Mississippi Meatballs (Print Version)

Tender meatballs simmered in savory ranch, au jus, and tangy pepperoncini butter sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1 (26-ounce) bag frozen meatballs (gluten-free, if needed)

→ Seasonings

02 - 1 packet au jus gravy mix (gluten-free, if needed)
03 - 1 packet ranch seasoning mix (gluten-free, if needed)

→ Peppers

04 - 1 (16-ounce) jar sliced pepperoncini peppers, with juice

→ Liquids & Fats

05 - ½ cup water
06 - ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Place frozen meatballs in the bottom of a slow cooker, spreading them evenly to ensure uniform cooking.
02 - Sprinkle the au jus gravy mix and ranch seasoning mix evenly over the meatballs, ensuring good distribution.
03 - Pour the entire jar of sliced pepperoncini peppers, including all the juice, over the seasoned meatballs.
04 - Add ½ cup water to the slow cooker to help create the sauce base.
05 - Scatter the diced butter pieces over the top of the mixture.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 3–4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce is well combined.
07 - Serve hot as an appetizer with toothpicks, or over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice as a main dish.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Set it and forget it cooking that leaves you free to actually enjoy your own party
  • The sauce creates itself while the meatballs get impossibly tender
02 -
  • Once during the cooking, give everything a gentle stir from bottom to top so the sauce evenly coats all the meatballs
  • The butter will float on top initially but will emulsify into the sauce as it cooks, creating that restaurant-quality consistency
03 -
  • If your sauce seems too thin at the end, just remove the lid and cook on HIGH for 15 to 20 minutes to let it reduce slightly
  • A cornstarch slurry of 2 tablespoons each cornstarch and water stirred in during the last 15 minutes creates that perfect gravy consistency
Return