Grilled Pineapple Meatballs in the Slow Cooker

★Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef or ground pork (or a mix of both)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Meat broth with frozen vegetables

Banana pudding recipe ever

For the Sauce:

• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (from the can of pineapple chunks)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Additional:

• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained (reserve juice for sauce)
• Skewers (if grilling meatballs before slow cooking)
• Cooking spray or oil (for grilling)

★Instructions

1. Prepare the Meatballs:

• In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let it sit for a minute or two until the breadcrumbs absorb the milk.
• Add the ground meat, egg, onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and oregano to the breadcrumb mixture. Mix until everything is well combined.
• Form the mixture into meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.

1. Grill the Meatballs:

• Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
• Thread the meatballs onto skewers, leaving a little space between each meatball.
• Lightly spray or oil the grill grates to prevent sticking.
• Grill the meatballs for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until they are browned. (They don’t need to be cooked through; the slow cooker will finish cooking them.)

1. Prepare the Sauce:

• In a bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic until well combined.

1. Assemble in the Slow Cooker:

• Place the grilled meatballs and pineapple chunks in the slow cooker.
• Pour the sauce over the meatballs and pineapple.

1. Cook:

• Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours, or on high for 2-3 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is bubbly.

1. Serve:

• Serve the meatballs and pineapple over rice or as an appetizer. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro or green onions if desired.

Enjoy!