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A tray of unbaked bbq meatballs with a set of measuring spoons beside it and a bowl of barbecue sauce in the background.
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4.75 / 4 votes

BBQ Meatballs

These BBQ meatballs are tossed in the crockpot or oven (translation: no stovetop spattering to clean up) and slathered in a homemade molasses barbecue sauce. Here's how to make them.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 602

Ingredients

For the molasses barbecue sauce

  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz) butter
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced onion
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/3 cups ketchup
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

For the meatballs

  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 3/4 cup (about 4 oz) minced onion
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 1/3 cup panko or plain dried bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 cup Molasses Barbecue Sauce, plus more for serving
  • 1 tablespoon honey
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the molasses barbecue sauce

  • In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the butter until sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the water, ketchup, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, mustard, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
  • Cover and cook until thickened and the flavors have mingled, 20 to 30 minutes.

Make the meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
  • In a large bowl, use your hands or a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine the beef, pork, onion, garlic, salt, smoked paprika, pepper, panko, and egg. Take a pinch of the mixture and quickly sizzle it in a skillet to taste for seasoning, and add more salt, pepper, or paprika as desired. Divide the mixture into tablespoon-size portions.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: If you want to serve these meatballs as an appetizer or cocktail snack, divvy the mixture into teensy portions, more like 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons each. Your baking time will decrease slightly.

  • Roll the mixture into balls and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cooked through and the internal temperature has almost reached 160°F (71°C), 13 to 15 minutes. (Don't worry, the meatballs will continue to cook until done in the oven or slow cooker.)
  • To finish the BBQ Meatballs in the oven: Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (191°C). Remove the roasted meatballs from the oven and carefully spoon off any liquid in that's collected on the baking sheet. Toss the meatballs with 1 cup of barbecue sauce and the honey. Bake until the barbecue sauce glaze is set, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.
    To finish the BBQ Meatballs in the slow cooker: Place the roasted meatballs in a slow cooker with the honey and enough barbecue sauce to partially cover the meatballs. (The amount will vary depending on the size of your slow cooker.) Cover and simmer on low for up to 3 hours, adding barbecue sauce and honey as needed to keep the meatballs from becoming uncovered and drying out.

Notes

  1. Storage--Leftover cooked meatballs and sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  2. Freezing--Meatballs can be frozen before or after cooking. Freeze in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and then transfer to a resealable bag or container for up to 3 months.
  3. Scaling the recipe--A single recipe will make about 3 dozen meatballs. You can double the recipe if feeding a larger crowd.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 602kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1809mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 46g