Grape jelly meatballs are a Midwest potluck legend: frozen meatballs in a sweet and tangy jelly and chili sauce, speared with toothpicks all game long. They're about 5 minutes of work, and the one thing people get wrong is starting them cold in the slow cooker. Heat them on the stove first; the slow cooker only holds them.
At the lot: Carry them hot in a clipped slow cooker and plug in where your lot allows power, or hold them on the cool side of the grill. Homegating: Heat them on the stove, then let the slow cooker hold them on warm from kickoff to the final whistle.
Home gear: a 6-quart or larger pot or Dutch oven, and a 6-quart slow cooker
35 MIN
At home, on the stove
5 MIN
Homegating
12
Serves
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 bottles (12 oz each) chili sauce
- 2 cups grape jelly
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Meatballs
- 4 lb frozen fully cooked meatballs, beef or beef and pork
Serve
- Toothpicks or small skewers
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
- Small plates and napkins
Steps
At home
- Whisk the chili sauce, grape jelly, Worcestershire, garlic powder and red pepper flakes in the pot over medium heat until the jelly melts and the sauce bubbles, about 5 minutes.
- Add the frozen meatballs and stir to coat. Cover and simmer over medium-low for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the center of a meatball reads 165°F.
- No big pot? Spread the frozen meatballs in a 9 × 13 in. baking dish, pour the warm sauce over and cover with foil. Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, stirring once, until they read 165°F.
Homegating
- Turn the slow cooker on warm or low while the meatballs heat. Move the hot meatballs and sauce into it and keep the lid on, holding them at 140°F or above.
- Scatter the green onions on top and set out the toothpicks.
At the lot instead
- Heat the meatballs at home to 165°F, then carry them hot in the slow cooker with the lid clipped, wrapped in towels. Plug it into a generator or power station if your lot allows one, or serve within 2 hours of leaving the stove. To heat them at the lot instead, pack them frozen in the cooler, then simmer them with the sauce in a foil pan on the cool side of the grill, lid down at about 350°F, for 45 to 50 minutes until they read 165°F.
Pack for the lot
Lot notes
- Stove first: a slow cooker heats too slowly to bring frozen or cold food up safely, and USDA advises against starting frozen food in one. Heat the meatballs on the stove or in the oven, then let the slow cooker hold them.
- Watch the sugar: the jelly sauce can catch on the bottom. Stir it and add a splash of water if it gets thick on warm.
Can you make slow cooker meatballs ahead?
Yes. Heat them through, cool them in shallow containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. On game day, reheat them on the stove, then move them to the slow cooker.
Can you put frozen meatballs straight in the slow cooker?
Not safely. A slow cooker warms frozen food too slowly, so heat the meatballs to 165°F on the stove or in the oven first and use the slow cooker only to hold them.
How do you keep meatballs hot at a tailgate?
Carry them hot in a clipped slow cooker wrapped in towels, and plug it in where your lot allows power. Without power, keep them in a foil pan on the cool side of the grill with the lid down. The holding rules are in how to keep food hot at a tailgate.
How many meatballs do you need for 20 people?
Plan on about 5 oz each as an appetizer. Multiply everything by 1⅔: about 6½ lb of meatballs, 3 bottles of chili sauce and 3⅓ cups of grape jelly. That's more than a 6-quart slow cooker holds, so use 2.
Gear for this cook
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