Description

These smoky bourbon BBQ meatballs are the ultimate game day dish—sweet, tangy, and incredibly easy to make ahead. Perfect for feeding a crowd or a cozy night in, they simmer in a slow cooker for hands-off convenience.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
2 large eggs
½ cup plain dried breadcrumbs (or Panko)
¼ cup whole milk
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil (vegetable or canola)
1 cup BBQ sauce (sweet and smoky variety)
¼ cup bourbon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Prep ingredients: Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Measure out breadcrumbs, milk, and spices.
Mix the meatball base: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, diced onion, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix gently with hands until just combined; do not overmix.
Form meatballs: Scoop out balls about 1.5 inches in diameter and roll between palms to smooth.
Brown the meatballs: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meatballs in batches on all sides for 2-3 minutes per side. They do not need to be cooked through. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan or directly in the slow cooker, whisk together BBQ sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce until sugar is dissolved.
Combine and cook: Place browned meatballs in the slow cooker. Pour sauce over them and gently toss to coat. Cover and cook on Low for 3-4 hours or High for 1.5-2 hours until tender and cooked through.
Alternative Oven Method: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place browned meatballs in a baking dish, pour sauce over, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes to caramelize.
Serve immediately with toothpicks for easy eating.

Notes

Do not overmix the meat to avoid tough meatballs. Browning the meatballs first adds significant flavor via the Maillard reaction. For gluten-free, use GF breadcrumbs. For dairy-free, substitute milk with water or almond milk. Alcohol mostly cooks off but is not zero.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3-4 hours
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 8 meatballs per serv
Calories: 380
Sugar: 18
Sodium: 650
Fat: 20
Saturated Fat: 7
Carbohydrates: 24
Fiber: 1
Protein: 22

Keywords: game day recipe, bourbon meatballs, slow cooker meatballs, BBQ meatballs, easy appetizer, football snacks, make ahead dinner