Name: Bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed, smoky barbecue meatballs
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: makes 20
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 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; 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

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Bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed, smoky barbecue meatballs

Bacon-wrapped, cheese-stuffed, smoky barbecue meatballs

Emma Freud

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makes 20

Easy

Prep: 35 mins

Cook: 35 mins

A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.2 ratingsRate

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This is all-American 'tailgate' food. The magic ingredient is liquid smoke. Added to the basting sauce and meatballs, it gives a moreish quality you won't be able to resist!

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

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

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Nutrition: per meatball

kcal109
fat5g
saturates3g
carbs6g
sugars4g
fibre0g
protein9g
salt0.7g

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.

RECIPE TIPS

LIQUID SMOKE

Buy liquid smoke from amazon.co.uk for around £3. It also goes well in burgers and chilli.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2016

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A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.2 ratings

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