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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
I don’t have a food processor. Is there a way to finely chop the bacon any other way?
Thanks,
Sandra
If you don’t have a food processor or blender I would just finely chop it up as small as you can. It should still mix in with the beef just fine 🙂
I like to use kitchen scissors to cut bacon, chicken, or any meat. I find it easier then using a knife.
I’m going to be making these for a potluck and probably will double the recipe. What is the most recommended bbq sauce to use? Or what did you use Serene? Thanks in advance.
Hi Tyson! You can use whichever BBQ sauce you enjoy! We typically have a KC Masterpiece Original or Sweet Baby Rays Original on hand in our house. But if there’s a certain one that you like over other BBQ sauces then feel free to use that. Let me know how they turn out 🙂
How long should they simmer in the crockpot? For my schedule- I was thinking of preparing & cooking the meatballs the night before, then putting them in the crockpot the next day with the sauce.
Hi Dianna! I do this often too! I typically will simmer the meatballs in the sauce for at least an hour on low heat. Then just switch to keep them warm. Hope that helps! Let me know how they turn out 🙂
Yum! I made these tonight for dinner. With a side of mashed potatoes and carrots. Would be a fantastic appetizer. I used “Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ” , Maker’s Mark Bourbon. Definitely kept on my Pinterest food board!
So glad you enjoyed Holly! Sounds like a wonderful meal 🙂
Looks like I’m a little late to the party, but just wanted to comment on these meatballs. They are friggin delicious! I used 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground pork, because that’s what I had on hand.. My batch made 40 meatballs, I used my cookie scoop to make sure they were pretty much all the same size and I baked them at 375 for 20-25 minutes on a dark pan with a cooling rack on top so all the grease fell below, then simmered in the sauce for 10 minutes. Definitely putting this into the Christmas Appetizer file for this year. Thanks!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed!! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
If I can’t have the bourbon should I still use the 1/2 cup of water? Can I follow all the directions except for using the bourbon? The meatball recipe with the bacon sounds great. Thanks
Hi Connie 🙂 Definitely still add the water since it will thin out the sauce, which you will still want. And you can definitely just follow the directions and leave out the bourbon! Let me know how they turn out!
Can you make these in a slowcooker? And how much does. One pound make?
Hi Angel, you can let the meatballs simmer in the sauce in slow cooker. You would still need to prepare the meatballs according to the recipe though. They wouldn’t cook evenly in the slow cooker and you would end up with all of the grease in the sauce. And typically when I make meatballs about 1 pound of meat will make about 10 meatballs I want to say. But it all depends on how big you end up making them. I hope that helps you out 🙂
Ahhh yes thank you!! I’ll make them your way and transfer into the slowcooker for the party tomorrow . ???
I want to make these into a meal!! What can I serve them with?
Anything! You could serve them over some rice, or with some potatoes or a salad as a side dish. Or put them on a sandwich! Let me know what you do 🙂
I made these for tomorrow and had to stop myself from eating a bunch! They are excellent. I’m so glad I doubled the recipe. I don’t have a food processor so I just cut the bacon into tiny “ground” up pieces and finely cut the onion with a knife. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome! I’m so happy you enjoyed them Kim! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
THESE ARE FREAKIN AWESOME. Sorry for shouting. But did I mention, THESE ARE FREAKIN AWESOME!!!!
OH MY GOSH!!! I absolutely agree!!! 🙂 Thanks so much Michael.