The Super Bowl is just a little over a week away. If you’re in need of inspiration for your smorgasbord while you’re watching the game board, Super Meatballs should be on your menu.
They’re not your typical appetizer meatballs. You know, the kind with grape jelly and cocktail sauce? Those are good, but in my opinion, rather outdated. The recipe’s been around for several decades and is in desperate need of some updating. These meatballs are along the same line as the grape-barbecue meatballs, as they’re both a touch sweet and a little savory.
But the combination of ingredients for the sauce is so unusual, it might have you thinking twice about it. It’s one of those recipes that sounds so strange, it can’t help but be good. In this case, though, it borders on divine.
I can’t remember where I found this recipe, but it’s one I’ve been making for a couple of years now and always get rave reviews from people asking me what on earth is in them. When I tell them it’s nothing more than Asian dressing mixed with barbecue sauce and Catalina dressing, they are amazed at the simplicity, but also a little bit befuddled about how such an unusual combination can result in such a delicious sauce.
Use your favorite meatball recipe. You can even use those frozen meatballs in the meat case at your grocery store if you’re in a pinch. The meatballs are just the base for this dish. It’s all about the sauce. Kraft makes an excellent Asian dressing, and it’s the one I always use when I make this recipe. Use any kind of Catalina dressing you can find. Another must is the barbecue sauce. Sweet Baby Ray’s makes a golden mustard barbecue sauce that is easy to find and works best in this recipe. Once your meatballs are cooked, stir the sauce ingredients together, pour it over the meatballs and transfer them to a slow cooker to keep warm while you’re watching the game. The only other thing you’ll need is some toothpicks on the side so that you can spear them out of the slow cooker and into your mouth for a touchdown.
(READ MORE: Make your own IKEA-inspired Swedish meatballs)
Here’s the recipe, including one for meatballs, just in case you want to make them from scratch and don’t have a favorite meatball recipe of your own.
Super Meatballs for the Super Bowl
Buy ready-made meatballs or make these yummy ones from scratch.
Meatballs:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg, beaten,
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon steak seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Sauce:
8 ounces sesame Asian dressing, such as Kraft
1 cup Catalina dressing
1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s golden mustard barbecue sauce
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Scoop mixture and roll into 1-inch balls. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place meatballs on the sheet, and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Allow to cool.
To make sauce, combine sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over meatballs. Simmer meatballs on low heat until ready to serve. Serve meatballs with toothpicks.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or annebraly.com.