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These BBQ Meatballs are made with soft and juicy homemade meatballs, glazed in a sweet bbq sauce and then grilled with cheese on top!
The BEST BBQ Meatballs
It’s been too long since I uploaded a meatball recipe and I decided today that needed to be changed. BBQ meatballs are one of the forgotten gems of life. I mean, when somebody says ‘meatballs’, I don’t know about you but my mind always goes to a tomatoey sauce and/or with spaghetti. Well here’s my two cents as to why BBQ meatballs are JUST as awesome:
- Sweet ‘n’ Sticky – The beef in these meatballs take on that sweet BBQ glaze SO well!
- Flavour – Not just a pretty face, these are actually bursting with flavour. From the meatball itself right through to the sauce it’s smothered in.
- Versatile – I’ll provide some serving suggestions in a sec, but these work great as an appetizer, for a lazy lunch or even for dinner!
Oh, and the fact they’re loaded with cheese and topped with spring onion and chilli is just a bonus I guess 🤤
How to make BBQ Meatballs
Behind every great meatball cheese pull is a soft and juicy meatball. I’ve got a more comprehensive post about how to get soft and juicy meatballs, so do check that out if you’ve got the time, but for now:
Tips for making juicy meatballs
- Use a Panade – This is essentially bread soaked in milk. Super simple, yet very effective.
- High Fat – Only use meat with a high percentage of fat (15%+ great, 20%+ even better!)
- Don’t overwork the meat – Over mixing/working the meat will result in dense and chewy meatballs.
In terms of flavour, I’ve added some smoked paprika and Worcestershire sauce which both pair nicely with the BBQ sauce, and some cayenne pepper for a little kick. I also use a combination of pork and beef.Pork adds a nice richness to the meatballs!
How to prepare BBQ Meatballs (quick summary)
- Soak bread in grated onion/garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, parmesan and egg.
- Mash with fork.
- Add pork and beef.
- Gently roll into meatballs.
Top Tip – The easiest and most efficient way to roll your meatballs is to scoop out all the meat with a 1 tbsp measuring spoon, then roll them. As opposed to scooping with your hands and rolling one by one. Also, if you very lightly wet your hands the meat won’t stick as much.
From there, I pan fry the meatballs. I usually grill/broil, but seeing as the sauce is made in the pan, you get that extra flavour from the meatballs mixed in too!
BBQ Glazed Meatballs
When it comes to the sauce, it actually really couldn’t be more simple. Here’s what you’ll need:
- BBQ Sauce
- Beef Stock
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Honey
- Garlic (optional)
How to make BBQ Meatballs on the stove (quick summary)
- Once meatballs are fully browned, remove from pan.
- Add garlic and sauté in the juices.
- Add beef stock, scrape off flavour, then add BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce and honey.
- Stir in meatballs, add cheese and grill/broil!
From there, you’ll just want to give them a sprinkling of spring onion and red onion just for a final pop of colour and flavour!
What cheese to use?
Monterey Jack works great, as does cheddar. If you want that classic cheese pull then stuff in some mozzarella too!
Do I have to add cheese?
Nope! You can certainly serve the BBQ meatballs as they are, but you know, everything tastes better with cheese 🤪
How to serve BBQ meatballs?
For dinner, I recommend serving with rice. For a lazy lunch chuck them in a sub roll or with fries. OR for a shared appetizer just keep them in the pan and give everyone a fork!
Easy Cheesy BBQ Meatballs
Literally, is there anything better in this world?! Right now I think the answer is probably not no. If you like the look of the beauties, I’ve got a sneaky suspicion you’ll like these too:
Unique Meatball Recipes
- Cranberry Turkey Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs (stuffed with blue cheese)
- Crispy Gnocchi and Sausage Meatballs
- Homemade Meatball Subs (stuffed with cheese)
- Meatball Pasta Bake
- Swedish Meatballs
Recipes with BBQ Sauce
- BBQ Chicken Wraps
- BBQ Chicken Nachos
- Smokey BBQ Chicken Pizza
- BBQ Chicken Pasta
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the BBQ Meatballs shall we?!
How to make BBQ Meatballs(Full Recipe & Video)
BBQ Meatballs
These BBQ Meatballs are made with soft and juicy homemade meatballs, glazed in a sweet bbq sauce and then grilled with cheese on top!
