Iowa Party Bites (Crockpot Beef & Gravy Appetizer)

🥩 Iowa Party Bites (Crockpot Beef & Gravy Appetizer)

These are the classic Midwest-style slow cooker beef bites made with ground beef and cream of mushroom soup — perfect for potlucks and game days.

🛒 Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef

• 1 sleeve saltine crackers, crushed (about 1 cup crumbs)

• 1 egg

• ½ cup milk

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

Gravy:

• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

• 1 packet brown gravy mix

• 1 cup beef broth

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Mix the beef

   • In a large bowl combine ground beef, crushed crackers, egg, milk, and seasonings.

   • Mix gently (don’t overwork).

2. Form bites

   • Roll into 1–1½ inch balls (about 24–30 pieces).

3. Optional: Brown

   • Lightly brown in a skillet for 2–3 minutes per side to help them hold shape.

   • You can skip this step if short on time.

4. Layer in slow cooker

   • Place meatballs in the crockpot.

5. Make gravy

   • Whisk soup, gravy mix, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce.

   • Pour over meatballs.

6. Cook

   • LOW for 4–5 hours

   • HIGH for 2–3 hours

7. Serve

   • Keep warm in the slow cooker.

   • Serve with toothpicks, slider buns, or over mashed potatoes.

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⭐ Iowa-Style Tips

• Some families add sliced mushrooms or onions.

• For a thicker gravy, stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water) during the last 20 minutes.

• Want it richer? Stir in ¼ cup sour cream at the end.

If you’d like, I can also give you the original church cookbook-style version (very simple, just 4 ingredients).