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Main · Off the grill

BBQ Smoked Meatballs

Beef and pork meatballs with smoked paprika and Worcestershire, smoked low on the Searwood and finished in a sticky barbecue glaze.

  • Main
  • Off the grill
  • Serves 4 to 5 (16 to 18 meatballs)
  • 275°F
  • About 1 hr
Gus' Family Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lb ground beef (80/20)
  • 3/4 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce, your favorite

Steps

  1. Mix: in a large bowl, combine everything except the barbecue sauce. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Don't overwork it, or the meatballs get dense.

  2. Form: roll into golf-ball-sized meatballs, about 1 1/2 oz each. You should get 16 to 18.

  3. Smoke: set the Searwood to 275°F and smoke the meatballs for about 45 minutes, until the center reads 160°F.

  4. Glaze: brush or toss the meatballs generously in the barbecue sauce. Put them back on the heat for about 10 minutes so the sauce tacks up and caramelizes.

  5. Rest and serve: let them rest 5 minutes. They're great on their own, on a hoagie roll, or over rice.

Cook's Notes

  • Oven option: bake at 400°F for 20 to 22 minutes, until the center reads 160°F. Then glaze as in step 4.
  • Use your thermometer. Pull them at 160°F, the food-safety guideline for ground meat.
  • Pick a sauce with some sugar in it. The sugar is what turns sticky and caramelized in the glaze step.
  • Pellets: apple or cherry work well for the smoke.
  • Want it spicier? Add jalapeño to the mix, or use a smoky-hot barbecue sauce.