I stumbled on a two ingredient sauce that turns homemade meatballs into Sweet And Sour Meatballs cooked in the crock pot and I had to share the secret.
I never thought a lazy pot could turn bold, I was wrong, ground beef collides with sticky grape jelly in a two ingredient sauce that somehow tastes too good to be real. These Sweet And Sour Meatballs are sneaky, they taste fancier than the effort and belong in the Crock Pot Meatballs canon for anyone who wants big flavor with zero drama.
I ruined a batch once, kept the weird bits, and stubbornly kept at it until it actually worked. If you like food that surprises you, these will do that, maybe at your next dinner.
Ingredients
- Ground beef adds protein and iron, gives meatballs a hearty texture, can be fatty though.
- Breadcrumbs soaks up moisture, adds fiber and structure, helps keep meatballs tender.
- Egg binds ingredients together, adds protein and moisture, simple kitchen glue.
- Onion gives sweetness and depth when cooked, adds tiny bit of fiber.
- Garlic delivers a sharp aromatic punch, contains compounds linked to health benefits sometimes bitter.
- Grape jelly is the main sweet note, high in sugar so it sweetens sauce quickly.
- Chili sauce provides tangy, savory kick and acidity, balances all that jelly sweetness.
- Worcestershire sauce in small amounts adds umami, depth and slight tang, salt is noticeable.
- Parsley freshens and brightens flavors, adds tiny vitamins and color, not really essential.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or a beef and pork mix
- 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil optional
- 1 cup grape jelly
- 1 cup chili sauce
How to Make this
1. In a large bowl combine 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or beef and pork mix, 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 large egg, 1 small onion finely chopped, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley if using; mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined, dont overwork it or the meatballs will be tough.
2. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the mixture and roll into meatballs about 1 to 1 and a half inches each, roll them gently so they hold together but arent packed too tight; if you have time chill them 10 to 15 minutes so they firm up and wont fall apart.
3. If you want extra flavor heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high and brown meatballs in batches about 1 to 2 minutes per side just to get a crust, you dont need to cook through, then transfer browned meatballs to the slow cooker; if you skip searing just place raw meatballs in the slow cooker.
4. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup grape jelly and 1 cup chili sauce until smooth, that two ingredient sauce is magic and quick.
5. Pour the jelly chili sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker and stir gently to coat them evenly, scraping any browned bits from the skillet into the cooker if you seared.
6. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, stirring once halfway through so the sauce coats every meatball.
7. Check doneness by inserting a meat thermometer to the center of a meatball it should read 160 degrees F for beef or beef pork mix, or cut one open to make sure there is no pink.
8. If the sauce seems too thin remove the lid for the last 30 minutes and cook on high to reduce and thicken, that concentrates the flavor without adding anything extra.
9. Serve hot right from the slow cooker with toothpicks, over rice or noodles, and sprinkle extra chopped parsley on top if you like.
Equipment Needed
Youll need these:
1. Large mixing bowl (for the meat, breadcrumbs and egg)
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
3. Wooden spoon or your hands for gentle mixing
4. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning meatballs
5. Cutting board and a sharp knife (onion and parsley)
6. Skillet plus spatula or tongs for optional browning
7. Slow cooker (or a large ovenproof dish if you prefer)
8. Instant read meat thermometer to check doneness
9. Serving spoon or ladle and toothpicks for serving
That’s it, simple and mostly optional stuff depending on if you brown the meatballs first.
FAQ
Sweet And Sour Meatballs (Slow Cooker) Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground beef: swap with ground turkey or ground chicken, theyre leaner and cook faster. For a vegetarian option try plant based crumbles.
- Breadcrumbs: use panko or crushed crackers for the same texture, or quick oats or almond flour if you need it gluten free.
- Milk: replace with unsweetened almond or soy milk, or just use water in a pinch — works fine for binding.
