These meatballs do well in a crock pot as it keeps them hot.
- Carbohydrate 7.32489500201768 g
- Cholesterol 21.15 mg
- Fat 0.891200000310413 g
- Fiber 0.368999998216381 g
- Protein 1.51520000046562 g
- Saturated Fat 0.234312000041388 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (77g)
- Sodium 51.7980000129339 mg
- Sugar 6.9558950038013 g
- Trans Fat 0.144406000018107 g
- Calories 43 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 deg.
- Mix ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs & minced onion. Roll into small meatballs
- Bake for 20-25 mins, turning once
- In a slow cooker over low heat, blend the jelly, chili sauce, brown sugar and lemon juice. Add meatballs and simmer for 1 hour before serving.
Combining fruit jelly with bottled chili sauce creates a classic sweet-and-sour glaze relying on high sugar content to caramelize and thicken during slow heating. Acidity from lemon juice cuts through the dense fruit sugars, balancing the profile so the sauce remains savory rather than cloying.
- Bake the formed meatballs at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until browned on the exterior before transferring them to the slow cooker.
- Turning the meatballs midway through their 20 to 25 minute bake ensures even rendering of internal fats and prevents sticking.
- Maintain the slow cooker on low heat for the final one-hour simmer to allow the gelatin in the jelly to bind smoothly with the chili sauce without scorching the sugars.
- Substitute regular bread crumbs with panko at a one-to-one ratio if a lighter, less compact meatball interior is preferred.
Executing this sequence properly guarantees the sauce adheres to the meat rather than pooling at the base of the vessel. Proper temperature control prevents the high sugar content from burning during the extended holding period.
