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    Home » Dinner » Meat and Poultry » Bourbon Meatballs Appetizer

    Bourbon Meatballs Appetizer

    Last updated on April 28, 2022. Originally posted on December 7, 2021 By Elaine 64 Comments

    3.4K shares
    Jump to Recipe
    Bourbon Meatballs for Pinterest 2
    Bourbon Meatballs for Pinterest

    This bourbon meatballs recipe fits the bill of a well-loved and delicious appetizer. The meatballs are succulent, the bourbon sauce is scrumptious and their flavors complement each other famously!

    A white shallow bowl with the meatballs in bourbon sauce with others in the background

    I usually serve these meatballs as an appetizer but you can also serve them as your main dish.

    Christopher and I love appetizers and will periodically eat them instead of a typical dinner. So, when I told Christopher I was making these delicious meatballs, he advocated loudly that he wanted me to make them with a full pound of ground beef.

    I crowed silently in my head because I knew I wanted to eat my fill of these bourbon meatballs without having to worry about how much I was eating and whether Christopher was getting his fair share.

    Of course, we supplemented this appetizer with some bacon wrapped chicken livers, air fryer pickles, an assortment of olives, pub cheese on crackers and a salad.

    Yum. We certainly know how to live!

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you click the link and buy something. You can read my disclosure here.

    Helpful tips

    • If you care how and where your meat and fish are sourced and you haven’t tried ButcherBox yet, you really should. It’s a meat subscriptions service that delivers high quality meat products directly to your door. It’s so convenient and will make you feel good knowing your consuming such delicious and excellent quality meats.
    • If you can, buy grass-fed beef because you can taste the difference.
    • Make the bourbon sauce at the same time as the meatballs as this will save you time.
    • Hubby is sensitive to heat, so I only use a little chipotle powder, I encourage you to use as much as you like.
    • These meatballs freeze very well. Just make sure they are in an airtight container.
    • They can also be made ahead of time. You can keep them in the refrigerator, formed but uncooked up to 24 hours before cooking.

    How to make bourbon meatballs

    Pre-step

    Get a sauté pan and a mixing bowl.

    Step one

    Gather the ingredients – bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, herbs and spices and ground beef.

    Ground beef, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese egg and spices for the meatballs

    Step two

    Place all the ingredients above into a mixing bowl.

    Ground beef and all the ingredients in a glass bowl with the pan in the background

    Step three

    With your hands, mix the ingredients together.

    Take small amounts of the ground beef mixture with your fingers and roll them into medium-sized meatballs.

    Raw meatballs on a blue platter with a cast iron pan in the background

    Step four

    Heat a sauté pan (or two if you don’t want to cook the meatballs in batches) on medium. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil and once that heats up, place the meatballs in it and stand there while they brown, turning them every 30 seconds or so. Cook for approximately 8 minutes.

    Sautéed meatballs in a cast iron pan with other meatballs in the background

    Step five

    Remove meatballs from the pan and set aside.

    Gather the ingredients for the bourbon sauce – ketchup, bourbon, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, apple cider vinegar, chipotle powder and salt.

    The ingredients for the sauce for the meatballs

    Step six

    Add the bourbon sauce ingredients to a saucepan and heat on medium. Once the sauce comes to a boil, let it cook for 10 minutes. Lower the heat and add the meatballs, stir and let them simmer for 5 minutes.

    Place the meatballs on a serving plate, making sure to get all of the bourbon sauce out of the saucepan.

    Time to sample one.

    Bite taken out of one of the meatballs and held over the plate

    Now for the overhead view.

    Overhead view of the plate of bourbon meatballs

    Perfect!!

    I hope you enjoyed this bourbon meatballs appetizer recipe.

