Ultimate Tailgate Meatballs Recipes

TAILGATE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*F. (175*C).
• In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and minced onion. Roll into small meatballs.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.
• In a slow cooker or large saucepan over low heat, blend the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Add meatballs, and simmer for 1 hour before serving.
• My Update Note: I have been making these meatballs for 30 years or more. I however use cornflakes crumbs instead of bread crumbs. I also put 1/3 cup parsley; I use 1/4 cup ketchup instead of water and 1 teaspoons soy sauce. Just a thought from an old chef.
• Sometime I used frozen meatballs. Most jellied cranberry sauce come in 16 oz cans so if you decide to use the whole can you'll need to double all the other ingredients. Typical chili sauce comes in 12oz. bottle so you'll need two bottles if you use the full can of cranberry. Hope this helps your shopping.
• I have made these numerous times and am ashamed to admit I'm just now reviewing them. Wonderful addition to the regular grape jelly recipes out there with great meatballs -- Based on experience and personal preference with these cocktail meatballs I offer the following suggestions: 1.) Add one packet of Lipton onion soup mix to the meatball mixture if you do not have time to mince or grate the onion. 2.) Bake meatballs over a drip pan to reduce the fat before adding to the sauce. 3.) If using frozen meatballs ENSURE you DO NOT use Italian meatballs as this upsets the balance of the meatballs and sauce (yuck)! 3.) Make the sauce the day before to let the flavors marry - I can't stress what a difference this makes! This recipe gets better the next day. 4.) The Heinz sauce in the round bottle seems to be the best chili sauce for this mixture. Reviewers: I seriously dislike people that rate a recipe based on the changes they have made to the original. I want to state that I rated this recipe on the recipe Lara submitted. The changes I suggested were based on my family's personal preference.

~ ULTIMATE TAILGATE MEATBALLS ~

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 500 Degree F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. I spray it as well. Mix all ingredients together, well.
• 2. Roll into balls about the size of a walnut or smaller. Place on sheet pan. Can place fairly close together.
• 3. Place in oven and bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or until browning and baked through. Set aside and make sauce.
• 4. In a dutch oven, over low - medium heat, melt butter. Add garlic and stir every few seconds to make sure it doesn't burn. You just want it soft.
• 5. Add the ketchup, honey and soy sauce. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat, simmer covered for about 10 minutes.
• 6. Add the meatballs, coating each with sauce. Heat though for about 5 minutes. Serve hot over rice or alone. If using for a party, place meatballs in a crock pot and keep on low or warm. Enjoy! They are some very tasty meatballs.

TAILGATE 500 MEATBALLS

Steps:

• To prepare sauce juice the oranges (about 1 cup).
• Prepare the 1/2 teaspoon orange zest to divide 1/4 teaspoon each between sauce and meatballs.
• Mix all sauce ingredients in a microwavable bowl.
• Heat to boiling.
• Let stand 10 minutes.
• Taste. Add additional hot sauce or brown sugar if desired.
• Pour a small amount of sauce into the bottom of a 6 quart crockpot, just enough to cover the whole surface.
• For meatballs mix the grated ginger and 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest into the liquids to disperse them so that no one gets an unpleasantly concentrated suprise.
• Mix all the ingredients together very well.
• Form small meatballs and pack them firmly.
• Brown the meatballs in skillet or oven.
• Pile meatballs into the crockpot.
• Cover with the rest of the sauce.
• Cook on low for about 4 hours.
• Stir every hour to make sure that all meatballs absorb the sauce equally.
• Note:Prep time does not include time to brown meatballs because that will depend on the method chosen.

TYLER FLORENCE'S ULTIMATE SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft but still translucent, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool.
• Pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak while the onions are cooling. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the egg and Parmigiano and season generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that to the bowl along with the cooled onion mixture. (Hang onto the pan - you'll need it to cook the meatballs.) Gently combine all the ingredients with your hands or with a spoon until just mixed together. Don't overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Divide into 10 equal pieces and shape them into 10 nice looking meatballs.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat a 3-count of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 10 minutes. Put them into a baking dish and spoon about half of the tomato sauce over. Shower with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil. Put the meatballs in the oven and bake until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and put it onto a large serving platter. Pour on the rest of the sauce and mix well. Spoon the meatballs on top of the spaghetti and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately along with extra cheese.