From-Scratch BBQ Grape Jelly Meatballs
These BBQ grape jelly meatballs are literally the easiest party appetizer ever. All you need is frozen or from-scratch meatballs, grape jelly, and your favorite BBQ sauce. Pour everything in the slow cooker for a hands-off recipe, or make them on the stove for a quicker option. Either way, this classic appetizer is amazing for holidays, parties, and get-togethers!
Ingredients
Homemade Meatballs
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (70 grams)
- 1/2 cup whole milk (120 milliliters)
- 2 pounds 80/20 ground beef (908 grams)
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 big cloves)
- 1/2 cup finely-chopped sweet onion (70 grams)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Black pepper, to taste
BBQ Grape Jelly Sauce
- 16 ounces grape jelly (454 grams)
- 16 ounces BBQ sauce (454 milliliters)
- Chopped green onions or chives, for garnish
Equipment
- Slow cooker or Dutch oven
Instructions
Homemade Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and whole milk together. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs have rehydrated.
- Add the ground beef, garlic, onions, eggs, parsley, Kosher salt, Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper to the breadcrumb mixture. Use a rubber spatula to mix the meat mixture until it's well-combined. Don't over-mix or the meatballs will come out dense.
- Using a #60 scoop, divide the meat mixture into 1 Tablespoon portions. Then, roll each portion of meat into a ball with clean hands. You should have about 60 small meatballs.
- Line the meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, leaving some space in-between each. Bake for 14-15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F (74°C). Drain off any extra grease.
Slow Cooker
- Grease the bowl of a slow cooker with neutral oil or cooking spray. Pour the BBQ sauce and grape jelly into the slow cooker and whisk until it's combined.
- Toss the cooked meatballs in the BBQ-grape jelly sauce. Cover the slow cooker and cook the meatballs on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours. Stir the mixture occasionally to keep the meatballs from sticking.
- Once the meatballs are hot and the sauce has thickened, turn the slow cooker to WARM. Garnish the meatballs with chopped green onions or chives, if desired.
Stove Top
- Grease a Dutch oven or large skillet with neutral oil or cooking spray. Combine the BBQ sauce and jelly in the Dutch oven. Toss the meatballs with the BBQ-grape jelly sauce.
- Bring the meatballs to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover and simmer the meatballs for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The meatballs are ready when the centers reach 165°F (74°C) and the sauce is thickened.
- Sprinkle the meatballs with chopped green onions or chives, if using. Enjoy!
Notes
If you want to use pre-made meatballs, skip the homemade meatballs step and use a 28-32 ounce bag of frozen bite-sized meatballs instead. You don't need to adjust the slow cooker or stove top directions whatsoever.
For juicy meatballs, I would use 80/20 ground beef. But you can also use 85/15 if you prefer. Just don't go too lean or the meatballs will come out dry.
I like to sauté the onions before I add them to the meat mixture, because it gives the meatballs a deeper flavor. But I know using raw onions is more common, so feel free to do whichever you prefer!
Place toothpicks near the meatballs for easy serving at a party.
Serving: 1meatball, Calories: 81kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 142mg, Potassium: 76mg, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 13mg
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