Description
These Slow Cooker Bourbon Meatballs combine rich, smoky barbecue sauce with the warmth of bourbon and the sweetness of honey and molasses. Perfectly cooked in a slow cooker, these meatballs are tender, flavorful, and great for parties or a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 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
Main Ingredients
- 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 thoroughly combined.
- Prepare meatballs: Place the thawed fully cooked meatballs into the slow cooker insert evenly.
- Combine meatballs and sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the meatballs and gently stir to coat them evenly.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low heat for 4 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the meatballs to heat through.
- Garnish and serve: Before serving, sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the meatballs for a pop of color and freshness, if desired.
Notes
- Use fully cooked meatballs to save time and ensure even heating.
- For a spicier kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce to the sauce mixture.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow some liquid to evaporate.
- Serve these meatballs as an appetizer with toothpicks or over rice or mashed potatoes for a main course.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
