SLOW COOKER STICKY BACON & WHISKEY MEATBALLS

I make some form of slow cooker mini meatballs for the majority of events I attend or host these days because they really are one of the most enjoyed appetizers I can think of for the least amount of stress. They’re bite-sized, they’re easy to throw together, they can pack in a ton of flavor because you can get really creative with your ingredients, they keep warm in the slow cooker all day and travel easily, and they require very little clean-up. Not to mention that they go over incredibly well with guests. To this day, I’ve never had a party meatball go to waste. Never ever.

And while I sometimes fall back on frozen meatballs and just focus on making an imaginative sauce, when I have a few extra minutes, I like to make my meatballs from scratch– especially when those meatballs include ground up bacon in the meat! The addition of bacon to the meatballs ensures that every bite is extra rich and savory, which makes them a hit with crowds, to say the least.

INGREDIENTS

• FOR THE MEATBALLS:
• 8 ounces uncooked bacon
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup whiskey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons hot chili flakes
• Chopped chives, to top

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the bacon, onion, and garlic. Process the bacon is entirely ground and no large chunks remain.
2. Preheat the broiler. Transfer the bacon mixture to a large bowl and mix in the ground beef, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, and seasonings. Roll the meat mixture into golf ball-sized balls and place on a baking sheet.
3. Broil the meatballs until browned on top, about 7 minutes. (Browning times will vary.)
4. ..................................

for full instruction please see : hostthetoast.com

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