Go Back

Spicy Cranberry BBQ Meatballs

Spicy cranberry BBQ meatballs made in a slow cooker with a glossy deep red sauce. Frozen fully cooked meatballs simmer until coated, thick, and shiny, then finished with sliced jalapeño and parsley.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

meatballs
  • 2 lb frozen fully cooked meatballs Use frozen fully cooked for quick reheating and even coating.
cranberry bbq sauce
  • 1 can (14 oz) jellied cranberry sauce
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp chipotle chili powder
garnish
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced Thinly sliced for visible rings on top.
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Make the sauce
  1. Whisk jellied cranberry sauce, BBQ sauce, sriracha, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and chipotle chili powder in the slow cooker until smooth and lump-free, looking for a uniform deep red color.
Cook the meatballs
  1. Add frozen fully cooked meatballs to the slow cooker and stir to coat until glossy sauce clings to the surface.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for about 2 hours; set a reminder to stir once halfway so the sauce thickens evenly around every meatball.
  3. Stir until the sauce is thick and glossy, with a slow, smooth flow off the spoon and visible coating on the meatballs.
Finish and serve
  1. Top with jalapeno (thinly sliced) and chopped fresh parsley, then keep on WARM until serving for bright garnish color and steady heat.
  2. Serve the meatballs with toothpicks so the saucy coating stays glossy as one meatball slides onto a pick.

Notes

Pro tip: Stir once halfway through cooking and again at the end to ensure the sauce reduces to a thick, shiny coating instead of staying thin. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat in a microwave or on WARM in the slow cooker until hot. Freeze is not recommended because the sauce can change texture after thawing. For a lower-sodium option, choose low-sodium BBQ sauce and reduced-sodium cranberry sauce.