Meet your new weeknight dinner hero: gradual cooker BBQ meatballs. These are tender, juicy, filled with taste, and cooked low and gradual in a tangy BBQ sauce with candy onions and a splash of zesty Italian dressing. They’re good for household dinners, meal prepping, recreation day appetizers, or any time you want a crowd-pleasing dish that requires minimal effort.
I initially revealed this recipe in 2015 and have since added new photographs and some extra success suggestions.
Identical to my recipe for traditional gradual cooker turkey meatballs, this recipe has all the important thing elements of a great selfmade dinner: Simple. Taste-packed. Make-ahead pleasant. That is the form of consolation meals you’ll crave all 12 months spherical!
Heaps to Love About These BBQ Meatballs:
- Lean and protein-packed
- Simple to prep, then let the gradual cooker work its magic
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly
- Tangy, smoky, candy, or spicy—use your favourite BBQ sauce for a taste you’re keen on
- Works as a hearty primary dish, or a celebration appetizer
These tangy-sweet gradual cooker BBQ meatballs are so versatile—get pleasure from them in a hearty sub roll as BBQ meatball sandwiches, on their very own alongside a salad or coleslaw, on a mattress of mashed potatoes, or with cornbread.
Inform Me About These BBQ Meatballs
- Taste: The mix of smoked paprika, candy onion, and BBQ sauce makes each chew irresistibly savory with simply the correct trace of spice and sweetness.
- Texture: By utilizing lean floor turkey, we’re in a position to hold the meatballs gentle, moist, tender, and nonetheless filled with taste. In comparison with many recipes, the meatball combination is gentle on the breadcrumbs. An excessive amount of can take away from the meatball’s texture, so add simply sufficient to assist bind.
- Ease: Brown the meatballs on the range to lock in taste, after which let the gradual cooker do the remaining. Simple-peasy!
Easy Components
For the meatballs, I at all times use floor turkey that’s about 93% lean, 7% fats. You may use floor beef or hen as a substitute, when you favor. You additionally want an egg to bind the substances collectively. Breadcrumbs are one other binding agent, and you should utilize panko, common, complete wheat, Italian seasoned (you might make your personal with selfmade croutons), and even gluten free.
Combine every little thing collectively, after which roll the combination into balls.
Sear the Meatballs First
We are able to skip pan-searing when making hen meatballs that bake within the oven, however this step is critical for in the present day’s recipe. Gently searing the turkey meatballs in a skillet on the range browns the exteriors and seals in all of the juicy moisture. (Taste, taste, taste!) For those who skip this step, the meatballs will simply crumble aside within the crockpot.
This step solely takes about 10–quarter-hour complete, after which it’s the gradual cooker’s flip to take over.
Select Your Favourite BBQ Sauce
Whereas these flavorful turkey meatballs are the star of the present, the BBQ sauce performs an necessary supporting position. There are such a lot of sorts of BBQ sauce on the market, starting from smoky to candy to tangy to spicy… some with a vinegar base and others with mustard… use your most well-liked model!
You’ll additionally add Italian dressing for further taste. Once more, you should utilize your favourite store-bought Italian salad dressing right here, or do this selfmade Italian dressing.
Layer the onions, half of the BBQ sauce, and half of the Italian dressing within the backside of your gradual cooker. Place the seared turkey meatballs on high, then pour the remaining sauce and dressing over the meatballs. And your work right here is finished! Pop that lid on and let the gradual cooker do its factor.
You’ll be able to prepare dinner on low for about 5 hours, or pace issues up by cooking on excessive for about 3 hours.
A Useful Make-Forward Dinner Recipe
There are various methods to get a bounce on dinner with this turkey meatballs recipe. Having firm over tomorrow? Brown the meatballs as instructed and hold them within the fridge till the next day, then switch them to the gradual cooker. Or freeze now to get pleasure from through the colder months. Or prepare dinner in the present day, then reheat tomorrow simply earlier than dinnertime. See recipe Be aware under.
Description
Juicy, flavorful, and really easy—these gradual cooker BBQ meatballs simmer in a tangy-sweet sauce made with BBQ sauce, onions, and a splash of Italian dressing. Good for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or recreation day appetizers!
- 1 giant egg
- 2 kilos (907g) 93% lean floor turkey*
- 2/3 cup (40g) panko breadcrumbs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
- 1 medium candy onion, sliced
- 1 and three/4 cups (420g) BBQ sauce*
- 1/2 cup (120g) store-bought or selfmade Italian dressing
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Beat the egg in a big mixing bowl. Add the bottom turkey, panko bread crumbs, garlic, oregano, salt, paprika, and pepper. Combine every little thing up simply so the substances are mixed—keep away from over-mixing, which might make the meatballs robust.
- Roll the combination into balls, about 1.5 heaping Tablespoons or 40g every. Place all rolled meatballs on a big baking sheet.
- Place the onion slices within the backside of the gradual cooker, then high with half of the BBQ sauce and half of the Italian dressing (the remaining will go on high).
- Coat a big skillet with the olive oil and convey to medium-high warmth. Flippantly brown the meatballs in batches for about 1 minute on either side. (Don’t skip this step! Locks within the taste and helps set the form so the meatballs don’t disintegrate.) Layer the meatballs into the gradual cooker as you’re browning every batch. As soon as all browned meatballs have been added to the gradual cooker, pour the remaining BBQ sauce and Italian dressing on high.
- Cowl and prepare dinner on low for five hours or on excessive for 3 hours. Serve heat with sauce and onions.
- Retailer leftovers lined tightly within the fridge for as much as 1 week.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: Put together meatballs by means of the browning step; cowl and refrigerate for as much as 1 day or freeze as much as 2 months. Add to gradual cooker and prepare dinner as directed. OR you’ll be able to totally put together 1 day upfront, refrigerate, then prepare dinner within the gradual cooker on low for 45 minutes or till warmed. Freeze cooked meatballs in sauce for as much as 2 months. Defrost earlier than reheating as desired.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Glass Mixing Bowl | Baking Sheet | Sluggish Cooker (4 quarts or bigger) | Massive Skillet
- Meat: You need to use any floor meat you like; I at all times use turkey.
- Panko: Panko is offered in most main grocery shops. I favor panko breadcrumbs for texture, however you should utilize common, complete wheat, or seasoned breadcrumbs as a substitute. To make your personal breadcrumbs for this specific recipe, you’ll be able to trim the crusts from 2 slices of stale bread. Lower bread into items and pulse in a meals processor till coarse crumbs kind. Unfold breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F till dry, about 12–14 minutes.
- BBQ Sauce & Italian Dressing: Use your favourite BBQ sauce and Italian dressing, or attempt my selfmade Italian dressing. These make up the sauce, so be sure you like their taste.
- No Sluggish Cooker? No Downside! Add the formed meatballs to a big skillet coated with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and sauté till browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place on a big baking sheet. Repeat with all meatballs since they can not all match into the pan without delay. Flip off warmth. Pour off any extra oil. In a really giant pot, add the sliced onions and half of the BBQ sauce and Italian dressing. Add the meatballs and pour remaining BBQ sauce and Italian dressing on high. Flip the warmth to low-medium and simmer till the sauce thickens barely, the flavors mix, and the meatballs are cooked by means of, about 25–35 minutes.
