Oven Meatballs In BBQ Sauce

BBQ meatballs displayed on a decorative plate.

Makes a large batch, perfect to feed that party crowd. Baked in the oven and slathered with some of the best flavored homemade bbq sauce you'll find. Pot-luck perfect recipe.

Course Appetizer Recipes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 15

Servings meatballs

Calories 93kcal

Author Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

3 pounds ground beef 80-20 blend
13 ounces evaporated milk *note below
2 large eggs lightly beaten with a fork
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups saltine crackers crushed. The crackers should measure 2 cups after crushed. About 1 ½ sleeves of saltines.
1 whole onion diced
1 clove garlic diced
3 teaspoons chili powder
For the Sauce:
4 cups ketchup
1 large sweet onion diced
2 clove garlic diced
4 tablespoons Liquid smoke
3 cups brown sugar firmly packed

Instructions

BBQ Sauce Directions:
In a sauce pan, mix ketchup, onion, garlic, liquid smoke, brown sugar and using medium heat, bring to a boil. Turn the burner off but leave the pan on the burner to keep warm while you make the meatballs.
To Make The Meatballs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix first 9 ingredients together in a large pan. Using your hands, gently mix the ingredient until well blended.
Again, using your hands, form into balls about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter.
Place the meatballs on two 9 x 13 baking dishes, sprayed with no-stick spray or covered in aluminum foil.
Cover liberally with sauce and bake for 30 - 45 minutes or until meatballs are done. (time depends on meatball size)
This makes around 90 meatballs.

Video

Notes

*This is an old recipe. The recipe calls for 13 ounces evaporated milk. These days, cans of evaporated milk are 12 ounces. Just add an additional 2 tablespoons of milk, cream or half and half to make up the additional ounce of liquid.

For Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs: Bake meatballs in over per direction. Once cooked, place them in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Give them a very gentle stir to combine. Cook on low for 2 hours and the dish is steamy warm and easy to transport.

The best way to crush saltine crackers is to use a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, place crackers in a zip lock bag and remove air. Use a rolling pin to crush the crackers.

Nutrition