Mississippi Meatballs with Pepperoncini Au Jus Gravy

These Mississippi meatballs take 4 hours 20 minutes from start to finish, with 20 minutes of prep and the slow cooker doing the rest. I make them for dinner or a party spread when I want browned beef in thick, dark gravy, and pepperoncini tang cuts through the butter.

I use a heavy cast iron skillet for the sear, then move the meatballs into my 6-quart slow cooker. Brown them in batches until every side has a deep, dark crust, because a crowded skillet gives you gray meatballs and the gravy won't hide that pale color later.

The au jus and ranch packets bring plenty of salt on their own, so I use unsalted butter and leave extra salt out until the end. Put the cold butter pats on during the final ten minutes, then leave them alone while they partly melt into the sauce. They look a little odd sitting on top at first. The gravy should be thick and dark brown with a gloss.

For dinner, I spoon these over mashed potatoes or put out toasted slider buns for a group. A crisp jalapeno slaw works well beside the warm gravy. Leftovers also fit inside a crusty torta roll, with extra gravy nearby for dipping (that bread is good for it).