Make Ahead

Holiday CocktailĀ Meatballs

September 18, 2011
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves a crowd
Author Notes

My brother is coming up for a visit in a couple of weeks..I haven't seen him in over two years..and I've been going over some of his favorites from my collection. We'll have a family get-together while he's here so there will be lots of appetizers and good food. I seem to remember that this is one of his favorites which I adapted from a recipe of a good friend and which is always on the appetizer table at Christmas.
The meatballs and sauce can be made ahead and frozen separately for the busy holiday season. Easy, easy to make, but so delicious!! So...grab your toothpicks and spear a few! —inpatskitchen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 pounds bulk pork hot sausage
  • 2 cups ketchup
  • 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground dried ginger powder
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Directions
  1. Shape the meat into one inch meatballs and bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.
  2. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, ground ginger, soy sauce and red wine vinegar and heat to boiling. ( At this point you can cool the meatballs and sauce separately and freeze ).
  3. To serve: Gently heat ( or reheat thawed sauce and meat) the meatballs combined with the sauce until hot in a medium saucepan on top of the stove.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • BerryBaby
    BerryBaby
  • susan g
    susan g
  • inpatskitchen
    inpatskitchen
  • WileyP
    WileyP
inpatskitchen

Recipe by: inpatskitchen

I think I get my love for food and cooking from my mom, who was an amazing cook. She would start baking and freezing a month before Christmas in order to host our huge open house on Christmas afternoon. I watched and I learned...to this day I try not to procrastinate when it comes to entertaining. My cooking style is pretty much all over the place, although I'm definitely partial to Greek and Italian cuisine. Oh yes, throw a little Cajun in there too!

6 Reviews

BerryBaby November 18, 2018
This sounds delicious! I have not made them with the hot sausage and it definitely kicks up the flavor.
Going to make these during the holidays. Happy Thanksgiving, Pat!
 
inpatskitchen November 18, 2018
Thank you BerryBaby! They really are good and everyone in the family (even some of the little ones) like them. Please let me know how you like them if you do make them and Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
 
susan G. September 18, 2011
I'm hoping this will bring back a similar dish my mother made for family parties. I think I remember grape jelly going in, but this looks too good to pass up, IPK.
 
inpatskitchen September 19, 2011
Thanks susan g!! It's a nice twist...Hope you enjoy if you try it
 
WileyP September 21, 2011
Susan, I believe the recipe for that other sauce is simply a 1:1 ratio of tomato-based cocktail sauce and either grape jelly or cranberry sauce, and is a good enough sauce. I'm making appetizers for 50-60 people on Saturday and I think I'll use this one. It sounds like inpatskitchen has moved cocktail meatballs into a higher bracket!
 
inpatskitchen September 21, 2011
Thanks Wiley P....this does go beyond grape jelly and chili sauce. If you do make these, please let me know what you think.