Smoked Cheese Stuffed Meatballs Recipe
Smoked Cheese Stuffed Meatballs are juicy ground beef and pork meatballs filled with gooey mozzarella cheese, smoked to perfection and finished with a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. Perfect as a flavorful appetizer or main dish for gatherings and family dinners.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Smoking is the primary method but since smoking uses a smoker which is closest to Roasting in cooking methods, choose Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 cup Italian panko crumbs
- ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons Beef Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 9 sticks mozzarella string cheese
BBQ Sauce
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Smoker: Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for slow cooking the meatballs.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, Italian panko crumbs, chopped yellow onion, milk, grated Parmesan cheese, salt, eggs, Beef seasoning, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix gently until combined, avoiding overmixing to keep meat tender.
- Chill Meat Mixture: Place the meatball mixture in the freezer for 15 minutes to thicken, making it easier to form uniform meatballs.
- Prepare Cheese: Cut each mozzarella string cheese stick into five pieces to create small filling portions.
- Form Stuffed Meatballs: Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, portion out the meat mixture. Form a ball, press a thumb into the center to create a cavity, insert a piece of mozzarella, and wrap the meat around to seal the cheese inside, preventing leaking.
- Place Meatballs on Rack: Lightly oil a wire rack and arrange the stuffed meatballs on it, ensuring even spacing.
- Smoke Meatballs: Place the wire rack in the smoker at 250 degrees Fahrenheit and smoke the meatballs for 40 minutes, allowing them to cook gently and absorb smoky flavor.
- Prepare BBQ Sauce: In a small bowl, combine BBQ sauce, honey, and brown sugar, mixing well.
- Brush and Finish Cooking: After 40 minutes of smoking, brush the prepared BBQ sauce evenly over the meatballs and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Serve: Remove the meatballs from the smoker and serve immediately while hot and cheesy.
Notes
- Chilling the meat mixture before forming meatballs helps maintain shape during cooking.
- Make sure to fully seal the cheese inside the meatballs to prevent oozing.
- You can substitute mozzarella string cheese with small mozzarella balls (bocconcini) if desired.
- If you don't have a smoker, you can bake the meatballs at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes and then finish with the BBQ sauce under the broiler for 5-7 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure meatballs reach a safe internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Find it online: https://mealsbykate.com/smoked-cheese-stuffed-meatballs-recipe/
