Beef and Mushroom Meatloaf Patties with Pan Gravy (grain-free : primal : gluten-free)

This recipe for meatloaf patties is loaded with veggies, which lightens them up so you'll never miss the usual breadcrumbs used in meatloaf.  I included lots of spices, so these have a great flavor punch. My husband and my three-year-old were clamoring for more and more!

Beef and Mushroom Meatloaf Patties with Pan Gravy
Serves 6-8

• 1Tb butter
• 1/2 white onion, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 12 medium-sized cremini (brown) mushrooms, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp gluten-free naturally fermented tamari soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sucanat
• dash of liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 egg, preferably from a pastured hen
• 1&1/2 pounds ground beef, preferably grassfed
• 1&1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tb sour cream
• 1-2 Tb each butter and refined coconut oil, for cooking in
• Pan gravy:
• 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 2 Tb white rice flour (omit for grain-free, or replace with arrowroot)
• 2 Tb butter
• 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1/2 to 1 tsp celtic sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

1.  In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, melt 1 Tb butter. Saute the onion and celery for about 5 minutes, sprinkling with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Stir in the mushrooms and continue to saute for another 10-15 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and cooked down a bit. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, fish sauce, sucanat, liquid smoke, dried parsley, and dried thyme. 
3. Add the spice mixture to the veggies and stir it all together.  Cook for a minute or so, and then turn off heat. Allow to cool. (The preceding steps can be done early in the day and then cooled in the fridge until an hour or so before dinner.)
4. In a large bowl, lightly beat the egg.  Add the sour cream and cooled veggie/spice mixture.  Stir it all together. 
5. Add the ground beef, 1&1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Use your hands to mix it all together well.  Pat the mixture down lightly and then score it with your hands into eight equal sections (these should be pie-shaped sections).  Form each section into a meatloaf patty.  There will be 8 patties total. 
6. Heat a very large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed skillet  over medium-high heat. Melt 1-2 Tb each of butter and unrefined coconut oil and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan.  Add the meatloaf patties to the pan.  Cover the pan with a splatter screen if you have one. Let them cook for 5 minutes, and resist the urge to move them around while they are cooking.  Flip the patties over, and cook for another 5 minutes. You may need to lower the heat a bit towards the end of the cook time. Remove the patties to a plate while you make the gravy.
7. To make the gravy, melt 2 Tb butter in the same skillet over medium heat.  Whisk in 2 Tb rice flour and stir while you cook for a minute or so. (Skip the flour if you want to use arrowroot instead of rice flour. You'll add the arrowroot in the next step instead.)
8. Add the chicken stock while whisking constantly.  (If you want to use arrowroot instead of rice flour to thicken the gravy, you'll need to dissolve the arrowroot into a small amount of liquid and then whisk it into the warm chicken stock.) Bring to a low simmer and allow to cook down for a few minutes, stirring often.  Whisk in the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.  Taste, and adjust the salt as necessary.
9. Ladle the gravy over the meatloaf patties and serve!  These patties are great alongside a side salad or even some potatoes.