Vintage Eats Recipe: 1977 Meatball Stew

I’ve been re-creating vintage recipes long enough now to know not every one is a keeper. Some recipes, while sounding good and made satisfactorily, just didn’t strike true with our household tastes.

That is not true of Meatball Stew. (Those other recipes don’t make it to this blog. I love the recipes I post.)

In fact, I’ve made it twice within a week, due to popular demand from members of my household.

Here’s why we like it:

1. All of the ingredients are already in my kitchen, thus saving money.
2. It calls for loads of veggies, which means, depending on what is in my pantry, it can be versatile. I basically stuck to what was called for, but I can envision this recipe including other root vegetables.
3. This stew can be made in the oven or a slow cooker. I prefer to use my slow cooker to work around my schedule and will make it the next time via that piece of cookery.

It is published in ‘Farm Journal’s Best-Ever Recipes’ (1977), edited by Elise W. Manning.

I’ll admit, Meatball Stew is not necessarily the quickest dish I’ve assembled. Vegetables need to be cut up and ground meat seasoned and shaped into balls and browned.

But it is all so hearty and tasty that I consider the extra steps to be worth it.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Did you use vegetables called for in the recipe or other?

What dishes from the past would you like to see me create?

Send me your ideas and I’ll look for it in my 100’s of vintage cookbooks.

Due to the high cost of eggs, I’m limiting myself for a while to recipes with No/Low (1 only) eggs.

I think vintage recipes are healthier, most economical, and easier to fix than more modern dishes. I enjoy presenting these ideas for you to try to enhance your cooking experiences.

Take care,

Psst: The bread pictured will be in the next post! No kneading involved!

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1.5 pounds ground beef

1.5 t. salt

1/8 t. pepper

1 egg

1 T. minced onion

½ c. soft bread crumbs

1 T. cooking oil

3 T. flour

1 (1 pound) can tomatoes, cut up

1 c. water

½ t. salt

2 t. sugar

1 t. basil leaves

3 medium potatoes, pared and diced

4 small carrots, pared and diced

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, sliced

Combine beef, salt pepper, egg, onion and bread crumbs in bowl.

Mix well.

Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs.

Brown meatballs on all sides in hot oil in 10-inch skillet.

Remove meatballs as they brown; place in 2-quart casserole.

Pour off fat, reserving 3 T.; blend flour into reserved fat in skillet.

Stir in tomatoes, water, ½ t. salt, sugar, and basil; stir well.

Add potatoes, carrots, onion and celery; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Pour over meatballs in casserole. Cover.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for one hour or until vegetables are tender.

Yield: 6 servings

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Vintage Find of the Week

This brown and white gingham checked apron has two pockets and rows of trim on the waistband, pockets and bottom for added flair. I can imagine its wearer donning this apron to prepare lunch for her menfolk after they have come in from tending the animals and, if it is summertime, baling hay. She may have fixed a hearty dish like Meatball Stew and been glad to see satisfied faces all around the table. Little clean up from the one-dish meal made her job easier with fewer pans to wash.