Barbecue Meatballs

When I was a kid, my mom cooked dinner on top of everything else that busy moms do each and every day. Naturally, this meant that she gravitated towards recipes that didn't require a lot of work or time. To our dismay, however, our family's repertoire of such recipes was quite limited. So, chicken in the freezer meant soy sauce chicken or sweet sour chicken. Ground turkey in the freezer led to chili, meatloaf, or barbecue meatballs. You can probably imagine how often each of those dishes appeared on our table. My sisters and I would groan and ask why she couldn't make something else (more laborious) like Korean chicken or lasagna. To which she'd reply that someday when WE did the cooking, we could make what we liked.


Well, that day arrived. Now I'm the one who does a lot of the cooking, either for myself or for my family. And, wouldn't you know, I find myself making the same simple, quick recipes she did, though this time with a lot more appreciation. That's not to say that I don't enjoy the dishes, though. In fact, this barbecue meatball recipe is one of my favorites. It's so easy since all you have to do is make the meatballs, bake them, and then finish them off in a tangy, mouthwatering barbecue sauce. We even like to add some grated carrots and chopped green beans in the meatballs for an added healthiness factor. When they're finished, you can serve them with some mashed potatoes, or, if you're so inclined, put them into some buns and prepare yourself to taste the best meatball sandwiches ever.


Barbecue Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1.25 lb. ground turkey
1/2 round onion, chopped
dash garlic powder
splash of Worcestershire sauce
salt, ground black pepper
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 carrot, grated
1/2 c. green beans, finely chopped

For the sauce:
1 1/2 c. ketchup
2 Tbsp. mustard
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar (white vinegar works well too)

Combine the ingredients for the meatballs and form into balls. Bake at 350F for 25 min. While the meatballs are baking, combine the ingredients for the sauce in a saucepan. Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook on medium heat for about 15-20 min. until everything is heated through.

This recipe is linked to:
Made it on Monday
These Chicks Cooked
Recipes I Can't Wait to Try
Whisking Wednesday
Cast Party Wednesday