Crockpot Sweet Chili Meatballs with Grape Jelly and Pineapple
By Noah Bennett
Prep
5 min
Cook
240 min
Total
245 min
Servings
9
Level
Easy
Choose a 48-ounce package of frozen pre-cooked meatballs with a homestyle flavor․ These mild-flavored meatballs will absorb the sauce and stay juicy when cooked in a crockpot․ Crockpot Sweet Chili Meatballs is an appetizer recipe with four ingredients‚ including a sweet and spicy sticky sauce made with grape jelly and pineapple․
Sweet red chili sauce adds a tangy‚ slightly sweet and spicy taste to this recipe․ Grated grape jelly and diced pineapple add a sweet taste․ Drying the pineapple helps keep the syrup from the canned pineapple from affecting the sauce․ Add frozen meatballs to the slow cooker․ Add sauce‚ grape jelly‚ and pineapple․ Mix meatballs with other ingredients․
The jelly will melt into the chili sauce and glaze the meatballs evenly․ Stir the meatballs halfway through cooking to glaze them evenly․ Stir again just before serving to mix ingredients․ The main texture problem is a runny sauce‚ which can result from added juice from the pineapple․ To fix this‚ cook the meatballs uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chili sauce reaches the desired thickness․
Serve meatballs on toothpicks or in mini buns as sliders‚ with steamed rice for a more substantial meal․ Keep the crockpot on warm setting when serving at parties․ Reheat leftovers in the crockpot or microwave and stir to coat with sauce․
Why you'll love this recipe
- Four ingredients are needed to make a complete sauce․ Chili sauce‚ grape jelly‚ and drained pineapple add sweet and sour flavors and fruit to the dish without adding other spices․
- Homestyle meatballs are the best option for this recipe‚ they don't have very strong flavors that would clash with sweet chili and grape jelly sauce․
- Frozen cooked meatballs can be used in a slow cooker as a meatball appetizer to avoid cooking fresh meatballs․
- Canned pineapple chunks provide some flavor and chunks of pineapple to the dish without making the sauce watery․
- The sweet and spicy red chili sauce provides contrast and sour flavors to the dish‚ helping prevent the grape jelly from overpowering the breading․
- A full package of 48 ounces makes 9 appetizer servings of fully cooked meatballs‚ enough for a large group at dinner․
Ingredients
- •48 oz fully cooked frozen homestyle meatballs
- •12 oz sweet red chili sauce
- •20 oz grape jelly
- •20 oz can pineapple tidbits (drained)
Instructions
- 1
Place the frozen meatballs in the crockpot.
- 2
Add the sweet red chili sauce.
- 3
Add the grape jelly and drained pineapple tidbits.
- 4
Stir everything together to coat the meatballs evenly.
- 5
Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours or on low for 3 to 4 hours.
- 6
Stir the meatballs once midway through cooking to distribute the sauce.
- 7
Uncover and stir again.
- 8
Serve warm.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
480
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