Ingredients:

  • 1 lb frozen beef cocktail meatballs
  • 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions:

  1. Grab your mixing bowl and whisk together the bourbon, brown sugar, BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Whisk for about 2 minutes until the sugar crystals have completely disappeared and the liquid looks smooth. Note: If the sugar stays in clumps, you'll get sweet pockets in the sauce.
  2. Dump your frozen beef cocktail meatballs directly into the slow cooker. No need to thaw them, as the long cook time handles that perfectly.
  3. Pour the bourbon glaze over the meatballs. Use your spoon or tongs to stir them gently until every single meatball is fully submerged in the liquid.
  4. Set your slow cooker to HIGH for 3 hours. If you're doing this as a morning prep for an evening party, you can set it to LOW for 6 hours.
  5. After the time is up, open the lid. You'll see the sauce has thickened and the meatballs have absorbed some of the color. Use your tongs to toss the meatballs one last time to ensure they are coated in that thick, glossy lacquer.
  6. Check the consistency of the sauce. If it looks more like a soup than a glaze, leave the lid off and keep the cooker on HIGH for another 20 minutes. Watch for the sauce to start bubbling and reducing into a syrupy consistency.
  7. Remove the meatballs and serve them warm. The glaze should be velvety and cling to the meat without dripping off instantly.