Glazed Turkey Meatballs with Grape Jelly and Chili Sauce are the perfect appetizer. Flavorful and blanketed with a robust glaze of grape jelly and chili sauce, they are impossible not to like.
Sometimes called grape jelly meatballs, despite the crazy ingredients, you will love this recipe. And, even though the ingredients sound strange, you will be amazed by how the flavors come together to create a ridiculously good appetizer to serve at holiday parties and potlucks.
Not only are these glazed turkey meatballs one of my husband’s favorite appetizers, these delectable morsels fairly melt in your mouth and are delicious at any time of the year. I generally put them in a chafing dish or a crockpot, and they look stunning on a holiday party table.
Here’s what you will need:
Onion, butter, extra-lean ground turkey, salt and pepper, dried thyme, egg, breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour, and vegetable oil.
Here’s how to make them:
Melt two tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-low to medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 15 minutes until very tender, but not browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Add the cooked and cooled onions, turkey, softened unsalted butter, seasonings, bread crumbs, and egg to the bowl of your food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 20 seconds, scrape down the sides and process for an additional 10 seconds, or until the mixture is well combined. At this point, you can cover and refrigerate until ready to shape your meatballs.
To make the meatballs, simply use a 1-inch scoop and roll the turkey mixture into one inch balls using your hands.
This recipe makes 48 meatballs, but I doubled the recipe and made almost 100 meatballs. Did I mention my husband loves them…
Place one-half of a cup of all-purpose flour on a plate and roll the meatballs lightly in the flour; shake off the excess flour.
Place one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter foam begins to subside, add the meatballs, taking care not to crowd them. Cook in batches until browned, which should take about 5 minutes. Drain the meatballs on paper towels.
Place the browned meatballs on a large baking sheet with sides, lined with aluminum foil sprayed lightly with non-stick baking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes, or until they are fully cooked.
How to make the grape jelly and chili sauce glaze:
Don’t roll your eyes, just combine one 12 ounce jar of grape jelly with one 12 oz. bottle of chili sauce and heat over medium heat in a large saucepan until the jelly melts.
Add the meatballs and simmer for 10-20 minutes until they are fully heated.
That’s it! I know it sounds weird, and you probably think I have lost my mind. But, please try this recipe. I promise you will love what this grape jelly and chili sauce glaze does to the meatballs.
Sharon’s tips:
- No time to make the homemade meatballs? Simply purchase a 32-ounce bag of fully cooked meatballs and mix them with the grape jelly and chili sauce. I’ll never tell!
- If you would like to make these appetizers ahead, simply place the cooled cookie sheet with the meatballs on it in your freezer and freeze. Once frozen, put them in a plastic freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to use them.
- I like to serve this appetizer in a chafing dish to keep them warm. You can also use a crockpot.
- The grape jelly and chili sauce glaze is also excellent over little cocktail sausages.
What to serve with them:
For a holiday party, I also like to serve:
- Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates with Almonds
- Savory Havarti and Sun-Dried Tomato Cheesecake
- Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls, and
- 3-Ingredient Cranberry Brie Bites
- Green Chili Pie
If you want more appetizer ideas, check out all of my appetizer recipes here.
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Glazed Turkey Meatballs With Grape Jelly and Chili Sauce
Ingredients
For the Turkey Meatballs
- ¾ cup finely minced yellow onion about 1 medium
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter divided
- 1 ¼ pounds extra lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 egg
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour spread on a plate
- 1 tablespoon butter for frying the meatballs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying the meatballs
For the Glaze
- 1 jar of grape jelly 12 oz jar
- 1 bottle of chili sauce 12 oz bottle
Instructions
- Melt 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium low to medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Add the cooked and cooled onions, turkey, 2 tablespoon softened unsalted butter, seasonings, breadcrumbs, and egg to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 20 seconds, scrape down the sides and process for an additional 10 seconds or until the mixture is well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place ½ cup of flour on a large plate. Roll the turkey mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Just before browning, roll the meatballs lightly in the flour; shake off the excess flour.
- Place 1 tablespoon each of butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet and set over medium-high heat. When the butter foam begins to subside, add the meatballs, taking care not to crowd them. Cook in batches until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining meatballs.
- Place the browned meatballs on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes, or until meatballs are fully cooked.
- Meanwhile, add grape jelly and chili sauce to a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until jelly is melted. Add cooked meatballs. Stir carefully to thoroughly coat meatballs. Cook for 10 minutes, or until meatballs are thoroughly heated. (Can be refrigerated at this point, and served later.)
Notes
- No time to make the homemade meatballs? Simply purchase a 32-ounce bag of fully cooked meatballs and mix them with the grape jelly and chili sauce. I'll never tell!
- If you would like to make these turkey meatball appetizers ahead, simply place the cooled cookie sheet with the meatballs on it in your freezer and freeze. Once frozen, put the meatballs in a plastic freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to use them.
- I like to serve this turkey meatball appetizer in a chafing dish to keep them warm. You can also use a crockpot.
- The grape jelly and chili sauce glaze is also excellent over little cocktail sausages.
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