Salisbury steak is defined by its gravy: dark, brown, oniony and glossy. Everything in this recipe serves that, which is why there is no dairy in the sauce at all.
A whole large onion goes in sliced, under the browned meatballs, and cooks down through three and a half hours into the body of the gravy rather than sitting on top of it.
Why This Recipe Works
- Browning the meatballs first gives the gravy its base colour before any liquid is added.
- Dijon and tomato paste both deepen the broth without lightening it the way cream would.
- Worcestershire is split between the meat and the sauce, so the flavour runs through both.
- Cornstarch added at the end produces gloss; adding it earlier would cook the shine out.
Ingredient Notes
- Worcestershire sauce
- A tablespoon, divided: a teaspoon into the meatball mixture and the rest whisked into the gravy base.
- Yellow onion
- One large, thinly sliced. It goes in under the meatballs and cooks into the gravy.
- Fresh thyme
- A teaspoon of leaves, whisked into the gravy base and visible in the finished dish.
How to Make It
Mix and shape
Mix the beef, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire, onion powder, salt and pepper and shape into about 24 meatballs.
Brown, then onion
Brown the meatballs in a skillet and transfer them to the slow cooker. Add the sliced onion.
Pour over the gravy base
Whisk the broth, remaining Worcestershire, Dijon, tomato paste and thyme and pour over the meatballs.
Cook to 160F
Cover and cook on Low for about 3 1/2 hours, until the meatballs reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thicken to a gloss
Stir the cornstarch and cold water together and add for the final 15 minutes, until the gravy is dark brown and glossy.
What Keeps the Gravy Brown
Meatballs in gravy can go two ways, and this one is the dark, glossy, oniony direction. Four things take it there, and nothing in the list lightens it.
- Colour and depth1 tbsp Worcestershire (divided), 1 tbsp Dijon mustard and 1 tbsp tomato paste in 2 cups beef broth
- All three darken as well as season. Whisked together before they are poured over, so the tomato paste actually disperses.
- Sweetness and body1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced under the meatballs
- Three and a half hours on LOW breaks it down into the gravy, where it thickens as much as it flavours.
- Browned meatAbout 24 meatballs from 1 1/2 lb of beef, browned in a skillet first
- The browning happens before the cooker, and it is where the gravy's base colour comes from.
- Gloss, at the end2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water, in for the final 15 minutes
- The only thickener. There is no cream, no sour cream and no roux - which is exactly what keeps this dark rather than tan.
1 tsp of fresh thyme leaves goes into the gravy base with the Dijon, and stays visible in the finished dish.
Success Tips
- Mix the meat gently. A dense meatball stays dense through three and a half hours.
- Slice the onion thinly so it breaks down properly into the gravy.
- Whisk the gravy base in a jug before pouring it over — tomato paste will not disperse in the cooker on its own.
Serving Ideas
Six servings of meatballs under the dark brown onion gravy, with the thyme visible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add sour cream to the gravy?
No. This gravy stays dark brown, which is what keeps it distinct from Swedish meatballs.
How do I get the gloss?
The cornstarch slurry added for the final fifteen minutes is what produces it.
How do I know the meatballs are done?
160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer, at about three and a half hours on Low.
