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Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs

Grape jelly BBQ meatballs are made by slow-cooking frozen fully cooked meatballs in a glossy, sweet-and-savory sauce. The grape jelly melts into the BBQ base for sticky, spoon-coating flavor that heats through in the slow cooker.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 2 lb frozen fully cooked meatballs
Sauce
  • 18 oz BBQ sauce
  • 1 cup grape jelly
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Garnish
  • 1 Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the sauce in the slow cooker
  1. Whisk BBQ sauce, grape jelly, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a slow cooker until smooth.
  2. Add the frozen fully cooked meatballs and stir to coat evenly in the sauce.
Slow-cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours.
  2. Stir once halfway through cooking so the meatballs are evenly glazed.
  3. Alternatively, cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours if you need them sooner.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir until the sauce is glossy and the meatballs are heated through.
  2. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, keep on WARM, and serve with toothpicks.

Notes

For the shiniest glaze, stir halfway through and again at the end until the sauce looks thick and glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in a slow cooker until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the jelly can slightly change texture after thawing. Dietary swap: use a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if you need gluten-free.