Bourbon Honey BBQ Meatballs (Printable Page)

# What You Need:

→ For the meatballs

01 - 2 lb ground beef
02 - 1 yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 teaspoons minced garlic
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 6 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
08 - Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
09 - Oil for greasing

→ Sweet Bourbon BBQ Sauce

10 - 2 tablespoons avocado oil
11 - 2 teaspoons minced garlic
12 - 1 shallot, finely minced
13 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
14 - 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
15 - 170g tomato paste (6 oz)
16 - 120ml molasses (½ cup)
17 - 3 tablespoons honey
18 - 3 tablespoons brown sugar
19 - 80ml apple cider vinegar (⅓ cup)
20 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
21 - 2 teaspoons salt
22 - ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
23 - 120ml bourbon (½ cup)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and shallot, sautéing until shallot becomes soft and translucent.
02 - Add onion powder, paprika, and tomato paste to the pan. Cook for approximately 2 minutes until spices intensify in color and release their aroma.
03 - Carefully pour in the bourbon, using a wooden spoon to scrape any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Incorporate molasses, honey, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper. Allow mixture to simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, diced onion, minced garlic, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until ingredients are well incorporated and mixture holds together.
06 - Portion approximately 2 tablespoons of mixture for each meatball. Roll into uniform spheres and arrange on a lightly greased baking sheet. For better shape retention, freeze for 10 minutes before cooking.
07 - Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake meatballs for 10-12 minutes until browned and fully cooked through.
08 - Transfer baked meatballs to the saucepan with the BBQ sauce over low heat. Gently fold to ensure meatballs are evenly coated in the glaze and warmed through.
09 - Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve warm as an appetizer with toothpicks or as a main course.

# Helpful Tips:

01 - For a more uniform shape, freeze the formed meatballs for 10 minutes before baking.
02 - The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored refrigerated.

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