    Other meatball recipes

    • Chicken meatballs
    • Swedish meatballs
    • Meatball subs
    • Curry meatballs

    And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

    If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST  to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

    A white plate with bourbon meatballs on it

    Bourbon Meatballs Appetizer

    This slightly sweet boozy meatballs appetizer recipe is a true people pleaser. It's so delicious with just the right amount of zing from the bourbon sauce.
    5 from 24 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Appetizer
    Keyword: bourbon appetizer, bourbon meatballs, meatball appetizer
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes
    Servings: 27 meatballs
    Calories: 125kcal
    Author: Elaine Benoit

    Ingredients

    Meatballs

    • 1 pound ground beef grass fed
    • .50 cup bread crumbs
    • 1 egg
    • .25 cup parmesan cheese
    • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 teaspoon basil dried
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    Bourbon Sauce

    • 4 ounces bourbon
    • ¾ cup ketchup
    • ⅓ cup brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 3 dashes paprika
    • 2 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 dash chipotle powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    Meatballs

    • In a large mixing bowl, place all the meatball ingredients (except the olive oil) and mix them together with your hands
    • Grab a small amount of meat and roll it into a meatball (you choose the size), place each ball on a plate until all the meat is used up
    • Heat a sauté pan and add up to 2 tablespoons of olive oil
    • Add the meatballs and sauté them, turning them every 30 seconds to brown all the sides. Should take around 8 minutes total
    • Remove meatballs from pan and set aside

    Sauce

    • Add all the ingredients for the sauce, bring it to a boil and cook it for 10 minutes
    • Lower the heat and add meatballs. Stir until the sauce covers them
    • Continue simmering for 5 minutes
    • Plate
    • Eat
    • Smile
    • Enjoy

    Equipment

    sauté pan
    saucepan
    glass bowl
    See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!

    Notes

    Helpful tips
    • If you can, buy grass-fed beef because you can taste the difference.
    • Make the bourbon sauce at the same time as the meatballs as this will save you time.
    • Hubby is sensitive to heat, so I only use a little chipotle powder, I encourage you to use as much as you like.
    • These meatballs freeze very well. Just make sure they are in an airtight container.
    • They can also be made ahead of time. You can keep them in the refrigerator, formed but uncooked up to 24 hours before cooking.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 5meatballs | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 86IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
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    3.4K shares

    This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission, at no additional cost to you,  if you click the link and buy. You can read my disclosure here.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dominique | Perchance to Cook

      January 30, 2017 at 11:59 am

      These would be perfect to bring to a Super Bowl party! My husband would love the bourbon flavor too… Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 30, 2017 at 1:02 pm

        Dominique! Indeed it is a perfect Super Bowl party appetizer! Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Megan Marlowe

      February 01, 2017 at 4:31 pm

      Mmmm… that bourbon sauce has be drooling! I bet it would also be awesome on top of meatloaf! Delicious! These are so perfect for game day!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 02, 2017 at 11:55 am

        Thanks Megan! Mmm. On top of meatloaf. Great idea!

        Reply
    3. Lisa | Garlic & Zest

      February 01, 2017 at 4:53 pm

      Anything with Brown Sugar and Bourbon immediately moves to the top of my “favorites” list! These meatballs are no exception and if I were there, you’d have to make a full batch because I know I’d eat a large portion…

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 02, 2017 at 11:56 am

        Lisa, hehe. Yes, indeed a full batch indeed when others are around. Just not when it’s just hubby and I 🙂

        Reply
    4. Camilla

      February 01, 2017 at 5:42 pm

      Oh my, these meatballs look so incredibly tasty, my family would love these:-)

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 01, 2017 at 6:26 pm

        Thank you Camilla! They are ever so tasty!

        Reply
    5. Lisa

      February 01, 2017 at 5:51 pm

      These sound amazing!!! Of course, I’m kinda crazy for any/everything bourbon so I know I’d love them! Definitely pinning them!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 02, 2017 at 11:57 am

        Thanks so much Lisa!

        Reply
    6. Holly

      February 01, 2017 at 6:00 pm

      Those meatballs!! My mouth is watering just looking at your photos – so yummy! And I love the idea of a boozy bourbon sauce. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 02, 2017 at 11:57 am

        Thank you Holly! I appreciate it.

        Reply
    7. Eileen Gray

      February 04, 2017 at 4:38 pm

      These look delicious. And the name is fantastic!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 04, 2017 at 5:27 pm

        Thanks Eileen 🙂

        Reply
    8. Christopher

      August 26, 2017 at 2:01 pm

      Bourbon meatballs are the bomb. Whether I’m having it as an appetizer or main meal! Great recipe.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 11:08 am

        Thanks Christopher!

