Ingredients
Scale
The Meatballs
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef, 80/20
- 1 lb (450g) ground pork
- ½ cup (55g) plain breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
The New Year’s Eve Sauce
- 1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
- ½ cup (120ml) fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp bourbon or port wine (optional)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Make the panade. Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a large bowl. Let soak for 5 minutes until the milk is absorbed.
- Make the meatball mixture. Add the ground beef, ground pork, eggs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper to the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Do not overwork. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Roll the meatballs. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking oil. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or your hands, roll the mixture into 1 to 1.5-inch meatballs. Place on the prepared sheet — you should get approximately 45 to 55 meatballs.
- Bake. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned on the outside. They do not need to be cooked through. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the cranberry sauce, orange juice, orange zest, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon, red pepper flakes, bourbon (if using), and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Combine. Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker. Gently stir to coat all the meatballs.
- Cook. Set to LOW for 2 to 3 hours, stirring gently once or twice, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened and deepened.
- Taste and finish. Taste the sauce and adjust — more balsamic for depth, more orange juice for brightness, salt, or red pepper flakes to taste.
- Switch to WARM. Switch to WARM for the party. The meatballs hold beautifully for 3 to 4 hours. Garnish with fresh parsley and orange zest.
- Serve. Provide gold or silver cocktail picks alongside. Let guests serve themselves directly from the slow cooker.
Notes
- The panade is the secret to tender meatballs. Soaking breadcrumbs in milk before mixing creates a moisture reservoir in each meatball that keeps them juicy through the slow cooker cooking time. Do not skip this step.
- Bake, don’t fry. Oven-baking produces a consistent, lightly browned exterior with minimum mess. The meatballs just need to be set and lightly colored — they finish cooking in the sauce.
- Do not overwork the meat mixture. Mix just until combined. Overworking compresses the proteins and produces dense, tough meatballs.
- The balsamic is the sophistication element. It adds a sweet, complex acidity that makes the sauce taste considerably more nuanced than the simple ingredient list suggests. Do not omit it.
- Make it entirely ahead. These meatballs are genuinely better made the day before — the flavors develop overnight and the host has nothing to do on the actual party day except turn on the slow cooker.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes , Baking Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (on LOW)
- Category: Appetizer, Party Food
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten-Free