Description
Delicious slow cooker cranberry jalapeno meatballs combine spicy, sweet, and savory flavors for a perfect festive appetizer or main course. Made with ground beef and a flavorful blend of spices, these meatballs are cooked slowly with fresh cranberries and BBQ sauce for a tender and rich dish that's easy to prepare and sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp Coconut Aminos
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
Sauce and Extras
- 1 pack Amy Lu Jalapeno Cranberry Meatballs
- 2 13 oz jars BBQ sauce (The New Primal or Primal Kitchen brands recommended)
- 12 oz bag fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with almond flour, coconut flour, sea salt, Coconut Aminos, dijon mustard, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Shape the Meatballs: Form the meat mixture into evenly sized meatballs, about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter, ensuring they hold together well.
- Prepare the Sauce: In the slow cooker, add the BBQ sauce, fresh or frozen cranberries, water, and honey or maple syrup. Stir to combine all the sauce ingredients evenly.
- Add Meatballs to Slow Cooker: Gently place the formed meatballs into the sauce mixture in the slow cooker, ensuring they are evenly distributed and mostly submerged in the sauce.
- Cook Slowly: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low heat for 8 hours. This allows the flavors to meld and the meatballs to become tender and flavorful.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once cooked, gently stir the meatballs to coat them well with the cranberry jalapeno sauce. Serve warm as a festive appetizer or a satisfying main course.
Notes
- Use fresh cranberries if available for the best tart flavor; frozen cranberries work equally well.
- Adjust the amount of honey or maple syrup according to your preferred sweetness level for the cranberry sauce.
- If you prefer a spicier kick, consider adding extra jalapenos or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the meat mixture.
- These meatballs also work well with ground turkey or chicken as a leaner option, though cooking time may vary slightly.
- For a thicker sauce, remove the lid and cook on high for the last 30 minutes to reduce the liquid.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 meatballs
- Calories: 246 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 42 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 49 mg
