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Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs

Grape Jelly BBQ meatballs with a slow-cooker method for glossy, sticky sauce that clings to every bite. Frozen fully cooked meatballs heat through while the grape jelly deepens into a sweet-savory glaze.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Meatballs
  • 2 lb frozen fully cooked meatballs
Sauce
  • 18 oz BBQ sauce
  • 1 cup grape jelly
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
Garnish
  • 1 chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the sauce and cook
  1. Whisk BBQ sauce, grape jelly, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder in a slow cooker until smooth and combined.
  2. Add frozen fully cooked meatballs to the slow cooker and stir to coat all sides with the sauce.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, stirring once halfway, until the meatballs are heated through.
  4. If cooking on HIGH, cover and cook for 2 hours, stirring once halfway, until the meatballs are heated through.
  5. Uncover and stir until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the meatballs.
  6. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, keep on WARM, and serve with toothpicks.

Notes

For the stickiest glaze, keep the lid on for the full cook time, then stir during the final minutes until glossy. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat in a slow cooker or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the sauced texture can loosen after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, choose a reduced-sugar grape jelly and keep the rest the same.