My husband’s famous Schweddy Balls are a holiday favorite — bite-sized cocktail meatballs glazed with a bright cranberry-chili sauce, warmed in a slow cooker and gone in minutes at any party or game-day gathering.
Hi — I’m Krissy’s husband. I don’t usually write on the blog, but Krissy loves these Schweddy Balls and asked me to share the recipe. They’ve been a hit with friends and family for years, especially during the holidays and at Super Bowl parties. The meatballs are hand-shaped to be the perfect, bite-sized portion — not too big, not too small — so the balance between meat and sauce is just right. Compared with other versions we’ve tried, these aren’t overly salty, and the texture stays tender when you handle the mixture gently.
The meatballs start from a simple, classic mixture: ground beef, egg, fresh parsley, breadcrumbs and a little onion. Mix just until combined and form walnut-sized balls for the best bite and sauce ratio. The sauce is the other star — sweet, tangy and flavorful. We toss the cooked meatballs in a mix of homemade cranberry sauce, chili sauce and a touch of lemon, then keep everything warm in a slow cooker. They hold well all evening, though usually they don’t last that long.
I hope you enjoy these Schweddy Balls as much as our friends and family do. They’re easy to scale up for a crowd and are especially good made a day ahead — store the cooled meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge and warm them in the slow cooker when ready to serve.
SCHWEDDY BALLS
Ingredients
Meatball:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (grass fed if available)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 onion, very small or 1/2 large, minced
Sauce:
- 1 cup homemade cranberry sauce (see notes)
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Make a batch of homemade cranberry sauce (you can double it and use leftovers for other recipes).
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl combine ground beef, egg, parsley, bread crumbs and minced onion. Use your hands to mix until the ingredients are just combined — avoid overworking the meat. Form the mixture into bite-sized balls, about the size of a large walnut, and arrange them evenly on a baking sheet. Bake 25–30 minutes or until browned on top. Cool and refrigerate if making ahead.
- To serve, combine the cranberry sauce, chili sauce and lemon juice in a slow cooker. Add the meatballs and toss to coat. Set the slow cooker to low until the meatballs are heated through, then switch to the warm setting to keep them ready for guests. This recipe is easy to double or triple for larger crowds.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave me a comment below