Barbecued Meatballs
From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Annual 2001, this recipe was shared by a high school home economics teacher. It's a convenient dish, easily baked while attending to other tasks.
From Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Annual 2001, this recipe was shared by a high school home economics teacher. It's a convenient dish, easily baked while attending to other tasks.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- sauce:
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 1/4 cup onion chopped
- 5 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke optional
- Carbohydrate 20.9775057561164 g
- Cholesterol 18.386071171875 mg
- Fat 3.98266648911474 g
- Fiber 2.3442335695486 g
- Protein 4.18004481790498 g
- Saturated Fat 1.47542966168791 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (158g)
- Sodium 75.3441248933801 mg
- Sugar 18.6332721865678 g
- Trans Fat 0.993611017913257 g
- Calories 132 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls.
- Place meatballs on a greased rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain.
- Meanwhile, combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour over meatballs. Bake 10-12 minutes longer.
Freezing Raw Versus Cooked Portions
Freezer management requires choosing between freezing raw shaped meatballs or fully baked ones. Raw meatballs frozen on a sheet pan and transferred to a bag retain a better internal moisture level during the final bake, provided they are consumed within three months. Cooked meatballs frozen directly in their sauce can become spongy because the dairy solids in the evaporated milk separate during prolonged freezing.Thermal Management During the Bake
Bake these meatballs on a greased wire rack inside a shallow pan at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 18 to 20 minutes to elevate them above accumulating rendered fat. Draining this liquid prevents the exterior crust from boiling rather than browning. Simmering the sauce separately for precisely two minutes drives off excess raw tomato astringency from the ketchup before the final ten-minute glaze bake.Transforming Second-Day Leftovers
Refrigerated leftovers can be repurposed by slicing them into thin rounds for grain bowls or melting sharp cheddar over them inside a split roll. Adding two tablespoons of water to the storage container before microwaving prevents the high sugar content in the brown sugar glaze from scorching. Portion control is simple since individual units reheat reliably in ninety seconds.
