Best BBQ Meatballs Recipe

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BBQ Meatballs are the perfect comfort food and a great recipe for entertaining or weeknight meals. Along with a bold flavor, they are easy to make in either the oven or slow cooker.

A wooden spoon with bbq meatballs in a casserole dish.

Best BBQ Meatballs Recipe

Also, if you don’t have time to roll the mixture into meatballs, you can use a spring-release scoop (ice cream scoop) to scoop them into muffin tins. This also helps speed up the cooking time. Or you can make one meatloaf out of the mixture. Granted, the meatloaf will take longer to cook, 45 to 55 minutes, but it requires much less hands-off time of rolling each ball.

Another alternative would be to cook in the slow cooker on high for 2 to 3 hours. 

You can also make ahead and freeze meatballs. This is great when you plan to entertain.

BBQ Meatballs

Options

Furthermore, instead of BBQ Meatballs, you may want to make Mexican meatloaf or my Sweet and Tangy Meatloaf. You can make either of these recipes into meatballs or a muffin tin. As described above, they can also be cooked in a slow cooker. (I cook meatballs in the slow cooker, but I have never cooked a meatloaf in the slow cooker.)

You’ll also enjoy these recipes: Browned Butter Honey Garlic ShrimpSteakhouse Wedge SaladNapa Cabbage Slaw, or Cobb Salad with Buttermilk Garlic Dressing, Twice Baked Potato CasseroleMuenster Mac and Cheese, or Parmesan Potatoes.

Meatballs in a pan with sauce.

BBQ Meatball Encore dish

You can use these for a Meatball Sandwich in hoagie buns. To do this, heat the meatballs as is or add store-bought spaghetti sauce. Next, you will toast the buns and layer hot meatballs on the buns. Finally, layer sliced mozzarella over the meatballs and broil until the cheese melts. As well, you can make spaghetti and meatballs. The tang from BBQ sauce adds an excellent flavor base.

BBQ Meatballs

BBQ Meatballs

BBQ Meatballs is the perfect comfort food and a great recipe for entertaining or weeknight meals.
Author: Paula
5 from 7 votes
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 and ½ pounds ground beef
  • ½ cup fresh bread crumbs
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 3 Tablespoons green onion minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper
  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 and ½ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients for meatballs except 1 c flour and 1/2 c canola oil. Form meat mixture into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. Chill in freezer 10 to 20 minutes. Heat a large sauce pan to med-hi. Add canola oil. Remove meatballs from freezer and dredge in flour. Cook meatballs in oil, browning on all sides. Remove and place on a cookie sheet or pan with sides.
  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over meatballs. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes until center is no longer pink. Serve immediately.

Notes

Additional cooking method. Cook in the slow cooker on high 2 to 3 hours. Cook time will depend on the size of your meatballs.

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 851mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 294IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg
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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My hubby loves meatballs, I'll have to share this recipe with him to try out.

  2. 5 stars
    Kids say the darnedest things! I tell my kids that when they have kids of their own, they will understand! It's kind of a parental right to laugh at them sometimes 😉 Your meatballs sound delish, Paula!

  3. 5 stars
    It's a God-given right to make fun of your kids; don't let them convince you otherwise!

  4. Lol… I love hearing what your kids say ! I told my family the one in which you showed your son your pic and article and he replied something like pity you are not famous or something – they had a good laugh!! {so I am not very “trustworthy” with goodies like that – but I still want to hear about them 😉 }

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Your email address will not be published. Have you tried this recipe? Consider giving it 5 stars!