If you love everything about bourbon you will love this slow-cooker (crock pot) bourbon meatballs appetizer made with frozen meat balls. Bring the flavor of Bourbon to your kitchen with 5-ingredients and a bag of frozen meatballs of your choosing – you won’t regret it!
Of all my frozen meatball recipes for the crock pot, this one is my favorite. If you love bourbon just as much as I do then you love bourbon food recipes. These bourbon-sauced meatballs are a bourbon lovers’ heaven. Beef and Bourbon! YUM
Preparing your frozen meatballs with bourbon in the slow cooker simply can’t be easier! For more slow cooker recipes, see how to make pulled pork in a slow cooker or pinto beans in the slow cooker.
Choosing the Bourbon for Your Bourbon Meatball Appetizer
With the bourbon craze and bottles getting harder to come by stick with bourbons that are readily available. Here are our recommendations for Bourbon Meatballs.
- Buffalo Trace
- Bulleit Bourbon
- Wild Turkey
- Jim Bean
You don’t even have to buy a big bottle. Look for the mini bottles and buy a few of those.
Since we have a large collection of bourbon I will use bourbons that I don’t like. The ones that collect dust on the bottom shelf. It helps get rid of them and makes me feel less guilty. And while you are at it, why not make some bourbon chocolate chip cookies for dessert or candied bourbon yams for a sweet side dish?
Does the alcohol burn off while cooking?
Yes! The alcohol evaporates and you are left with a tasty nonalcoholic bourbon-flavored meatball.
You will not get drunk eating these bourbon meatballs, but if you have a couple of my bourbon manhattans or bourbon lemonades you just might 🙂
Simple Ingredients for Bourbon Sauce for Meatball Recipe
The bourbon sauce for meatballs is simple with only 5 ingredients: ketchup, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and (of course) Bourbon!
Just grab a bag of frozen meatballs and you are set. If you are a go-getter and have time make homemade meatballs!
Ingredient Highlight: Frozen Meatballs
I absolutely love using frozen meatballs—they’re one of my favorite kitchen shortcuts. They save so much time without sacrificing flavor or texture, especially when you’re focused on making a great sauce like this bourbon glaze.
For more frozen meatball recipes that you can make in the slow cooker, don’t miss out on my Crock Pot Party Meatballs with Grape Jelly recipe, Crock Pot Cranberry Meatballs, or even make your own Crockpot Meatball Subs!
Reheating and Storing Leftovers for Frozen Meatballs in Slow Cooker
Remove leftover meatballs and sauce from your slow cooker. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Alternatively, they can also be frozen for a couple of months if sealed properly.
To reheat Bourbon Meatballs, microwave for 1 minute. Toss and microwave in 30-second intervals until bourbon meatballs are heated through.
Bourbon Meatballs
Bourbon Meatballs made with frozen meatballs and cooked in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 1.25 lbs frozen meatballs
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup bourbon
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients except for frozen meatballs into a slow cooker and stir until blended.
- Add frozen meatballs to the slow cooker. Toss and stir to coat the meatballs with bourbon sauce.
- Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.
- Open the lid and stir and toss the meatballs. Cover and cook on low for another 1 hour.
- Before serving give the meatballs another toss in the sauce. Turn your slow cooker to the warm setting to keep the meatballs warm.
Notes
Use your favorite BBQ sauce. Avoid mustard or vinegar-based sauces.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 2 meatballsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 188Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1.3gUnsaturated Fat: 2.1gCholesterol: 24.1mgSodium: 266.6mgCarbohydrates: 24.1gFiber: 0.5gSugar: 20.9gProtein: 7.9g
