Meatballs. Glorious meatballs. And lots of them. Seasoned perfectly with just a bit of a spicy kick (I added a lot, lot more red pepper flake than the recipe calls for). Normally I’d grill or bake my meatballs, but this time I went all-in and smoked them. Wow. Just a hint of smoke, perfect on sandwiches, over pasta, or as appetizers.
A Plethora of Meatballs
This recipe makes a big batch of smoked meatballs (48 2 ounce meatballs), which is perfect because I like to always have them on-hand. They freeze well and defrost easily, perfect for whenever I’m in a rush to throw together something for dinner. For appetizers I’d make a smaller meatball, around 1 ounce would be perfect. For spaghetti dishes you could go much, much bigger, but you’ll have to increase the smoke time. Just make sure the meat hits 165 F (measure several meatballs) before removing them from the smoker.
Smoked Meatballs
Ingredients
- 5 pounds ground beef
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flake or more
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup bread crumbs
Instructions
- Fire up your smoker for 225 F. Use a light wood, such as a fruit wood. You don’t want a lot of smoke.
- Place meats into a large bowl.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients. Using your hands, mix well. Yes, it’ll be cold but you have to get in there and mix it well.
- Shape mixture into meatballs. I make 2 ounce meatballs for main courses and 1 ounce meatballs for appetizers, but you can make any size you want. Just keep in mind that larger meatballs may take longer to smoke.
- Transfer meatballs to the smoker and smoke until they reach 165 F internal temperature, 60-90 minutes depending on the size of the meatballs.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