5 from 5 votes
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Servings (click & slide): 20 meatballs
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Calories per serving: 477kcal
Author: Chris Collins
Cost per serving: £3 / $4
Equipment:
Large Bowl
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
12" Non-Stick Skillet
Box Grater (to grate onion/garlic)
1 tbsp Measuring Spoon (to scoop meatballs)
Ingredients (check list):
Meatballs
- 10.5oz / 300g Ground Beef (15%+ fat)
- 7oz / 200g Ground Pork (15%+ fat)
- 1/2 cup / 35g freshly grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup / 60ml Milk
- 2 thin slices of White Bread, sliced into small cubes (crusts removed)
- 2 cloves of Garlic, minced or finely grated
- 1 medium Onion, peeled & grated on a box grater
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 3/4 tsp each: Smoked Paprika, Salt
- 1/4 tsp each: Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper
- Olive Oil, as needed
BBQ Sauce
- 1/2 cup / 120ml Good Quality BBQ Sauce
- 1/3 cup / 80ml Beef Stock
- 2 cloves of Garlic, minced (optional)
- 1 heaping tsp Honey
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
To Serve
- 1 cup / 100g Cheese (see notes)
- 1 Red Chilli, very thinly sliced (seeds removed if preferred)
- 1 small Spring/Green Onion, thinly sliced
Instructions:
Homemade Meatballs
In a large bowl, combine 2 thin slices of cubed bread with 1/4cup/60ml milk, 1 grated medium onion, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 grated garlic cloves. Give a mush with a fork and allow the bread to soak up the moisture (around 5mins or so).
Add 1/2cup/35g parmesan, 1 egg, 3/4 tsp smoked paprika and salt, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and black pepper. Give it a good stir to combine.
Add 7oz/200g pork and 10.5oz/300g beef and very gently combine. Don't overwork the meat or the meatballs will come out chewy.
Use a 1 tbsp measuring spoon to scoop out the meat and place on a chopping board. Once all scooped out, roll each chunk of meat into meatballs.
Add a drizzle of oil to a 12" skillet and add meatballs. Fry over medium heat for about 10mins, or until nicely browned on the outside and just cooked through the centre, turning frequently. Remove from skillet when done.
BBQ Meatballs
Add garlic and fry until golden in the leftover grease (drain away some if there is more than about 2tbsp). Pour in 1/3cup/80ml beef stock and scrape at flavour stuck to the pan and allow to reduce for 5mins.
Pour in 1/2cup/120ml BBQ Sauce, 1 tsp honey and Worcestershire and seasoning to taste. Stir to combine, then add back in your meatballs (with any leftover juices). Coat your meatballs in the sauce.
Cheesy BBQ Meatballs
Clump the meatballs together in the centre of the pan and make sure all the sauce is poured over. Sprinkle over 1cup/100g cheese (or more if you desire) and pop under the grill and broil until golden and gooey. Sprinkle over chilli and onion!
Quick 1 min demo!
Notes:
a) Can I sub the Pork? - The pork is there to add richness to the meatballs. If you only have beef though that'll work just fine. In any case just make sure it's non-lean meat you use. In most cases I'll actually use 20% fat for both pork and beef.
b) Cheese - Monterey Jack works great, as does a classic cheddar. If you want that classic cheese pull add some mozzarella in too.
c) What to serve with BBQ Meatballs? - If you want to make it a dinner then rice works great. A lazy lunch calls for fries or in a sub. You could also serve the whole thing as a shared appetizer!
d) Calories - based on using 15% pork and beef, semi skimmed milk, 1 tsp oil to fry the meatballs, 1cup/100g Monterey Jack cheese and no sides. Calories for 4 meatballs (assuming 20 are made):
Your Private Notes:
Click here to add your own private notes or reminders about this recipe.
Nutrition:
Nutrition Facts
BBQ Meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 477Calories from Fat 257
% Daily Value*
Fat 28.58g44%
Saturated Fat 12.099g60%
Trans Fat 0.662g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.913g
Monounsaturated Fat 10.925g
Cholesterol 221mg74%
Sodium 798mg33%
Potassium 565mg16%
Carbohydrates 23.88g8%
Fiber 1.2g5%
Sugar 13.81g15%
Protein 30.68g61%
Vitamin A 768IU15%
Vitamin C 16.1mg20%
Calcium 329mg33%
Iron 3.27mg18%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
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Looking for more?You'll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook 'Comfy'
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