Grape jelly chili sauce meatballs are the classic party meatballs: bite-size cooked meatballs simmered in the slow cooker in a glossy, sweet and tangy sauce made from just two things, a jar of chili sauce and a jar of grape jelly. It sounds odd and tastes wonderful. The jelly melts into the chili sauce and turns into something close to a sweet barbecue glaze. They have been on holiday buffets and game day tables for decades.
How to make grape jelly chili sauce meatballs: Thaw a bag of fully cooked meatballs in the refrigerator. Put the meatballs, chili sauce and grape jelly in a slow cooker and cover. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on HIGH or 4 to 6 hours on LOW, until the sauce is hot and the meatballs reach 165°F. Serve with toothpicks.
Why You’ll Love It
- Three ingredients. A bag of meatballs and two jars.
- Ten minutes of work. Pour, stir and cover.
- Sweet and tangy. A sticky glaze that everyone goes back for.
- Party-proof. They hold on the warm setting for serving.
- A crowd pleaser. One bag makes about 16 appetizer servings.
Ingredient Notes
Meatballs. One 32-ounce bag of fully cooked meatballs. They are sold frozen. Thaw them in the refrigerator before they go into the slow cooker.
Chili sauce. Twelve ounces. This is the mild, ketchup-like tomato sauce sold in a bottle next to the ketchup. It is not hot sauce and not sweet chili sauce.
Grape jelly. Ten ounces. Plain grape jelly melts smoothly into the sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 bag fully cooked meatballs (32 ounces), thawed in the refrigerator
- 12 ounces chili sauce
- 10 ounces grape jelly
How to Make Grape Jelly Chili Sauce Meatballs
1. Thaw the meatballs. Thaw the fully cooked meatballs in the refrigerator before putting them in the slow cooker. Keep them refrigerated until you are ready to cook.
2. Combine. Add the meatballs, chili sauce and grape jelly to the slow cooker. Cover.
3. Heat and serve. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on HIGH or 4 to 6 hours on LOW, until the sauce is hot and the meatballs reach 165°F when checked with a food thermometer. Serve with a spoon or toothpicks. If serving from the slow cooker, keep the food at 140°F or warmer.
Should the Meatballs Be Thawed Before Slow Cooking?
Yes. It is tempting to tip the frozen bag straight into the pot, and plenty of people do. But USDA FSIS says meat should be thawed before it goes into a slow cooker. A slow cooker heats gently, and a pot full of frozen meatballs takes a long time to get hot.
Thawing takes no work. It only takes planning.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| The night before | Move the bag of meatballs from the freezer to the refrigerator |
| Party day | Put the thawed meatballs and both jars of sauce ingredients in the slow cooker |
| While cooking | Keep the lid on. Stir once or twice to coat the meatballs |
| Before serving | Check a meatball in the center of the pot for 165°F |
| During the party | Hold on the warm setting, at 140°F or warmer |
Thawed meatballs heat through more evenly, and they may be ready toward the early end of the time range. Go by the thermometer and by a sauce that is hot and bubbling at the edges.
Do not thaw the bag on the counter. The refrigerator is the safe place.
Tips for Success
What does grape jelly do in the sauce?
It adds sweetness and body. As it melts, it thickens the chili sauce into a shiny glaze that clings to the meatballs. The finished sauce does not taste like grapes.
Should I stir the sauce first?
You can whisk the chili sauce and jelly together before adding the meatballs, or just stir everything in the pot. The jelly melts either way. Give it a good stir after the first hour.
What kind of meatballs should I use?
Any fully cooked meatballs: beef, pork, turkey or a blend. Smaller, cocktail-size meatballs are easiest to eat from a toothpick.
HIGH or LOW?
Either one. Use HIGH if the party is in a few hours and LOW if you want to start them earlier in the day.
How do I keep them warm for a party?
Switch the slow cooker to its warm setting once the meatballs are hot, and keep the lid on between servings.
How Long Does It Take?
About 220 minutes on HIGH: 10 minutes of prep and about 210 minutes of cooking. On LOW, allow 4 to 6 hours. The meatballs also need time to thaw in the refrigerator first, so move them the night before.
What Should You Serve With the Meatballs?
As an appetizer, set them out with toothpicks and napkins. For dinner, spoon the meatballs and sauce over rice or mashed potatoes, or tuck them into slider rolls.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours of cooking, or of turning off the slow cooker. They keep for 3 to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave to 165°F. Do not reheat them in the slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
These meatballs are right at home on a party table. Add crockpot BBQ chicken wings and a pot of Wendy’s chili for game day. For more meatballs, try slow cooker Mississippi meatballs, sweet and sour meatballs, chicken piccata meatballs or baked chicken ricotta meatballs with spinach Alfredo sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make meatballs with grape jelly and chili sauce?
Combine thawed, fully cooked meatballs with chili sauce and grape jelly in a slow cooker and cook until hot, 2 to 3 hours on HIGH or 4 to 6 hours on LOW.
Should the meatballs be thawed before slow cooking?
Yes. Thaw them in the refrigerator first.
What does grape jelly do in the sauce?
It sweetens and thickens the chili sauce into a glaze.
What should you serve with the meatballs?
Toothpicks for a party, or rice, mashed potatoes or slider rolls for dinner.
Final Notes
I move the bag to the refrigerator the night before and set the jars on the counter, so the morning of the party takes two minutes. If you make them, leave a comment to tell me how they turned out or ask a question.
Grape Jelly Chili Sauce Meatballs
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Ingredients
- 1 bag meatballs 32 ounces, fully cooked, thawed in the refrigerator before slow cooking
- 12 ounces chili sauce
- 10 ounces grape jelly
Instructions
- Thaw the fully cooked meatballs in the refrigerator before putting them in the slow cooker. Keep them refrigerated until you are ready to cook.
- Add the meatballs, chili sauce and grape jelly to the slow cooker. Cover.
- Cook for 2 to 3 hours on HIGH or 4 to 6 hours on LOW, until the sauce is hot and the meatballs reach 165°F when checked with a food thermometer. Serve with a spoon or toothpicks. If serving from the slow cooker, keep the food at 140°F or warmer.
Notes
Nutrition
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