These bacon-wrapped brown sugar bbq meatballs are perfect for any party, and so easy to make! Frozen meatballs are thawed, wrapped in smoky bacon, coated in a spiced brown sugar mixture, tossed with bbq sauce and slow cooked to perfection. Plus, this recipe only has 5 ingredients!
This is one of my Appetizer recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
It’s prime game day party time folks… time to get your favorite appetizers ready.
Party foods… specifically game day foods, are some of my all-time favorites! There’s something so tantalizing about a spicy buffalo chicken dip, a big platter of nachos, or a perfectly pop-able bite sized meatball.
Plus, I really love the easy appetizer recipes, where there’s hardly any prep work and that don’t use all the ingredients in my pantry or refrigerator.
That’s where this recipe comes in! The meatballs are store-bought, there’s very little chopping needed, it uses just 5 ingredients, and the slow cooker does 95% of the work.
And that sweet and smoky flavor? It’s always a crowd-pleaser.
Perfect for parties, these little meatballs are pop-able, and oh so delectable. Your guests will keep coming back for more and asking you for the recipe, I promise!
What do I need to make this recipe?
- Bacon – I really prefer to use a non thick-cut bacon for this recipe, but please use your favorite.
- Meatballs – to make this recipe simple, frozen meatballs are used. I like to use a homestyle variety of meatball.
- Brown sugar – light brown sugar is preferred, but if all you have is dark, that can be used as well (it will have a more molasses-y flavor).
- Chili powder – this adds a smoky mild chile flavor. Unless you love things crazy hot, make sure you’re using a chili powder blend (such as McCormick), rather than a brand that’s pure dried chiles.
- Bbq sauce – use your favorite brand and variety. I like to use Head Country, Kinders, or Sweet Baby Ray’s, in the original variety for all of them.
- Toothpicks – the toothpicks are used to secure the bacon around the meatballs.
How to make bacon-wrapped brown sugar bbq meatballs?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Wrap meatballs. I found cutting the bacon slices into thirds was the right size to wrap fully around the meatball without the bacon being too thick.
- Mix sugar and chili powder. I like to do this in a bowl or deep plate.
- Coat in sugar mixture. This takes a little bit of time, since it has to be done one at a time, but it’s so worth it!
- Add to slow cooker. If all the meatballs won’t fit in a single layer in the slow cooker, they can be stacked, just try to offset them a little so they have some room in between them for even cooking.
- Drizzle with sauce. Be liberal with the bbq sauce.
- Cook. These meatballs are cooked covered, but can be broiled on a baking sheet if you’d like them crispier.
Helpful Tip!
In order for the bacon to cook through and not end up chewy, I recommend using regular bacon, instead of thick-cut.
Variations of this recipe
- Meatballs – to save on some time, this recipe uses pre-cooked frozen meatballs, but you can use homemade meatballs if you want. Just sear or partially bake them first, so they hold up well in the slow cooker.
- Frozen – no time to thaw the meatballs? No problem! Just use them frozen, but cook on LOW for 4-5 hours. The sauce may be a bit thinner and watered down.
- Garlic – for some fun extra flavor, try adding some minced fresh garlic to the sauce. Add a little and just taste the sauce as you go, adding more if needed, to make sure you have the flavor you want.
- Spicy – if you love things hot and spicy, you have a few options. You can use a spicy bbq sauce, use cayenne pepper in the spiced brown sugar, or add a bit of your favorite hot sauce.
- BBQ sauce – use your favorite brand and variety. I do recommend staying away from any that mention being extra sweet, since you’ll already be adding more sweetness with the brown sugar.
- Sticky and crispy – if you prefer your bacon a bit crispier, once the meatballs have cooked in the slow cooker, transfer them to a foil or parchment lined baking sheet and broil for a few minutes (watch them closely so they don’t burn!).
FAQ’s
I found when testing this recipe that frozen meatballs didn’t work out as well as when they were thawed. The frozen ones gave off too much liquid when cooking, and instead of a sticky bbq sauce, you end up with a really watered down sauce.
I prefer to use a plain meatball (for example, not Italian-style), to allow the flavors of the sauce and the bacon to really shine. But this recipe works really well with beef, turkey, and chicken meatballs. We love to use our local grocery store’s brand, and Cooked Perfect brand.
Making bbq meatballs ahead of time
Since these meatballs cook in the slow cooker, and there’s no rushing around cooking, I don’t find that I need to make this recipe ahead of time.
However, if you want to, you can make it 1-2 days ahead, and reheat in the slow cooker until hot and bubbly.
Freezing
Meatballs can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat.
Storage
Leftover meatballs should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
More Slow Cooker Meatball Recipes:
My Favorite Slow Cooker!
I had this slow cooker for a while now, and I really love how it cooks. The locking lid feature is amazing for taking food to potlucks or other gatherings!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 16 oz bacon
- 16 oz bag frozen homestyle meatballs thawed
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 cup bbq sauce
- toothpicks
Instructions
Prepare
- Get out slow cooker and set aside. Cut each slice of bacon into thirds.
Wrap and coat meatballs
- Wrap a thawed meatball with a piece of bacon, and secure well with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining meatballs and bacon.
- In a small bowl or deep plate, combine the brown sugar with chili powder, stirring together with a fork or whisk.
- Roll the bacon-wrapped meatball in the sugar mixture, patting to really adhere the sugar to the bacon. Add to the bottom of a slow cooker, then repeat with remaining meatballs.
Cook meatballs
- If you have more meatballs than can fit in a single layer in the slow cooker, they can be stacked. Just try to make sure the meatballs have a little bit of space in between them, so they'll cook evenly.
- Drizzle bbq sauce over the meatballs, then cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, or about 2 hours on HIGH.
- Meatballs are finished cooking when the bacon is cooked through, and the meatballs reached an internal temperature of 165°F.
Serve
- Serve warm, sprinkled with some minced fresh parsley if desired.
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Chef Tips
- I’ve estimated this recipe will serve approximately 8 people. However, please feel free to divide this recipe up into as many servings as you’d like.
- For larger gatherings, I definitely recommend doubling this recipe.
- Please note that all slow cookers cook a little differently, with some running hotter than others, so all cook times are approximate.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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