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Slow Cooker Cocktail Meatballs | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | this favorite #meatballs recipe includes grape jelly & #SweetBabyRays #BBQ sauce! It's fabulous for #tailgating, #NewYearsEve or #SuperBowl parties. So easy, too! #appetizer

Slow Cooker Cocktail Meatballs

Teresa Ambra
This amazing appetizer is a wonderful hot dish for tailgating or Super Bowl parties, but it's also great as a main dish served over rice! This one uses Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce and grape jelly for the sauce! It is so mouthwatering everyone is sure to want seconds.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 35 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 304 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 crockpot
  • 1 18x26" cookie sheet pan
  • measuring cups & spoons if making homemade meatballs
  • 1 mixing bowl if making homemade meatballs
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • toothpicks to serve the meatballs with
  • 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables (if making homemade meatballs)

Ingredients
  

COCKTAIL MEATBALLS:

  • 32 oz. bag frozen meatballs or make up about 2 lbs. of meatballs from recipe below
  • 16 oz. jar Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce
  • 16 oz. jar Bama grape jelly

HOMEMADE MEATBALLS:

  • 2 lbs. lean ground sirloin
  • 1 cup 4C Seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup diced onion
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley

Instructions
 

COCKTAIL MEATBALLS:

  • Mix together meatballs and place on sprayed cookie sheets.
  • Bake at 350° for about 20-30 minutes.
  • Spray crock pot with cooking spray.
  • While meatballs are baking, pour barbecue sauce and grape jelly into crock pot and stir well.
  • Add meatballs and heat through for a few hours on low.
  • Continue stirring occasionally to get lumps out of jelly and make a smooth sauce.
  • These are delicious served as appetizers or as a main dish with noodles or rice.

HOMEMADE MEATBALLS:

  • Combine ingredients really well with your hands.
  • Shape into meatballs.
  • Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.
  • Bake meatballs at 350° for about 20-30 minutes.
  • Add to crockpot with jelly/BBQ sauce mixture.
  • Continue cooking on low until meatballs absorb the flavors from the sauce—about 3-4 hours.

Notes

NOTE: You can also add raw meatballs to the sauce and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
 
NOTE: Be sure you use a high quality lean ground beef 93% or 96% lean or you will have a greasy sauce!
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
[nutrition-label]

Nutrition

Calories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 8gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 771mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 53gCalcium: 30mgIron: 0.9mg
Keyword appetizer, barbecue, crockpot, meatballs, Slow Cooker
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