- Grape jelly + chili sauce: swap grape jelly for apricot or pineapple jam, and swap chili sauce for ketchup mixed with sriracha or use sweet chili sauce. You can also do ketchup plus brown sugar plus a splash of vinegar to mimic sweet and sour.
Pro Tips
– Chill the formed meatballs 10 to 15 minutes before cooking. It seems small but it helps them hold together so they dont break apart in the slow cooker, and you can handle them more gently when you brown them.
– Browning adds way more flavor than the sauce alone, so if you can, sear in a hot pan a minute or two per side just to get a crust. You dont need to cook them through, and browning in batches keeps the pan from steaming the meat.
– Tweak the jelly + chili sauce for depth: stir in 1 teaspoon Dijon or a splash of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of lemon to cut the sweetness. If the sauce ends up too thin, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with a little cold water and stir it in near the end, or remove the lid and cook on high for the last 20 to 30 minutes to concentrate the flavors.
– Make ahead and freeze for parties: bake or sear the meatballs first, cool them on a tray, freeze until firm then bag. Reheat straight from frozen in the slow cooker on low with sauce, saves tons of time and they still taste great.
Sweet And Sour Meatballs (Slow Cooker) Recipe
I stumbled on a two ingredient sauce that turns homemade meatballs into Sweet And Sour Meatballs cooked in the crock pot and I had to share the secret.
6
servings
565
kcal
Equipment: Youll need these:
1. Large mixing bowl (for the meat, breadcrumbs and egg)
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
3. Wooden spoon or your hands for gentle mixing
4. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning meatballs
5. Cutting board and a sharp knife (onion and parsley)
6. Skillet plus spatula or tongs for optional browning
7. Slow cooker (or a large ovenproof dish if you prefer)
8. Instant read meat thermometer to check doneness
9. Serving spoon or ladle and toothpicks for serving
That’s it, simple and mostly optional stuff depending on if you brown the meatballs first.
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 pounds ground beef or a beef and pork mix
-
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
-
1/4 cup milk
-
1 large egg
-
1 small onion finely chopped
-
1 clove garlic minced
-
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
-
1 teaspoon salt
-
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional
-
2 tablespoons vegetable oil optional
-
1 cup grape jelly
-
1 cup chili sauce
Directions
- In a large bowl combine 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or beef and pork mix, 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 large egg, 1 small onion finely chopped, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley if using; mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined, dont overwork it or the meatballs will be tough.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the mixture and roll into meatballs about 1 to 1 and a half inches each, roll them gently so they hold together but arent packed too tight; if you have time chill them 10 to 15 minutes so they firm up and wont fall apart.
- If you want extra flavor heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium high and brown meatballs in batches about 1 to 2 minutes per side just to get a crust, you dont need to cook through, then transfer browned meatballs to the slow cooker; if you skip searing just place raw meatballs in the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl whisk together 1 cup grape jelly and 1 cup chili sauce until smooth, that two ingredient sauce is magic and quick.
- Pour the jelly chili sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker and stir gently to coat them evenly, scraping any browned bits from the skillet into the cooker if you seared.
- Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, stirring once halfway through so the sauce coats every meatball.
- Check doneness by inserting a meat thermometer to the center of a meatball it should read 160 degrees F for beef or beef pork mix, or cut one open to make sure there is no pink.
- If the sauce seems too thin remove the lid for the last 30 minutes and cook on high to reduce and thicken, that concentrates the flavor without adding anything extra.
- Serve hot right from the slow cooker with toothpicks, over rice or noodles, and sprinkle extra chopped parsley on top if you like.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 256g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 565kcal
- Fat: 29.2g
- Saturated Fat: 10.1g
- Trans Fat: 0.25g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.3g
- Monounsaturated: 10g
- Cholesterol: 125mg
- Sodium: 680mg
- Potassium: 508mg
- Carbohydrates: 69.8g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 59.7g
- Protein: 23g
- Vitamin A: 300IU
- Vitamin C: 1.7mg
- Calcium: 26mg
- Iron: 3.3mg
