Slow Cooker Barbecue Meatballs
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| Serves | 4-6 |
| Prep time | 45 minutes |
| Cook time | 8 hours |
| Total time | 8 hours, 45 minutes |
| Allergy | Milk, Wheat |
| Meal type | Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Casual Party |
| Website | Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks |
Ingredients
- 1 1/2lb ground beef
- 3/4 cups rolled or quick cooking oats
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (I used kosher)
- a few good grinds of black pepper
- 1 cup flour (I used King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
- canola oil
- 2 cups ketchup
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar or sucanat
- 6 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 tablespoons dried minced onions
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Combine the ground beef, oats, milk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. I use my hands to do this. Mix till just combined-don't overmix or your meatballs will be tough! | |
| Step 2 | |
| Use a tablespoon or a tablespoon-sized scoop to measure out portions of the meatball mixture, then carefully roll into balls. Fill the bottom of a 10-12 inch skillet with canola oil and heat over medium until a little bit of flour dropped into the pan sizzles. Roll the meatballs in the flour and brown on all sides (it helps to do this in two or three batches so you don't crowd the pan, which will bring down the temperature of the oil), then remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Combine the ketchup, sugar/sucanat, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and minced onion in a medium bowl. Pour 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Stack the meatballs into the slow cooker, then cover with the remaining sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Serve by themselves, with egg noodles or mashed potatoes, or on slider rolls (which is what I did!). | |
