Game Day BBQ Beef Meatballs (Printable View)
Juicy beef meatballs coated in tangy BBQ sauce. Ideal for parties and gatherings. Serves 6 with about 24 meatballs.
# Ingredient List:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
04 - 1/4 cup milk
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, optional
→ BBQ Sauce
12 - 1 cup barbecue sauce
13 - 2 tbsp honey
14 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
15 - 1 tsp hot sauce, optional
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
02 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, milk, egg, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and parsley. Mix until just combined without overmixing.
03 - Shape mixture into 1.5-inch balls and arrange on prepared baking sheet.
04 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned.
05 - While meatballs bake, combine barbecue sauce, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through.
06 - Transfer baked meatballs to a large bowl. Pour warm BBQ sauce over them and toss gently to coat evenly.
07 - Serve hot with toothpicks or as sliders with additional BBQ sauce for dipping.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- These meatballs possess that magical quality of being both impressive and effortless, letting you actually enjoy your own party instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
- The combination of smoky paprika in the meat and the sweet-tangy sauce creates layers of flavor that make people wonder if you secretly trained as a chef.
02 -
- Overmixing the meat mixture will result in tough, dense meatballs—I learned this the hard way during a dinner party when mine came out more like meat marbles than tender bites.
- Letting the meatballs rest for 5 minutes after baking before tossing in sauce helps them set up properly so they dont fall apart when coated.
03 -
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the meat mixture for perfectly uniform meatballs that cook at the same rate—a revelation that improved both appearance and texture in my batches.
- When reheating leftovers, add a splash of beef broth to the sauce to prevent it from reducing too much and becoming overly sticky or burnt.