Bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed, smoky barbecue meatballs
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- Easy
- makes 20
Ingredients
For the smoky BBQ basting sauce
- 240g cider vinegar
- 120g ketchup
- 55g soft brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp liquid smoke (see tip below)
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes
For the meatballs
- 500g lean beef mince
- 1 egg
- 2 thick slices brown bread, blitzed into breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 20 mini mozzarella balls
- 10 slices smoked streaky bacon
Method
- STEP 1
Put all the ingredients for the smoky BBQ sauce in a pan, add 125ml water and season well, then bring to a simmer, whisking until combined. Leave to cool.
- STEP 2
In a bowl, mix together all the meatball ingredients, except the cheese and bacon, and season well. Take a walnut-sized piece of the mixture and flatten it with your hands, then wrap it gently around a mozzarella ball and roll it into a circle the size of a ping-pong ball. You should end up with 20 balls.
- STEP 3
Cut each slice of bacon in half across the short side and wrap half a slice around each ball. Transfer the balls to a baking tray with the overlapping bacon edges underneath, and cook at 190C/170C fan/gas 5 for 20 mins. Brush with the BBQ sauce and return to the oven for 8-10 mins more or until nicely browned. Brush again with sauce and eat warm, with even more sauce on the side for dipping.
