Country Pork Meatballs with Onion Gravy

These Country Pork Meatballs are flavoured with the classic combination of onion, sage and thyme, and they taste like the country sausages at my local butcher. Smothered with a rich onion gravy, it’s just cosy, downright tasty, homemade comfort food!

Country Pork Meatballs with Onion Gravy

In the interest of full disclosure, there’s nothing officially “country” about these meatballs. I’ve just christened them as such because I think the combination of flavours has a wholesome, country-style comfort food vibe. 😊 The meatballs are flavoured with sage and thyme (don’t skip the sage!) and actually, they do remind me of the country pork sausages from my local butcher.

The onion gravy is made using the drippings from browning the meatballs, with a lovely hint of garlic. To me, it tastes like the sort of hearty, homestyle meal you’d expect at a country pub or farmhouse table.

So, let me have the name! Serve it over mash with a side of peas and tell everyone dinner tonight is Country pork meatballs with a rich onion gravy, farmhouse mash and garden peas. 😇

Ingredients in Country Pork Meatballs

Here’s what you need to make these cosy meatballs.

1. For the meatballs

Just in case you missed it above – don’t skip the sage! You can skip the thyme, you can even skip the onion or paprika. But not the sage – it adds a warm, earthy flavour that’s the signature taste of these meatballs and gives it the unmistakable country pork sausage flavour.

• Pork makes such soft meatballs, softer than beef and juicier than chicken. I use regular pork mince – not lean, not extra fatty, though you could if you want. The meatballs will also work great with beef, chicken or turkey, though if course the flavour of the meat is different. Also note that chicken and turkey are much leaner so the meatballs will not be quite as succulent inside.

• Panko breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs make meatballs softer and lighter than using just meat alone. I prefer panko because the larger flakes create a softer, more tender texture inside the meatballs, but regular breadcrumbs work too if that’s all you’ve got.

• Country spices – Sage is the secret ingredient here that makes these pork meatballs taste like country sausages! You can find ground sage at regular grocery stores. Paprika adds a little warm colour (I use regular/sweet though smoked would also work, onion powder adds savoury flavour, and thyme brings a lovely earthy, herby note.

• Garlic – For flavour!

• Green onion – This brings a little freshness into the meatballs as well as some little green flecks, which I like!

• Egg – This is what binds the meatballs and keeps them together.

2. for the onion gravy

And here’s what you need for the onion gravy.

• Butter (oops! missing from photo 🙂 ) – Used to cook the onions and adds richness and flavour to the gravy. It also combines with the flour to form the thickening base that gives the gravy its lovely silky texture.

• Beef stock / broth – You need stock rather than water to get sufficient body in gravy. I prefer to use low sodium so I can control the amount of salt.

• Flour – This is what thickens the gravy.

• Onion and garlic – This adds more flavour to the gravy which is particularly helpful with cook-cook gravies like this made with store-bought stock.

• Worcestershire sauce – A little slosh of this adds extra flavour into the sauce. If, by chance, you are using a homemade beef stock, a) I want to be you; and b) you can skip this! 🙂

• Dark soy or gravy browner (OPTIONAL!) – Dark soy sauce is a cheeky trick I’ve been using for years to deepen the colour of gravies that end up a little paler than I’d like. In the UK you can buy gravy browner, a product made specifically for this job, but it’s not nearly as common in Australia. Dark soy does the trick beautifully.

  It won’t make the gravy taste Asian-y – you can’t taste it at all. It’s only there to give the gravy a richer, deeper brown colour.

How to make Country Pork Meatballs with Gravy

Confession: I detest rolling meatballs. You’ll never catch me visiting RTM on a meatball day – imagine making meatballs for 600 people!! 😩 (Yet, the amazing team at RTM do!!)

But I love eating them. So I roll, because it’s worth it, then conveniently forget all about it when dinner’s on the table!

1. Meatball mixture – Put all ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to mix them together thoroughly. You really want to make sure the spices are mixed through well – nobody wants to be the one to hit an unseasoned patch!

2. Roll the mixture into 20 meatballs (2 tablespoons each). I use an ice cream scoop with a lever to portion and shape 70% of the way, then finish rolling with my hands. The size #30 is 2 tablespoons which I don’t have, so I just use my #24 and fill it slightly under.

3. Brown the meatballs in a pan. I usually rotate them to cook 3 or 4 sides, using 2 tablespoons to roll them without de-forming (too much). The inside doesn’t need to be cooked through – in fact, we want to keep the inside raw so it finishes cooking in the gravy.

   Once the meatballs are browned, removed them back onto the tray (or whatever you had the raw meatballs on) using a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.

4. Cook onion and garlic – Add the butter and let it melt, then cook the onion until softened, adding garlic towards the end (that way, the garlic won’t burn).

5. Add flour and stir until you can no longer see any white flour.

6. Adding stock slowly – Then, as you are stirring, slowly pour in half the stock and mix until it turns into a paste / quite a thick sauce that sticks to the onion. Then add the rest of the stock and mix until the paste dissolves into the stock – lump free!

   I find this method to be an effective way of making gravy without ending up with little flour lumps, and no need to use a whisk (bit tricky to whisk with all that onion).

7. Meatballs back in – Bring the mixture up to a simmer then add the meatballs into the sauce, along with any juices that have accumulated on the tray.

