BBQ Meatballs

pull meatball out of skillet with fork and cheese dripping down

5 from 6 votes

These BBQ Meatballs are juicy, tender and smothered in a rich BBQ sauce. They’re easy to make, packed with flavour and perfect for weeknight dinners, parties or game day gatherings.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: meatballs

Author: Chris Collins

Equipment

Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Large Mixing Bowl
Box Grater (to grate onion/garlic)
1 tbsp Measuring Spoon (to scoop meatballs)
12" Non-Stick Skillet (see notes)

Ingredients

Meatballs

2 thin slices of White Bread, crusts removed & sliced into small cubes (~40g/1.4oz)
1/4 cup / 60ml Milk (I use semi-skimmed)
1 small White Onion, peeled & grated on a box grater
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 cloves of Garlic, minced or finely grated
1/2 cup / 40g freshly grated Parmesan
1 Egg
3/4 tsp EACH: Smoked Paprika, Salt
1/4 tsp EACH: Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper
10.5oz / 300g Ground Beef (20% fat)
7oz / 200g Ground Pork (20% fat)
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 (optional)

1 cup / 100g Cheese (see notes)
1 Fresh Red Chilli, very thinly sliced (seeds removed if preferred)
1 small Spring/Green Onion, thinly sliced

Instructions

Homemade Meatballs

To a large mixing bowl, add the cubed bread, milk, grated onion, Worcestershire sauce and grated garlic cloves. Use a fork to combine everything, mashing a little as you go. Leave for a few minutes to allow the bread to soak in the moisture. Mix in the parmesan, egg and seasoning.
Add the pork and beef and use your hands to combine until everything is evenly distributed. Don't overwork the meat or squeeze it into oblivion; otherwise the meatballs will come out tough and dry.
Use a 1 tbsp measuring spoon to scoop out even-sized chunks of the meat and place them on a large tray or chopping board. One by one, roll the chunks of meat into meatballs.
Add a good drizzle of oil to a large non-stick pan and space out the meatballs (you may need to work in batches). Fry over a medium heat until browned all over and cooked through the centre (typically 7-10 minutes, but just use your best judgment). Turn frequently to get a nice crust all over. Remove from the pan and place to one side.

BBQ Meatballs

If there's excess fat in the pan, discard all but ~1 tbsp or so (just eyeball it). Add the garlic and fry 20 seconds or so (be careful it doesn't burn). Pour in the beef stock and simmer for 1-2 minutes, scraping any flavour off the pan with a wooden spoon.
Stir in the BBQ sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce and the resting juices from the meatballs, then bring to a very gentle bubble. It should thicken to a perfect consistency pretty quickly, and when it does, turn off the heat. Check for seasoning and adjust if desired, then stir through the meatballs until evenly coated.

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 spring onion, then serve and enjoy!

Video

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 you use 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) Frying pan - Important that it's non-stick. If it's not oven safe and you want to add cheese and broil, then transfer to a baking dish (scrape in all of the sauce!) then cook from there.

d) Calories - based on 4 meatballs (assuming 20 are made).

Nutrition