Description
These Slow Cooker Bourbon Meatballs are tender, flavorful, and coated in a rich bourbon barbecue sauce that combines smoky, sweet, and tangy notes. Perfect for parties, game days, or easy family dinners, they are simple to prepare and packed with delicious Southern-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 2 cups prepared barbecue sauce (hickory and brown sugar flavor)
- 1 cup bourbon
- ½ cup honey
- ⅓ cup molasses
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Meatballs
- 2 pounds fully cooked frozen meatballs, thawed
- Fresh chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together barbecue sauce, bourbon, honey, molasses, sweet chili sauce, and Worcestershire sauce until well combined to create the bourbon barbecue sauce.
- Prepare meatballs in slow cooker: Place the thawed meatballs in the slow cooker insert. Pour the prepared sauce over them and stir gently to coat all meatballs evenly.
- Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 hours, allowing the meatballs to soak in the flavors and become tender.
- Garnish and serve: Before serving, sprinkle fresh chopped parsley on top if desired for a burst of color and freshness.
Notes
- Use fully cooked frozen meatballs for convenience; fresh homemade meatballs can also be used but may require adjustment in cooking time.
- The bourbon adds a rich depth to the sauce; substitute with apple juice or additional barbecue sauce for a non-alcoholic version.
- Adjust the amount of honey or molasses for desired sweetness intensity.
- Make sure to thaw frozen meatballs before adding to the slow cooker to ensure even heating.
- Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer or over rice or mashed potatoes for a hearty main course.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 recipe
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 750 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
