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Spicy Cranberry BBQ Meatballs

Spicy cranberry BBQ meatballs made in a slow cooker for glossy, deep red sauce and tender bite-size flavor. Frozen fully cooked meatballs simmer until the sauce thickens, then finish with jalapeno and parsley for a bright garnish.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs sauce base
  • 1 can (14 oz) jellied cranberry sauce
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp chipotle chili powder
Meatballs and garnish
  • 2 lb frozen fully cooked meatballs
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced, for garnish
  • 1 chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the cranberry BBQ sauce
  1. In a slow cooker, whisk the jellied cranberry sauce, BBQ sauce, sriracha, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and chipotle chili powder until smooth and fully combined.
  2. Add the frozen fully cooked meatballs and stir to coat each one in the sauce.
Slow cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, stirring once halfway through, until the sauce is bubbling around the meatballs.
  2. Or cook on HIGH for 2 hours, stirring once during the cook, until the sauce is actively simmering.
  3. When done, stir until the sauce is thick and glossy, coating the meatballs with a deep red shine.
Garnish and serve
  1. Top the meatballs with the thinly sliced jalapeno and chopped fresh parsley.
  2. Keep on WARM and serve with toothpicks, so the sauce stays thick and clings to each meatball.

Notes

Pro tip: Stir halfway so the sauce thickens evenly and every meatball gets a glossy coat. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat on LOW until warmed through. Freezing is yes—freeze up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lower-sugar option, use sugar-free BBQ sauce and check that the cranberry sauce is no-sugar-added if desired.