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The best bbq meatballs recipe.

BBQ Meatballs Recipe

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  • Author: Erin Jensen
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 24 minutes
  • Total Time: 34 minutes
  • Yield: 20-25 meatballs 1x
  • Category: Appetizer/Dinner
  • Method: Slow Cooker + Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

BBQ Meatballs Recipe – easy, go-to, homemade barbecue meatballs that can be made in the crock pot, oven, or simply on the stove top! 


Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs:

  • 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill almond flour
  • 1/4 of a yellow onion, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (slow cooker + stove top methods only)

BBQ Sauce:


Instructions

Oven Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet pan.
  2. Combine meatball ingredients in medium bowl and mix thoroughly (using your hands is usually the easiest).
  3. Take a heaping tablespoon of the ground beef mixture and use your hands to roll it into a meatball. Continue until all the meat is used (you should have around 20 meatballs).
  4. Place meatballs in a single layer on the parchment-lined cookie sheet, approximately 1/2 – 1 inch apart.
  5. Sprinkle the tops lightly with salt and pepper.
  6. Bake for 24 minutes or until cooked through.
  7. Toss in your favorite barbecue sauce!

Slow Cooker Method:

  1. Combine all meatball ingredients in medium mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (using your hands is usually the easiest).
  2. Take a heaping tablespoon of the meatball mixture and use your hands to roll it into a meatball. Continue until all the meat is used (you should have around 20 meatballs).
  3. Add olive oil to a large cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat. Sear meatballs on all sides, about 2 minutes. 
  4. Add 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce to a slow cooker, add in the meatballs and cook on the LOW setting for 3-4 hours. 

Stove Top Method:

  1. Combine all meatball ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and mix thoroughly (using your hands is usually the easiest).
  2. Take a heaping tablespoon of the ground beef mixture and use your hands to roll it into a meatball. Continue until all the meat is used (you should have around 20 meatballs).
  3. Add olive oil to a large cast iron skillet and bring to medium heat. Add meatballs to the skillet, searing then on all sides (about 2-3 minutes).  Turn heat down to medium/ medium-low heat and continue cooking until meatballs are fully cooked, approximately 10-15 minutes. 
  4. Drain grease and add in your favorite barbecue sauce.  Stir to coat and then serve! 

Notes

  • Lean Ground Beef: use a very lean ground beef for these (around 90% lean). If you use a less lean ground beef there will be an excess amount of grease in your slow cooker or skillet after cooking.
  • Paleo/Whole30: to make Paleo/Whole30 omit the Worcestershire sauce and ensure you are using a Paleo/Whole30 BBQ sauce! 
  • Cook Time: I used the Oven cook time in the recipe card, but note that the Slow Cooker and Stove Top cook times are different! 
  • Dipping Sauce: I love dipping these in homemade ranch

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5 meatballs
  • Calories: 440
  • Sugar: 29 g
  • Sodium: 703.9 mg
  • Fat: 12.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 37.1 g
  • Protein: 41.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 148.2 mg