• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, finely minced garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix gently with your hands until just combined—don't overwork the mixture or the meatballs will become dense and tough. Roll the mixture into approximately 24-26 meatballs about 1.5 inches in diameter. I like to wet my hands slightly with cold water while rolling to prevent sticking and get smoother, more uniform meatballs.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add 5-6 meatballs and cook for 2 minutes on each side until they develop a golden-brown crust. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs. The goal is browning for flavor, not cooking them through—they'll finish cooking in the gravy.

In the same skillet (don't clean it—those browned bits add flavor), melt 1.5 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Dice the medium yellow onion and add it to the skillet, cooking for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden. This long cooking time allows the onions to release their natural sugars and create a rich, sweet flavor foundation for the gravy.

• Pour the chicken broth and beef broth into the skillet with the caramelized onions. Crumble in the beef bouillon cube and add the onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and kitchen bouquet. Stir well to combine and dissolve the bouillon cube completely. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a gentle boil, which will activate the flavors and begin reducing the liquid slightly.
• While the gravy is boiling, combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small container and shake vigorously until smooth with no lumps. Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the boiling gravy while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Return all the browned meatballs from Step 2 to the skillet, gently stirring them into the gravy so they're well coated.
• Reduce the heat to low and let the meatballs simmer gently in the gravy for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking and that the gravy coats everything evenly. This final simmer allows the meatballs to cook through completely while absorbing the rich gravy flavors. I like to let the dish rest for a few minutes after simmering—it helps the flavors settle and the texture becomes even more tender.