Slow Cooker Beer BBQ Meatballs

Barbecue Meatballs

Diana Rattray

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 12 to 16 servings

Barbecued meatballs are great and they're even better in a homemade barbecue sauce that includes beer. That's exactly what you'll find with this easy recipe and it's all done in the slow cooker, so it's even easier.

These barbecued meatballs are made with frozen prepared meatballs, though you can also use your own homemade meatball recipe. The sauce is made from scratch and it's very simple. All you need is ketchup, red wine vinegar, onions, and a few common spices. There's also beer, which gives it a great flavor.

This recipe makes about 96 meatballs but can easily be cut in half if you need to feed just a few people. It's a great recipe for game day parties, picnics, or anytime you just feel like eating delicious barbecue meatballs.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds frozen meatballs
  • 2 medium onions (cut in wedges)
  • 1 bottle beer (12 ounces)
  • 1 1/2 cups ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place the frozen meatballs in the bottom of your slow cooker.

  3. Add the onions, beer, ketchup, and red wine vinegar along with all the seasonings.

  4. Stir well to ensure everything is thoroughly combined.

  5. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

  6. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

  • To speed up the cooking time, set the slow cooker on high and the meatballs should be ready in 4 or 5 hours.
  • If you choose to make your own meatballs, brown them in the oven or a skillet before adding them to the slow cooker.

How Many People Will This Feed?

Three pounds of frozen meatballs will include approximately 96 meatballs and this can feed quite a few people. Some people enjoy many meatballs while others like just a few, so it's hard to say exactly how many people you can feed. To give you a general idea, if everyone eats eight meatballs a piece, then you can serve twelve people. At a party, guests may only eat a few meatballs because of all the other food available.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
241 Calories
10g Fat
11g Carbs
25g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories 241
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 13%
Saturated Fat 4g 19%
Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 280mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Protein 25g
Calcium 23mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)