cranberry-sauced meatballs

Recipe by
Susan Miller
Flushing, MI

The meatballs for this appetizer recipe can be made ahead and then baked and added to the slow cooker with the sauce before guests arrive.

yield 60 meatballs
prep time 30 Min
cook time 15 Min
method Slow Cooker Crock Pot

Ingredients For cranberry-sauced meatballs

  • 1   egg
  • 1/2  cup seasoned fine dry bread crumbs
  • 1/2  cup dried cranberries, snipped, or golden raisins, snipped
  • 1/4  cup finely chopped onion
  • 1   teaspoon salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
  • 2   pounds uncooked ground chicken or turkey
  •  Nonstick cooking spray
  • 1  16  ounce can jellied cranberry sauce
  • 1   cup bottled barbecue sauce

How To Make cranberry-sauced meatballs

  • 1
    Lightly coat a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
  • 2
    For meatballs, in a very large bowl, beat egg with a fork. Stir in bread crumbs, dried cranberries or raisins, onion, salt, garlic powder, and cloves or allspice. Add ground chicken or turkey; mix well. Shape into 60 meatballs.
  • 3
    Place meatballs in prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until done (165 degrees F).* Meanwhile, in a 3-1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, stir together cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce. Add cooked meatballs, stirring gently to coat. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 2 to 3 hours or on high-heat setting for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. (Meatballs may be kept warm on low-heat setting for up to 1 hour more.) Serve with toothpicks. Makes 60 meatballs.
  • 4
    * The internal color of a meatball is not a reliable doneness indicator. A poultry meatball cooked to 165 degrees F is safe, regardless of color. To measure the doneness of a meatball, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of meatball.
  • 5
    Make Ahead Tip: Prepare meatballs as directed through step 2, except do not bake. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Continue as directed in steps 2 and 3, using the maximum timings to bake and to heat in slow cooker.
  • 6
    For Easy Cleanup: Line your slow cooker with a disposable slow cooker liner. Add ingredients as directed in recipe. Once your dish is finished cooking, spoon the food out of your slow cooker and simply dispose of the liner. Do not lift or transport the disposable liner with food inside.
  • 7
    Nutrition facts (Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer) Servings Per Recipe 60, calcium (mg) 0, Monounsaturated fat (g) 1, vit. A (IU) 0, vit. C (mg) 0, Folate (µg) 0, chol. (mg) 17, Niacin (mg) 1, Riboflavin (mg) 0, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0, sugar (g) 4, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 0, iron (mg) 0, sat. fat (g) 0, Trans fatty acid (g) 0, fiber (g) 0, cal. (kcal) 48, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 0, Thiamin (mg) 0, pro. (g) 3, sodium (mg) 122, carb. (g) 6, Potassium (mg) 93, Fat, total (g) 1

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