Buffalo Balls - Low Carb and Gluten Free
These delicious buffalo chicken meatballs have all the flavor of your favorite classic buffalo wings without the bones, skin, or mess! Keto, Atkins, Low Carb
These delicious buffalo chicken meatballs have all the flavor of your favorite classic buffalo wings without the bones, skin, or mess! Keto, Atkins, Low Carb
- Carbohydrate 0.509079579445496 g
- Cholesterol 4.51962921133064 mg
- Fat 2.13757352293479 g
- Fiber 0.180434720172471 g
- Protein 0.781927274175303 g
- Saturated Fat 0.920447443828912 g
- Serving Size 1 1 meatball (9g)
- Sodium 85.6200243796354 mg
- Sugar 0.328644859273024 g
- Trans Fat 0.212791068019423 g
- Calories 24 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. DO NOT ADD SALT!!! The Frank's is super salty, as is the blue cheese so trust me you don't need to add more. The mix will be sticky and gooey but that's normal.
- Form into about 1 inch balls - remember these are cocktail/bite sized so don't make them too big.
- Place them on a greased cookie sheet (with sides) and bake at 350 degrees (F) for 10 minutes.
- To make the sauce, combine the Frank's and butter in a small saucepan on medium heat, or place in a microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes on high.
- After 10 minutes, remove balls from oven and dunk carefully (they are tender from the cream cheese and could fall apart if you are too rough) in the buffalo sauce.
- Put back onto the cookie sheet and bake for another 12 minutes. If you have leftover sauce you could pour it over the meatballs and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes if you want them really saucy.
Swapping ground turkey for ground chicken drastically alters the fat content and will yield a much drier final product unless you increase the binding fat or watch the oven closely. Professional kitchens rely on precise thermal thresholds and tactile feedback rather than guesswork when preparing ground poultry. Ground poultry requires thorough cooking to destroy pathogens, yet it dries out rapidly once internal moisture escapes. Achieving the proper balance of moisture retention and food safety relies on understanding the physical changes proteins undergo during dry heat cooking.
Judging Doneness Without a Probe Thermometer
Measuring internal temperature with a digital probe inserted into the center of a meatball until it reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit remains the gold standard. Without a thermometer, bakers must rely on tactile and visual cues. When shaped into one-inch portions and baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, poultry proteins contract and firm up. Gently press the center of a meatball; raw meat feels squishy and yields entirely, while properly cooked poultry offers firm resistance and springs back slightly. The juices running from the meat should appear completely clear rather than pink. Because these particular meatballs contain softened cream cheese and almond flour, they remain quite tender during the initial ten-minute bake. Handle them with a spoon when transferring them into the butter and hot sauce mixture to prevent structural collapse.
- If the meat mixture feels too sticky to shape, wet your hands with cold water before rolling.
- Undercooked meatballs will feel spongy and soft under gentle pressure.
- Overcooked poultry turns dense and releases excess moisture into the baking sheet.