        Reply
    9. Aleka

      September 09, 2017 at 12:15 pm

      I tried these and they came out so delicious!! So easy too! I will make these for my husbands next football party! Thanks Elaine! 🙂

      Reply
      • Elaine

        September 10, 2017 at 3:45 pm

        Thanks so much Aleka! I love to hear when peeps make my recipes!

        Reply
    10. Lorna

      December 20, 2018 at 9:21 am

      It would be great if someone who had actually made the meatballs left a review . If we are reading the review s we obviously think it “looks” good.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        December 20, 2018 at 11:39 am

        I understand Lorna, but I can’t control how people comment on my website. It is a great recipe and my family makes it regularly! I hope you give it a try.

        Reply
        • Carole A Duvall

          December 24, 2020 at 7:30 pm

          Bourbon meatballs are the bomb. Can’t wait to try
          more of your recipes.

          Reply
          • Elaine

            December 25, 2020 at 8:28 am

            I’m so happy you liked them. Hubby and I love them and are actually going to have them today as an appetizer! Thanks for taking the time to tell me and rate the recipe, Carole! I appreciate it.

            Reply
    11. janice

      December 28, 2018 at 11:51 am

      Hi is this something I could make the day before and then heat in a crockpot? I will be make quite a few!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        December 30, 2018 at 1:49 pm

        Yes, Janice, you definitely could. I’ve done it before – you can turn the crockpot to low for 4 hours. Or even heat it on the stove but the crockpot will let you set it and forget it.

        Reply
        • Trudy

          September 04, 2020 at 11:19 am

          If you make it in a crockpot, do you sauté the meatballs first, and then put everything in the slo,cooker? Trudy

          Reply
          • Elaine

            September 04, 2020 at 2:50 pm

            I would Trudy so the meatballs stay together and don’t fall apart, but only for a few minutes.

            Reply
    12. Dottie Dunham

      December 24, 2019 at 9:47 am

      They are the best, I love them and are so easy. I was wondering if they can be mixed, and either refrigerate for 24 hours? Would be a lot easier on me the next day. Thanks, Dottie

      Reply
      • Elaine

        December 25, 2019 at 9:34 am

        Dottie, you can shape the meatballs a day before and bake up to 24 hours later. Hope that helped. I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂

        Reply
    13. kim

      January 27, 2020 at 4:37 pm

      My whole family loved this recipe! It was way easier than I thought it would be and had so much flavor!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 28, 2020 at 1:30 pm

        Thanks so much Kim. I’m glad your family enjoyed it!

        Reply
    14. Jenn

      January 27, 2020 at 4:47 pm

      The sauce is so good, that I double it just so I can bathe my meatballs in it, drizzle it over rice, and lap it up from the plate! YUM!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 28, 2020 at 1:30 pm

        Lol! I double it too when I have a bunch of people as they want to drink the sauce. If it’s hubby and I, I keep as is or I’ll be drinking it too. 😉 Thanks Jenn!

        Reply
    15. SHANIKA

      January 27, 2020 at 5:43 pm

      These Meatball appetizers look incredible! I love how easy the Bourbon sauce is to make! I need this in my life!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 28, 2020 at 1:29 pm

        Hehe. Thanks Shanika! The whole thing is super easy and delicious! 🙂

        Reply
    16. Katie

      January 27, 2020 at 5:59 pm

      Made this for the family and it was a hit!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 28, 2020 at 1:21 pm

        I’m so happy to hear that Katie! We love them here too!

        Reply
    17. Kelly Anthony

      January 27, 2020 at 6:01 pm

      I love having appetizers for dinner especially when they look this good. These brazen bourbon meatballs will be perfect for entertaining or a great family meal.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 28, 2020 at 1:21 pm

        Thanks so much Kelly! I’m happy that someone else loves to eat apps at dinner! 🙂

        Reply
    18. Tisha

      January 27, 2020 at 6:49 pm

      I could eat meatballs as a meal also! This look so good cant’ wait to try them!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 28, 2020 at 1:19 pm

        Thanks so much Tisha! I hope you enjoy them!

