Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Meatballs with Cheddar and Jalapeño
Servings: 8
Calories: 428kcal
Experience the perfect bite with these Smoked Bacon Wrapped Meatballs, featuring a juicy jalapeño-cheddar center and a crispy, BBQ-glazed exterior. Smoked to perfection in the Smokin' Tex and finished in a cast-iron skillet, these appetizers offer a mouthwatering blend of smoky, spicy, and savory flavors that are sure to be the star of your next gathering.
Print Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Smoker see NOTES
- 1 large oven-safe skillet or pan cast-iron is perfect
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- ½ cup BBQ rub see NOTES
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
- ½ cup breadcrumbs plain
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup nacho jalapeños (pickled), chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt see NOTES
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 oz bacon cut in half (not thick cut)
- 2 tablespoon scallions chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Do Ahead
- Make the BBQ rub and the BBQ Sauce.½ cup BBQ rub, 1 cup BBQ sauce
Make the Smoked Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, cheese, jalapeño, salt, and pepper.1 lb ground beef, ½ cup breadcrumbs, 2 large eggs, 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup cheddar cheese, ½ cup nacho jalapeños, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Roll the meat into golf ball-sized balls.
- Place the beef rub in a shallow bowl or platter. Roll the meatballs in the rub to fully cover them.
- Wrap each ball with a bacon half strip and secure with a toothpick.8 oz bacon
- Heat your smoker to 225°F with mesquite or hickory chips. Smoke the meatballs for 35 minutes. See NOTES.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Place the smoked meatballs in an oven-proof skillet or pan. Drizzle BBQ sauce over the tops of each meatball.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes on the middle grate.
- Turn the broiler on HIGH and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and slightly charred. Keep an eye on them, don't let them burn.
- Serve at once, garnished with chopped scallions, if desired. Serve additional BBQ sauce on the side.2 tablespoon scallions
Video
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.
- Adjusting for Salt: Our homemade BBQ rub is salt-free, which allows us to control the seasoning in the meat. If you are using a store-bought rub, check the ingredients for sodium. If your rub contains salt, reduce the salt in the meatball mixture to ½ teaspoon to prevent them from becoming overly salty.
- Use a Perforated Grill Pan: For the best smoking results, we recommend placing the meatballs on a perforated grill pan. This allows the smoke to circulate freely around the bacon for even flavoring and prevents the meatballs from accidentally slipping through the smoker grates.
- No Smoker? No Problem: If you don't have a smoker, you can still make these in the oven! Bake the meatballs at 250°F on a wire rack set over a baking sheet for 45–50 minutes. To mimic that signature smoky flavor, add ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke to the ground beef mixture before rolling the balls. Finish in the cast-iron skillet and under the broiler as directed in the recipe.
- Toothpick Safety: To ensure the toothpicks don't burn during the high-heat broiling stage, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before using them to secure the bacon.
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1045mg | Potassium: 344mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 316IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 2mg