8. Simmer the meatballs for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens into a gravy consistency and the meatballs are cooked through, then you’re done!

   Don’t let the gravy get too thick as it thickens quite fast as it cools, by the time it goes from the pan into your bowl, to the table and into your mouth! You will be surprised how fast gravy thickens.

Serve over mash, or rice or pasta.

I also had a vivid dream of stuffing these inside warm crusty French sticks, kind of like meatball subs, except with gravy.

I was very disappointed that I woke up before I got to eat it. But now I fully intend to make this dream a reality. – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Country Pork Meatballs with Onion Gravy

Author: Nagi

Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Main

Western

5 from 37 votes

Servings4 people

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Recipe video above. These Country Pork Meatballs are flavoured with the classic combination of pork, sage and thyme, and are smothered with a rich onion gravy. The flavour reminds me of the country pork sausages at my local butcher, hence the name.

It's just cosy, downright tasty, homemade comfort food. You'll love how soft the meatballs are!

Ingredients

CupsMetric

• ▢ 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

MEATBALLS:

• ▢ 500 g/ 1 lb pork mince (ground pork), or any other meat
• ▢ 1 cup panko breadcrumbs , or regular breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 large egg (~50g/2oz in shell)
• ▢ 2 green onion stems , finely sliced (or 1/2 onion, grated using box grater)
• ▢ 1 garlic clove , finely grated or crushed using a garlic press
• ▢ 1 tsp ground sage (don't skip this! Key flavour)
• ▢ 1 tsp onion powder (substitute garlic powder, or 1 garlic clove finely grated)
• ▢ 1/2 tsp paprika ,regular/sweet (or smoked, not spicy)
• ▢ 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• ▢ 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp black pepper

ONION GRAVY:

• ▢ 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter , or olive oil
• ▢ 2 small onions , halved then cut into 8mm / 1/3" wedges (or 1 1/2 large onions)
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• ▢ 3 tbsp flour (all purpose / plain)
• ▢ 2 cups beef stock , low sodium
• ▢ 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 – 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce or gravy browner – for colour, it won't tasty Asiany! (Note 2)

SERVING:

• ▢ Mashed potato , pasta, rice or cauliflower rice (low carb)
• ▢ Finely chopped parsley , for garnish (optional)

Cook ModePrevent screen from sleeping

Instructions

• Meatball mixture – Put the meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix well with your hands until combined.
• Roll – Portion and roll into 20 meatballs, 2 1/2 tbsp each (I use an ice cream scoop to portion onto a tray, then roll with hands to finish).
• Brown outside – Heat the oil on medium high in a large non-stick pan. Brown the meatballs – I usually do 3 to 4 sides, rolling with 2 spoons, taking about 6 to 7 minutes. Keep the inside raw as we will finish cooking in the gravy. Remove meatballs out back onto the tray.
• Sauté onion – Add the butter and let it melt. Turn the heat up to high and add the onion. Cook for 3 minutes or until floppy, then add the garlic and cook for another 1 minute (it smells amazing!).
• Thicken gravy – Add the flour and stir for 1 minute. While stirring, slowly pour in half the stock. As the flour mixture dissolves in and the stock heats up, it will start to thicken and become like a paste coating the onion. Then pour in the remaining beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and dark soy or gravy browner (if using). Mix to combine.

  * This method helps to ensure your gravy is lump free! *
• Simmer with meatballs – Return the meatballs into the gravy and bring it to a simmer. Let it cook for 5 minutes until the gravy thickens into a thin gravy consistency, rolling the meatballs every now and then. The gravy will thicken more as it cools, while serving and waiting to eat, so don't take it too far now.
• Serve the meatballs over mash, sprinkled with a pinch of parsley if using.

Recipe Notes:

1. Meat – Pork is my favourite here, it makes the softest most succulent meatballs out of all proteins. However, the recipe works with any meat – beef (1st pick), lamb, chicken or turkey. 

2. Dark soy – Cheeky trick I’ve been using for years to deepen the colour of gravies that end up a little paler than I’d like. In some countries you can buy gravy browner, a product made specifically for this job, but it’s not nearly as common in Australia. Dark soy does the trick beautifully. It won’t make the gravy taste Asiany – you can’t taste it at all! 

Leftovers will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition per serving, excluding mash.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 548cal (27%)Carbohydrates: 19g (6%)Protein: 28g (56%)Fat: 40g (62%)Saturated Fat: 15g (94%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 147mg (49%)Sodium: 1001mg (44%)Potassium: 719mg (21%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 322IU (6%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 70mg (7%)Iron: 3mg (17%)

Keywords: country meatballs, meatballs and gravy, pork meatballs, sauce for meatballs

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Life of Jaffle

Jaffle had his first trip to the dog beach on the weekend! I arranged to meet up with his mum and two of his siblings. He hasn’t seen any of them since I picked him up 6 weeks ago!

Here’s Jaffle and his mum, Clem, dashing over to greet Taggart (his brother) and Beatrice (his sister) when they arrived!

Giving his brother Taggart a “hug” before tumbling along the beach with him!

And there was an attempt at a family photo ….. “attempt” being the operative word here!

It was so nice being back at the beach after 6 months.

I look forward to many years of sandy, wet, play sessions with Jaffle! 🥰