BBQ Meatballs

Ingredients

Meatballs

• • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

  • 1 Each Yellow Onion - Diced

  • 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (optional)

  • 2 teaspoons Garlic - Minced

  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt (to season the onions) 

  • 16-oz Ground Beef

  • 16-oz Ground Pork 

  • 2 Eggs - Whipped

  • 1 Cup Parmesan Cheese - Grated

  • ¼ Cup Parsley - Chopped 

  • 1 Cup Ritz Crackers - Crushed

  • ½ Cup Water (optional)

  • 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt (for ground meat mixture)

  • 2 ½  Cups BBQ Sauce 

BBQ Sauce

• 10 oz Ketchup (or Heinz Chili Sauce if you want to spice it up)

• 2 Tablespoons Lipton Onion Soup and Dip Mix

• 9 oz Apricot Preserve

• 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

• 1 Tablespoon Molasses

• 3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

• 1 teaspoon Cumin

Preparation

• •  Stabilize your grill from 350 - 400F and insert a cast iron griddle or soap stone and top with a cast-iron pan

  • Once the grill and accessory come to temperature, oil the sear surface, and add the diced onions. Sweat the diced onions for a few minutes, agitating them and not giving them too much color. Next add the garlic and crushed red pepper (optional). Cook together for another 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and transfer to a cool place

  • In a large bowl, combine the ground meats with eggs, parmesan, parsley, and crushed crackers. Mix thoroughly but gently, then fold in the cooled onion mixture from above and season with the second amount of salt. Mix then add water (optional, used to adjust the density of the meatball) and mix thoroughly and gently one last time. (Mixture should look wet) 

  • Shape the mixture into 1 ½ - 2 oz balls and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so

  • Place a clean cast iron pan on the grill surface and allow it to come to temperature. Oil the pan and bring it to a smoking point. Sear the meatballs evenly on all sides then pour the BBQ sauce over top of the meatballs. Use enough sauce to reach ¼” below the top of the meatballs. Close the dome and cook the meatballs until they reach an internal temp of 155F. Gently turn a few times throughout the cook, be sure not to break the meatballs. Remove from the grill and serve from the skillet