Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound lean ground sirloin
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 2 cans French onion soup
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup cooking sherry
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 cup diced bell pepper
- 1 cup diced celery
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon each salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, basil, minced garlic, and thyme
- 1/2 cup diced jalapenos
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
Preparation
Step 1
Combine meats in a bowl. Add milk and breadcrumbs and mix by hand. Once meat is thoroughly mixed, roll into 1/2-inch-wide balls. Brown on each side in a skillet over medium heat, and then remove to a paper towel. Pat them dry with another paper towel.
In a slow cooker, combine the rest of the ingredients except mushrooms and whisk until smooth. Add the meatballs, and then cook for 7 hours on low.
Add mushrooms and check the thickness of the gravy. If it isn't thick enough, mix 2 tablespoons flour into 1 cup of water until smooth. Add it to the gravy and stir until it thickens. If it's still not thick enough, repeat the process one more time. The additional water won't affect the flavor of the gravy.
Cook for 1 hour more on low.
NOTE: You can serve this as a stew, or over rice or egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Store whatever's left over in the refrigerator in a plastic container--and the longer it sits in the refrigerator, the more flavorful the meatballs become.
VARIATIONS:
Halve the cayenne and omit jalapenos for a less-spicy version.
Add carrots and cut-up potatoes, if you want it to be more of a stew, at the beginning of the cooking.