Sweet & Tangy Cocktail Meatballs
Tender meatballs glazed in an addictive sweet-savory sauce of grape jelly and chili sauce
Ingredients
- 2 lbsground beef(80/20 blend)
- 1 cupbreadcrumbs(plain)
- 0.5 cupmilk
- 1 largeegg(beaten)
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 0.5 tspgarlic powder
- 0.25 tspblack pepper
- 18 ozgrape jelly
- 12 ozchili sauce(Heinz style)
- 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
📝 Make Ahead
Uncooked meatballs freeze well up to 3 months. Sauce can be made 3 days ahead. Combine and simmer just before serving or hold in slow cooker up to 4 hours.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment
- In large bowl, soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes
- Add ground beef, egg, salt, garlic powder, and pepper
- Mix gently with hands until just combined - don't overwork
- Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet
- Bake 15 minutes until browned and cooked through
- Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine grape jelly, chili sauce, and Worcestershire
- Heat over medium, stirring until jelly melts and sauce is smooth
- Add baked meatballs to sauce and stir gently to coat
- Simmer 10 minutes for flavors to meld
- Transfer to slow cooker on warm setting for serving
💡 Pro Tips
Don't skip soaking breadcrumbs in milk - it creates tender meatballs. A small cookie scoop ensures uniform size. The sauce also works beautifully with frozen meatballs for a true shortcut. For a more sophisticated twist, use apricot preserves instead of grape jelly.
📜 History
This quintessentially American party dish emerged in the 1960s when convenience cooking met entertaining. The unlikely combination of grape jelly and chili sauce creates an addictive sweet-tangy glaze that defined mid-century cocktail parties and remains popular at potlucks and game day gatherings.