Barbecue Meatballs Saucy Enough for Any Wrangler

… Are You Feeling Saucy?

I’ve been cooking up this saucy barbecue meatballs recipe for more years than I care to count, and long before any of us at Daily Forage became gluten-free and dairy-free. The original recipe (as shown in the recipe card photo below), passed on to me from a good friend and colleague, is delicious in its own right. If you don’t have any dietary guidelines to consider, be sure to try the original version! The original meatballs always had a tender “tooth” to them, making them moist and easy to eat. But our version is sure to be crowd-pleasing as well. After adapting the recipe to abide by our new dietary guidelines, these meatballs still have a perfectly textured tooth and a saucy flavor profile. It all equates to one simple result … a “Come and Get ‘Em” Yum!

Prep time: 10 minutes

Bake time: 35 minutes

Oven temp: 350ºF

Ingredients for Meatballs: (See notes at bottom for “extra optional ingredients”)

2 pounds extra lean ground beef

1 cup coconut milk, or dairy-free substitute of your choice – I use So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

1 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats – I use Bob’s Red Mill GF Oats

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Barbecue Sauce: (See notes at bottom)

2 cups prepared gluten-free barbecue sauce – I use Sweet Baby Ray’s

Directions:

Prepare 2 large jelly roll pans, or baking sheets with edges, by lining with foil and spraying in a light coat of cooking spray. Set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine hamburger, milk, oats, eggs, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, chili powder, and salt. Mix with hands or spoon until thoroughly combined.* Use a small ice cream scoop to form meatballs, or form balls about the size of a walnut with your hands, and place meatballs on prepared baking sheets, making sure meatballs don’t touch each other. When all meatballs have been formed, spoon (or squeeze a dollop of) the barbecue sauce over the top of each meatball. (Extra sauce can be spooned over hot meatballs when serving.)

Place baking sheets in oven on separate racks. Bake about 15 minutes, then rotate baking sheets top to bottom and front to back. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Once baked for 35 minutes, slice one meatball in half to be sure the meat is thoroughly cooked. Remove from oven and ring the dinner bell. Serve with mashed potatoes, and a salad for a hearty, well-rounded barbecue meatball feast to satisfy any hungry wrangler. And don’t forget to slap some extra sauce on those meatballs for extra barbecue flavor. 

Notes:

“Extra Optional Ingredients” – I added about 2 cups of pulp from one of my juices I created during the day. This pulp is made from carrots, broccoli, celery, and tomatoes. Great way to incorporate a bounty of extra fiber without changing the flavor. Even the pickiest vegetable eater will not turn their nose up at these meatballs. 

*This meatball mixture can be mixed up to 24 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Once you’ve formed the meatballs, allow them to rest at room temp for about 20 minutes before baking. This will ensure they cook evenly. Meatballs can also be formed, then frozen on a baking sheet. Once completely frozen, remove from baking sheet and store in a resealable freezer bag. Thaw in refrigerator before baking. 

One more thing … here’s the recipe for Homemade Barbecue Sauce to go with the original recipe- this is NOT gluten-free!

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon onion powder 

2 Tablespoons Liquid Smoke

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom of pan. Once the brown sugar has dissolved and ingredients are well blended and warm, remove from heat and use as directed in recipe above. 

Safe food is a journey … Thrive!