goes in the slow cooker first, then meatballs, then the rest of the gravy on top. Lid on, medium 4-5 hours.

Ingredients

• 450 gpork mince
• 450 gbeef mince
• 2large eggs
• 60 gfine dried breadcrumbs
• 100 mlwhole milk
• 1 tspground allspice
• 0.5 tspground nutmeg
• cayenne pepper

• 1large onion, very finely diced

• 6 tbspsalted butter

• 750 mlbeef stock
• 110 mldouble cream
• 3 tbspplain flour
• 0.5 tspsugar
• Worcester sauce

• salt and black pepper

Method

1. Melt a knob of butter in a pan over low heat. Add half of the very finely diced onion with a pinch of salt. Fry for about 5 minutes until softened.

   ~5 min

2. Tip the softened onions into a large bowl. Add 100 ml of milk, the 2 eggs, the 60 g of breadcrumbs, 1 tsp allspice, 0.5 tsp nutmeg, a pinch of cayenne, a good pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Mix.

   ~3 min

3. Add the pork mince and beef mince. Combine thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and fridge for at least 1 hour (2 hours is better) to let the flavours marry and the breadcrumbs swell.

   ~62 min

4. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized meatballs (about 30); damp hands stop them sticking. Make them smooth.

   ~15 min

5. Add another wee bit of butter to the same pan. Brown the meatballs all over on medium-high; don't cook through, just colour.

   ~12 min

6. Lift the meatballs onto a plate. In the same pan, add 2 tbsp of butter and the 3 tbsp of plain flour. Stir to a paste and cook for 4-5 minutes to take the raw edge off the flour.

   ~5 min

7. Whisk in the 750 ml of beef stock a splash at a time so no lumps form. Stir in 110 ml of double cream, 0.5 tsp of sugar, a splash of Worcester, the rest of the diced onion and a good crack of pepper. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes.

   ~6 min

8. Pour half of the gravy into the slow cooker. Sit the meatballs into it. Pour the rest of the gravy on top so the meatballs are submerged. Stir once.

   ~3 min

9. Lid on. Cook on Low for 7 hours (cook says medium 4-5 hours; on a slow cooker without medium, Low 7 or High 4 hours is equivalent).

   ~420 min

10. Serve over mashed potato with extra gravy spooned over and a green veg on the side.

    ~5 min

Frequently asked