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–+ servings

Thanksgiving Meatballs with Gravy

This is almost the exact same meatball mixture as our Baked Thanksgiving Meatballs, but these get pan-fried, then the gravy is built on the fond, then the meatballs slowly braise in the gravy until done. I cannot endorse this dish highly enough and should you serve it on egg noodles I approve as Thanksgiving dinner.
Photo by Lynne Calamia
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 40 minutes
Yield: 24 meatballs

Software

  • 1/2 cup schmaltz, divided SEE NOTE
  • 1/2 cup+2 tablespoons minced yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup+2 tablespoons minced celery
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
  • 10 large sage leaves, thinly sliced, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced thyme leaves, divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
  • 1/2 cup toasted, chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup herbed stuffing mix
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1 whole egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup+2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine (like a sauvignon blanc)
  • 2 cups unsalted chicken or turkey stock
  • egg noodles for serving, if desired
  • Fresh parsley and sage, finely chopped to garnish

Specialized Hardware

  • 2 half-sheet pans, 1 with a fitted wire rack
  • Digital thermometer

Procedure

  • Melt 2 tablespoons of the schmaltz in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to brown, 4-5 minutes. Finish with half of the sage leaves and 1 teaspoon of the minced thyme leaves and cook 1 more minute. Remove this mixture to a small bowl to cool for 5 minutes. Kill the heat and leave the dirty pan there, you'll need it again.
  • Place the turkey in a large mixing bowl along with 2 teaspoons of the salt, pecans, stuffing mix, marjoram, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the black pepper, nutmeg, parsley, egg, and the cooled vegetables. Thoroughly combine with your fingers. Scoop the meatball mixture with a tablespoon into 24 equal portions (about 33 grams each) and place them on a sheet pan. They don't have to be perfect balls at this point. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (or cover and store overnight to finish the next day).
  • When 30 minutes are up, line a half-sheet pan with a layer of paper towels, place a wire rack upside down on it, and stash near your cooktop. Dump 1/4 cup of the flour into a pie pan or shallow plate. Roll each meat portion into a ball, lightly coat in the flour, and return to its sheet pan.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the schmaltz over medium heat in the pan you cooked the vegetables in for 1 minute. Add 12 of the meatballs and brown, flipping them around occasionally until the internal temperature reaches 145℉, about 8 minutes. You may have to lower the heat as needed if the bottom of your pan begins to get too dark. Remove the meatballs to the half-sheet pan lined with paper towels and the rack. Add another 2 tablespoons of the schmaltz and repeat the process with the remaining meatballs.
  • Add another 2 tablespoons of the schmaltz to the meatball pan and sprinkle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour along with the remaining sage and thyme. Use a whisk to help scrape up the browned bits of fond left the pan to make a paste with the schmaltz and flour. Cook this for 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Slowly pour the wine and stock into the pan and increase the heat to medium-high. Continue whisking and scraping the bits from the bottom until the mixture comes to a boil. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, Whisking occasionally, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes.
  • Add all the meatballs into the gravy and continue simmering until the meatballs are cooked through (160℉), another 3-5 minutes.
  • Serve over a bed of egg noodles with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and sage.
NOTE: For those who have not yet discovered the delicacy that is schmaltz, it's simply rendered chicken fat and is available at many mega-marts and certainly on the inter webs. Here's the one we like: https://fatworks.com/collections/single-jar/products/organic-free-range-chicken-fat-a-k-a-chicken-schmaltz-14-oz-1
If you don't have time to obtain, you can use any neutral cooking oil but you're gravy will be missing that certain something.