BBQ Turkey Meatballs

Published 6:00 am Monday, November 1, 2021

The South is famous for its barbecued pork, but this zesty recipe turns that tradition on its head. Serve the meatballs with a starchy side dish, or on a roll for a fresh take on a classic meatball sub.

BBQ Turkey Meatballs

Yields: about 4 servings

Barbeque sauce

• 12 oz of any ale-style beer
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp blackstrap molasses
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Meatballs

• 1 lb ground turkey (such as White Oak Pastures’ Pastured Ground Turkey)
• 1 large egg (such as White Oak Pastures’ Pastured Chicken Eggs)
• 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 cup chicken stock
• vegetable oil

To make the sauce, combine the beer, ketchup, vinegars, sugar, molasses, garlic, soy sauce, Worchestershire and spices in a heavy-bottom sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir constantly to prevent the sugar from burning; once the sugar has dissolved, reduce heat to low and reduce volume by half until thick.

Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well incorporated. Combine the chicken stock and ½ cup of the barbecue sauce in another bowl to create a cooking sauce and set aside. Roll the turkey mixture into 1-inch balls.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add a light coating of oil to a heavy sautè pan. Cook the meatballs over medium-high heat until browned on all sides, then place them into a Dutch oven and pour in the cooking sauce. Cover with a lid, place in the oven and cook for 20 to 30 minutes until the meatballs are done.

Remove the meatballs from the Dutch oven, place on a serving tray and drizzle with the remaining barbecue sauce.