Meatballs?

[SoCalBuilder]

Since I was a kid my mom made these meatballs that she served in this 'secret recipe' sauce. It was just a crockpot full of this bubbling concoction of sauce and meatballs and you bravely skewered them with oh-too-short toothpicks. There were never any leftovers.

I finally learned after many covert incursions that the sauce was simply equal parts of chili sauce and grape jelly! Who knew?

Anyway, now that I seem to be developing this smoking addiction, I thought I might take this 'Old Family Recipe' to the next level. You got it...smoked balls!

Ideally the balls are no biggger than an inch or inch and a quarter in diameter. I can't be the first to think of this so I'm looking for suggestions.
- Roll them in a little rub?
- Just smoke?
- Temperature ideas?

In the end, you want a nice moist, but firm ball. None one likes old dried out hard balls.

Thanks in advance  ;D

[Ka Honu]

Wrap them in (partially cooked) bacon, smoke, dip in the sauce and finish in smoker or on grill - known as Moink Balls (for Moo-Oink).

[Slamdunk]

Here is some info....

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?138-Smoked-BBQ-Meatballs

Let us know how they go - with pics of course!!

Good luck

[SoCalBuilder]

Slamdunk - I had spotted this post, but the little caveat about the temperature made me back up a bit. I'm hoping to do some ribs this weekend. Maybe I'll just slip a couple balls with a little onion in them for moisture and see how dry they get and still bring them up to a gov'mint approved temp.

Thanks - Randy

[Tenpoint5]

Randy make life easy on yourself! Use the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid) Go to Wallyworld and buy a package of frozen precooked meatballs I think you get 80 in a bag. thaw out about 20 (this is perfect for a tasting session) wrap in bacon secure with a toothpick. Hit the bacon with your favorite rub of the day and put them in the smoker above your ribs. After about 2 hours of your 3 hour smoke session put a splash of BBQ sauce on the top of each one and continue smoking for another hour. The bacon should render out and become somewhat crisp (Soft Bacon). You can eat like they are or plop them into the sweet hot sauce that Mom used to make. They are killer and they already have a tooth pick in them!

[squirtthecat]

Ditto.   Go with the standard 'MOINK', and mop with Mom's sauce for the last 30 minutes or so of the smoke.  Crisp the bacon up on the grill (or under a broiler) if you like and serve in a shallow pan w/ more Mom's sauce on the bottom.

[Caneyscud]

Dang, I guess I'm slow and fat - 10.5 and STC beat me to it!

[TestRocket]

The KISS method worked well for me! After two hours of smoke I tossed um in a bowl of ½ BBQ sauce and ½ grape jelly and into a hot grill to set the sauce. Yummy!

[Habanero Smoker]

Slamdunk - I had spotted this post, but the little caveat about the temperature made me back up a bit. I'm hoping to do some ribs this weekend. Maybe I'll just slip a couple balls with a little onion in them for moisture and see how dry they get and still bring them up to a gov'mint approved temp.

Thanks - Randy

Use a cabinet temperature of 225°F or higher, as noted below the recipe. That temperature is safe for cooking ground meat.