Game day isn’t complete without a platter of juicy, flavor-packed meatballs, but not all meatballs are created equal. If you’ve ever ended up with dry, bland bites, don’t worry.
Champion Pitmaster Christie Vanover has the hacks to fix that. From key ingredients to foolproof techniques, she’ll show you how to make the ultimate game-day meatballs that’ll have everyone coming back for more.
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When it comes to game day food, there’s one dish that never fumbles: meatballs. But the key to making them a crowd favorite is keeping them juicy and packed with flavor. Dry, bland meatballs are a surefire way to lose points with your guests.
The Secret to Perfect Meatballs
The foundation of great meatballs starts with the right blend of ingredients. Using a mix of ground meats, such as beef and pork, creates a richer, more tender bite. Champion pitmaster Christie Vanover of Girls Can Grill recommends 80/20 beef, which means it’s 80 percent meat and 20 percent fat.
Instead of eggs, she uses milk and breadcrumbs as a binder because combined they create a tender, moist meatball.
Flavors That Score Big
Once you have the foundational meat blend, Vanover suggests playing around with dried and fresh herbs and spices to make meatballs in a variety of flavors.
- Traditional BBQ Meatballs: Use Girls Can Grill Pork Rub or Brisket Rub.
- Latin Meatballs: Use taco seasoning or cumin.
- Asian Meatballs: Mix in fresh garlic, ginger and soy sauce.
- Italian Meatballs: Use Italian seasoning, fresh parsley, garlic and parmesan.
Before throwing them on the grill, pinch off a piece and cook it in a skillet on the stove to make sure the flavors are just right. If not, add a bit more seasoning.
If you want to step outside of the box even further, consider making cheese-stuffed meatballs or shrimp meatballs.
Cooking Methods for Juicier Results
Before adding your meatballs to the grill, Vanover highly recommends you refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes.
When mixing the meat and rolling it into balls, the heat from your hands will cause the fats to melt. Then, when they hit the grill, the fat will escape quickly.
By chilling the meatballs, the fat will solidify. So, when they’re grilled, that fat is more likely to stay in the meatballs, creating a juicier bite.
Vanover grills her meatballs over indirect heat at about 300F degrees. This allows them to cook evenly inside and out. It will take 45-60 minutes for them to reach an internal temperature of 165F degrees.
During the last 15-30 minutes you can baste them with barbecue sauce or another sauce to complement the seasonings added.
Game Day Serving Tips
Save time by mixing and forming your meatballs 1-2 days ahead of time. Keep them refrigerated until you’re ready to throw them on the grill.
Once your meatballs are grilled up, transfer them to a platter, sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and serve with fun toothpicks and dipping sauce. If you made several flavors, consider adding small signs in front of the platters, so guests know what to expect.
Whether you’re hosting a big game day bash or just looking for a reliable party snack, juicy, flavorful meatballs are the ultimate playmaker. Master these simple techniques, and you’ll have guests cheering for more.
Learn more meatballs hacks in the latest episode of the BBQ Tips Podcast.
Tune into more of my BBQ Tips podcasts or scroll around the website for even more helpful BBQ Tips.
