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Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs

Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs are slow-cooked until the sauce turns glossy and clings to tender, fully cooked meatballs. The sweet-and-savory grape jelly mixture cuts through the smoky BBQ flavor for an easy party appetizer.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 2 lb frozen fully cooked meatballs Use frozen meatballs so they heat through evenly in the slow cooker.
Sauce
  • 1 can (18 oz) BBQ sauce
  • 1 cup grape jelly
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Garnish
  • 0.25 Chopped fresh parsley Use for topping right before serving.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Make the sauce and coat
  1. Whisk BBQ sauce, grape jelly, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a slow cooker until smooth.
  2. Add frozen fully cooked meatballs and stir to coat each one in the sauce.
Slow-cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours, stirring once halfway to keep the glaze even.
  2. Stir until the sauce looks glossy and the meatballs are heated through.
Serve
  1. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, then keep the meatballs on WARM and serve with toothpicks.

Notes

For the glossiest finish, stir once at the halfway mark so the grape jelly and BBQ sauce stay emulsified as they heat. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the WARM setting (or microwave) until hot throughout. Freezing isn’t recommended because the sauce can become grainier after thawing. If you want a lower-sugar option, use a grape jelly made with reduced sugar.