Description
This Grape Jelly Meatball recipe features tender, juicy homemade meatballs smothered in a simple yet flavorful sauce made from grape jelly, barbecue sauce, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and a hint of buffalo wing sauce. Perfect as an appetizer or served over mashed potatoes for dinner, these meatballs are both crave-worthy and easy to prepare, whether cooked on the stovetop or in a crockpot.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 pounds lean ground beef (see notes for turkey)
- 2 eggs
- 24 Ritz or Saltine crackers, crushed (or 1 cup panko breadcrumbs)
- 1/3 cup dried minced onion
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sauce
- 1 cup grape jelly
- 3/4 cup barbecue sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's recommended)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons Frank's Buffalo Hot Wings Sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prepare the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine the lean ground beef, eggs, crushed crackers or panko, dried minced onion, milk, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, chili powder, and pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Form the meatballs: Shape the mixture into approximately 40 evenly sized meatballs, about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter, and place them on a clean tray or plate.
- Cook the meatballs: In a large skillet or pan over medium heat on the stovetop, brown the meatballs on all sides until they are sealed and lightly browned; alternatively, you can cook the meatballs in a crockpot or oven if preferred.
- Prepare the sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together the grape jelly, barbecue sauce, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, and Frank's Buffalo Hot Wings Sauce until smooth. In a small cup, dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of water, then add salt, ginger powder, and garlic powder to the mixture and whisk well.
- Combine and simmer: Pour the sauce over the cooked meatballs in the skillet. Stir gently to coat all meatballs evenly. Cook on low heat for about 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are fully cooked and the sauce has thickened and become sticky.
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve warm as an appetizer or over mashed potatoes and vegetables for a main course.
Notes
- For a lighter alternative, substitute ground turkey for beef using the same quantities.
- You can use frozen meatballs instead of homemade for quicker preparation.
- The sauce ingredients can be stirred together and cooked on the stovetop or in a crockpot for ease and convenience.
- These meatballs freeze well; store cooked meatballs and sauce separately for best results.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Adjust the amount of buffalo wing sauce to your desired level of spiciness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