        Reply
    19. chef

      January 28, 2020 at 4:25 am

      This bourbon meatballs recipe looks really appetizing! I wish I could have this on my plate right now! My wife will surely love this, too.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 28, 2020 at 1:19 pm

        Thanks Dennis! These meatballs are truly a people pleaser!

        Reply
    20. Çitra's Home Diary

      January 31, 2020 at 9:21 am

      What a wonderful appetizer idea. And you make it more appetizing. Thank you for sharing your yummy recipe

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 31, 2020 at 9:49 am

        Thank you Citra! I appreciate it. We love this appetizer in our household.

        Reply
    21. Anna

      January 31, 2020 at 9:43 am

      Elaine, this looks amazing! I’m not a fan of meatballs but your photos and the recipe are making me so hungry right now! Love the idea of bourbon glaze!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        January 31, 2020 at 9:50 am

        Hehe. Thanks Anna! 🙂

        Reply
    22. Chef Dennis

      January 31, 2020 at 11:36 am

      Those tasty little bourbon meatballs will be a perfect addition to my Superbowl party! Thanks for sharing your delicious recipe!~

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 9:44 am

        Thank you Dennis! 🙂 I hope your party went well and you enjoyed the meatballs!

        Reply
    23. Danielle

      January 31, 2020 at 12:00 pm

      These are THE BEST bourbon meatballs I have ever seen. Delicious, juicy and so inviting. And the combination of flavors is simply outstanding – can’t wait to enjoy it! 🙂

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 9:47 am

        Thanks so much Danielle! I appreciate it!

        Reply
    24. Paula Montenegro

      January 31, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      These are just the perfect thing for game day! The idea of adding bourbon is amazing, I love it! Thanks for the tips and recipe.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 9:47 am

        Thanks Paula! It’s one of my favorite appetizers!

        Reply
    25. Marisa F. Stewart

      February 01, 2020 at 2:39 pm

      I wanted to make a different kind of meatball for our party and the minute I saw bourbon meatballs I knew I’d found the recipe I wanted. The meatball appetizer is even better than I imagined. Everyone gobbled them up and they all wanted the recipe. This is one of those recipes that will be a regular at our parties.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 9:47 am

        Yay! Thanks Marisa! I’m glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    26. Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer

      February 01, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      Bourbon and meatballs??? Count me in! These look positively scrumptious! And we LOVE Butcher Box for their ground meat too!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 9:58 am

        Hehe. Thanks so much Lori! I’m glad to hear you love ButcherBox too!

        Reply
    27. Amanda

      February 02, 2020 at 7:22 pm

      These are always a hit at our parties! That bourbon sauce really makes these meatballs special.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 9:58 am

        Thanks so much Amanda! The sauce makes the meatballs!

        Reply
    28. Jess

      February 02, 2020 at 7:46 pm

      There’s nothing better than a juicy meatball as an appetizer! But then you add in all of these flavors together and you have a WINNING combination! YUM!

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 9:59 am

        Thanks so much Jess! I appreciate it.

        Reply
    29. Jo

      February 03, 2020 at 6:56 am

      Can’t take my eyes off those mouthwatering meat balls. Oh my,.. the flavors are fantastic! Full points for that insanely delicious bourbon sauce.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        February 03, 2020 at 9:59 am

        Hehe. Thanks Jo! I appreciate it. I hope you enjoy them.

        Reply
    30. Becky

      April 20, 2021 at 1:21 pm

      Have you tried making these with pork or something other than beef/red meat?

      Reply
      • Elaine

        April 20, 2021 at 2:16 pm

        Becky, I have and it comes out delicious. I’ve used each of these meats by themselves: pork, lamb and chicken. Let me know how it comes out.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Elaine! I'm so glad you stopped by. Here you will find lots of tasty cocktails, comforting food and inspiration for your next meal. I LOVE chocolate, almost all foods, blogging, photography and spending time with my hubby!

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