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Rich and flavorful Bacon Bourbon Meatballs simmered in an indulgent Bourbon BBQ sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, they make a perfect appetizer or a delicious weeknight family dinner served on sandwich rolls or over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
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Why I Love these Bacon Bourbon Meatballs
- Texture & Taste: The meatballs are crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and ultra flavorful thanks to the rich and indulgent Bourbon BBQ sauce they are simmered in.
- Great for family dinner: serve these bourbon meatballs on some sandwich rolls with melty provolone cheese. Or over a bed of creamy, white cheddar mashed potatoes.
- Fun Appetizer Meatball option: add some flair to the appetizer table with this recipe! They will stay nice and warm in a small slow cooker.
Ingredients
Notes on Some Ingredients:
- Ground Beef: an 80/20 mixture is good, you want to keep some fats in the meat. And all excess grease will be drained after cooking before adding the sauce.
- BBQ Sauce: use your favorite kind. Some good store-bought options include: Sweet Baby Rays or Kraft, or you can grab your favorite specialty sauce.
- Breadcrumbs: use an original style, not already seasoned.
- Bourbon: use what you have on hand, a favorite, or grab a mini bottle of Maker’s Mark from the liquor store.
How to Make Bacon Bourbon Meatballs
- Process the bacon with onion. This ensures a smooth finish to the meatballs by grinding up the bacon and the onion. If you don’t have a food processor you can use a blender, just be sure not to over-blend. Or you can finely dice those ingredients if needed.
- Mix ingredients for meat mixture. Using your hands mix up the meats with the remaining ingredients needed.
- Form Meatballs. Using a cookie scoop, or tablespoon, scoop up the meat and roll with your hands to form round ball shapes about 1 inch in diameter. Using a scoop helps to ensure a consistent size.
- Cook the meatballs in a skillet until cooked throughout. Remove from the skillet, pour out any excess grease and then add in the sauces.
- Simmer in the sauce. Let the meatballs cook in the sauce for at least 10 minutes (can always do this longer for more flavor).
- Serve: These meatballs can be served on their own as an appetizer, on a sandwich, or on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.
F.A.Q’s
Which Bourbon is best to use?
Any bourbon you like or have on hand is going to work in this recipe. If you don’t have any on hand you can find small miniature bottles at the liquor store, Maker’s Mark is a good option to try.
Does the alcohol cook out?
Not completely. For more information check out this article. If you are cooking for someone who is unable to have any amount of alcohol in their system I would advise against adding the bourbon.
Storage Information
- Make Ahead: prepare the meatballs ahead of time and reheat when needed. They can be heated and kept warm in a slow cooker for a game day spread.
- Freezer: Cook the meatballs completely through, then allow to cool. Lay them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, not touching, and freeze until solid (overnight is great). Then transfer the meatballs to a freezer bag or freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Bacon Bourbon Meatballs
These indulgent meatballs are made with bacon and ground beef and simmered in a bourbon bbq sauce. Perfect to serve as an appetizer for the big game or on a sandwich for family dinner!
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup beef broth
- 3 tbsp bourbon
Instructions
- Blend: Place the uncooked bacon into a food processor and process for about 1 minute or until bacon is finely ground up. Add in the onion and process until onion is finely chopped and mixed in.
- Meat Mixture: Spoon bacon and onion mixture into large bowl. Add ground beef, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, chili powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Form Meatballs: Scoop out the meat mixture and roll into balls using your palms, should make about 24 1 inch meatballs.
- Saute: Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Place the meatballs into the sauce pan and cook, turning every couple minutes to ensure all sides cook evenly. Cook for about 8-10 minutes until fully cooked.
- Grease: Remove the meatballs and set aside. Remove the pan from the heat and pour out the excess grease.
- Simmer: Add the barbecue sauce, broth and bourbon to the saucepan and return to heat. Stir to mix the sauce together. Add in the meatballs and allow them to simmer in the sauce for at least 10 minutes.
Video
Equipment
Notes
*Recipes containing alcohol are intended for those 21 years of age and older only. Please drink responsibly. If you are cooking for someone who is unable to have any amount of alcohol in their system I would advise against adding the bourbon. Be aware that cooking does not remove all traces of alcohol.
- Ground Beef: an 80/20 mixture is good, you want to keep some fats in the meat. And all excess grease will be drained after cooking before adding the sauce.
- BBQ Sauce: use your favorite kind. Some good store-bought options include: Sweet Baby Rays or Kraft, or you can grab your favorite specialty sauce.
- Breadcrumbs: use an original style, not already seasoned.
- Bourbon: use what you have on hand, a favorite, or grab a mini bottle of Maker’s Mark from the liquor store.
- Don’t overwork: mixing by hand makes it easier to mix the ingredients together without overworking the meat mixture.
- Use a cookie scoop to make your meatballs, this helps keep them the same size which is important for even cooking.
- How to taste test: you can always test your meatballs before cooking up the entire batch by making one small patty of meat and cooking it completely. This allows you to taste and adjust before cooking up all the meatballs.
- Freezing: Cook the meatballs completely through, then allow to cool. Lay them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, not touching, and freeze until solid (overnight is great). Then transfer the meatballs to a freezer bag or freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 98IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Recipe first published January 18, 2016. Updated August 27, 2021 with new images, video and information. Recipe is unchanged.
Photography done by the talented @KJandCompany.co
Seems to me that only 3 Tbsp of bourbon to 1.5 cups BBQ sauce/broth is a little lite on the bourbon. Especially for a dish who’s name starts with the word Bourbon. I don’t want to overpower the dish, I just want to know what everyone else’s experience was. Was just 3 Tbsp of bourbon just right or was more better? Was more too much? I’d appreciate any and all feedback. Thanks.
By far the most requested when ask “What Can I Bring”?? I typical make around 300 during the holidays!
I meant to give this 5 stars!
These meatballs were phenomenal!!!! However, I liked them best plain. I feel like the sauce took away from all that bacon onion goodness going on!! Definitely making again and will just dip them in the sauce instead of soak them.
My son made this for our Sunday dinner…fabulous! I finally got the recipe from him…will be made again for sure.
tried these meatballs yesterday, for some friends. Everybody was amazed. leftovers in sandwich buns tonight… ummm can not wait. thank you for this easy but still great tasting recipe.
Can’t wait to get yummy recipes
These were easy and tasted so great we finished them in less than 15 minutes!
Yummy!
These meatballs were tasty, but next time I might be more careful about what BBQ sauce to use. I used the Sweet Baby Rays and they were a little sweeter than I would have preferred. The next time I might use a sauce that has a little more hotness and a little less sugar.