Sweet & Tangy Cocktail Meatballs
Tender meatballs glazed in an addictive sweet-savory sauce of grape jelly and chili sauce
- 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
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.
- 1Preheat oven to 400°F and line baking sheet with parchment
- 2In large bowl, soak breadcrumbs in milk for 5 minutes
- 3Add ground beef, egg, salt, garlic powder, and pepper
- 4Mix gently with hands until just combined - don't overwork
- 5Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet
- 6Bake 15 minutes until browned and cooked through
- 7Meanwhile, in large saucepan, combine grape jelly, chili sauce, and Worcestershire
- 8Heat over medium, stirring until jelly melts and sauce is smooth
- 9Add baked meatballs to sauce and stir gently to coat
- 10Simmer 10 minutes for flavors to meld
- 11Transfer to slow cooker on warm setting for serving
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.
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.