Description
Juicy, tender meatballs smothered in a sweet and tangy homemade BBQ sauce, perfect for game day, potlucks, or an easy weeknight dinner. These crowd-pleasing meatballs can be served as an appetizer or main dish with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
- ½ lb ground pork
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp finely minced onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- For the BBQ Sauce:
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp liquid smoke (optional)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients. Mix gently with hands until just combined.
- Shape into 1.5-inch balls (about 24 total) and place on prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, whisk together all BBQ sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer cooked meatballs to a slow cooker or serving dish. Pour BBQ sauce over and gently stir to coat.
- Keep warm in slow cooker on LOW for serving, or serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra tenderness: Soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes before mixing
- Make ahead: Prepare and freeze unbaked meatballs up to 3 months
- Crockpot method: Cook meatballs in sauce on LOW for 2-3 hours
- Spice variation: Add 1 tsp chili powder to BBQ sauce for more heat
- Serving suggestions: Toothpicks for appetizers, or over mashed potatoes for dinner
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Appetizer/Main
- Method: Baking/Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 95mg