How to Make BBQ Meatballs

How To Make BBQ Meatballs With Slap It On BBQ Rub

BBQ meatballs are one of the most delicious and easy dishes you can prepare and enjoy with your family. It’s one of those cuisines that come together in no time if you have all the ingredients. It comes together quickly, and you need just enough motivation to put it together. Well, on a weekday, when you return home tired after work, you don’t want to do any elaborate cooking. So, this BBQ meatballs recipe is perfect. It takes little to no time for preparation. You can just pop them in the oven or grill them. With this BBQ meatball recipe with Slap it On BBQ rub, dinner will be ready in no time. Let’s dive into the best tips to prepare BBQ meatballs and then look at a foolproof recipe that will garner only praise from everyone.

What Are BBQ Meatballs?

BBQ meatballs are a famous cuisine. It is found in most cultures. The balls are prepared with ground beef mixed with breadcrumbs, eggs, and spices to bind them together and turn them into 1-inch balls. You can either bake or grill the meatballs for the best flavor and serve them with rice, potatoes, or toast.

How To Prepare The Best Tasting BBQ Meatballs

Everyone wants their meal to be the best tasting. Well, it isn’t difficult to accomplish. You just need a few tips to amp up the flavor. If you have decided to cook BBQ meatballs during this week or on the weekend, then you must consider these tips below for the best-tasting BBQ meatballs. You bet your family will love them and keep asking for more.

Use your hands to Apply the BBQ Rub

Slap It On BBQ Rub is one of the most delicious and versatile BBQ rubs you can find. You can use it to enhance the flavor of your BBQ meatballs. However, the key to getting the flavor just right is to mix the rub in the meat along with other ingredients with your fingertips. When you gently rub all the ingredients into the meat using your fingers, the heat helps release the proteins in the meat, which helps the mixture stick together. Just a few minutes of mixing will do, and you don’t necessarily need to overmix. You’ll know it is ready when the meat mince turns slightly sticky.

Add The Right Amount Of Breadcrumbs

Adding breadcrumbs to the ground beef prevents it from becoming too dry. It also acts as a filler and helps combine it. Breadcrumbs also absorb the meat juices released during cooking and are a must-add ingredient. However, be mindful of the amount of breadcrumbs you add. Adding too many can ruin the texture of your meatballs and turn them into stuffing. It will also not let it combine well, and your meatballs can break during cooking. On the other hand, if you end up adding too few breadcrumbs, it won’t give the desired filler effect you are looking for. Ideally, you should add three tablespoonsful of fresh crumbs to each pound of beef.

Add Slap It On BBQ Rub & Give Your BBQ Meatballs A Bust of Flavors

Is It Better To Grill Or Bake Meatballs?

Well, it depends on you what kind of meatball texture you like. Baking the meatballs will give them more flavor without additional oil. They will have a deliciously crispy crust-like texture on the outside. However, if your goal is juiciness, you can grill them.

At What Temperature Should You Cook The Meatballs?

The best temperature to bake your meatballs is between 350 and 400 F. However, you should make sure you pre-heat the oven before popping the tray in. Additionally, you should bake them for 30 minutes, but make sure to check up on them after 15 minutes at least. This way, you will be able to take them out in case they are done earlier; otherwise, you risk burning them.

Can Meatballs Be Cooked Directly In The Sauce?

While baking or grilling the meatballs enhances the flavor and really gives it that extra kick that people look for in a BBQ meatball recipe, you can cook them directly as well. If that’s more like your style, you can prepare the meatballs and cook them in BBQ sauce until they are tender and done.

Don’t Forget To Add Eggs

If you think adding breadcrumbs is enough to combine the mixture, you’ll make a mistake. Adding a slightly beaten egg will help bind all the ingredients together. For one pound of ground beef, you can add one small egg. If you or your family follow an egg-free diet, you can soak fresh bread in milk and use that as a binder. Make sure to squeeze the excess milk before adding it to the mixture.

Keep the Veggies for the Side

If you think adding vegetables to your meatball will make them tastier, nothing can be further from the truth. Chopped vegetables can best be served on the side because adding them to the mix will just create too much difficulty for you. It can also make the mixture difficult to stick together. So sauté chopped vegetables in the sauce or keep them as a side dish.

Give Them Space

When you pop your meatball tray in the oven, remember to keep enough space between them. Avoid overcrowding the tray, as it can spoil its texture. After all, you want them to turn out as round as possible so they look great when you serve them.

BBQ Meatball Recipe

Ingredients

Ground beef: 2 pounds
Eggs: 2
Breadcrumbs: 1 cup
Minced garlic cloves: 5
Diced onion: 1
Shredded parmesan cheese: ¾ cup (leave some for garnish)
Barbecue sauce: 1 ½ cups divided
Slap it On BBQ Rub: To taste
Ketchup: 2 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce: 2 tbsp
Apple cider vinegar: 1 tbsp
Garlic salt: To taste
Pepper: To taste

Instructions

Turn up the oven temperature to 350 F and pre-heat it.
Take a large bowl and mix the beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, onion, garlic, cheese, ketchup, barbecue sauce, barbecue rub, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and garlic salt. Mix it all together with your hands or a spatula until everything looks well combined.
Form 1-inch balls from the meat.
Take a baking sheet, aluminum foil, or parchment paper and line it on a baking tray. Grease the sheet and start lining the meatballs on the prepared sheet.
Once all the meatballs are prepared, pop the tray in the oven for a minimum duration of half an hour.
Once done, take the tray out, and brush the meatballs with the remaining BBQ sauce to enhance flavor.
Serve the BBQ meatballs with potatoes, rice, or toast. Additionally, you can garnish them with more shredded parmesan cheese and chopped chives if you want.

Conclusion

BBQ meatballs are very easy to put together, given that you follow the tips mentioned above. The key to moist and tender meatballs is adding the right amount of herbs, spices, eggs, and breadcrumbs. However, using the BBQ rub from Slap It On will include the missing flavor in your dish that everyone will love. Prepare it for dinner, along with rice or potatoes, for a hearty family meal. Everyone will surely love it.