Make Ahead Meatballs {Crock-Pot Recipe}

I have promised this recipe for a long time and I'm finally getting it posted. Thanks for being patient! I almost did not want to post this because after going through all my pictures I discovered that I did not take any pictures of the sauce, the meatballs in the crock-pot, or the finished product. How does that happen?  It's called too busy with graduation + moving preparation!  So, once we are moved and I make them again I will update with finished product pictures.   You will just have to trust me that these look + taste good! 

Ingredients:
1 lb. grass fed ground beef
4 slices nitrate free bacon, diced
1 onion, diced (optional)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. dried Italian parsley
¼ cup Panko-Style breadcrumbs
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. granulated onion
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. white pepper
½ cup flour (all purpose, almond flour, or rice flour)

Directions: 

1. Mix all ingredients, except flour, together in large bowl. 

2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper 

3. Add flour to a small bowl. You may need more flour, add more as needed.

4. With a cookie scoop, form round size meatballs with mixture. 

5. Lightly roll in flour. Shake off excess flour. 

6. Place floured meatballs on parchment lined cookie sheet. Space them so they do not touch. 

7. Once pan is full of meatballs, cover with foil or plastic wrap and put in freezer until meatballs are frozen. I usually leave mine in freezer overnight. 

8. Once meatballs are frozen, remove from cookie sheet and place in freezer safe container, Ziploc bag, or Food Saver vacuum seal bags for storage in freezer. 

9. When ready to make meatballs, take the amount out you want to cook and place in crock-pot. Place them gently (don’t dump) into the crock-pot. They can be stacked, just try to spread them out the best you can so they will cook more evenly. 

10. Meatballs do NOT need to be thawed. 

Put in crock-pot FROZEN. 

11. Pour BBQ sauce over the meatballs (see link to BBQ Sauce recipe below). You could also try different kind of sauces with the meatballs, does not have to be BBQ. 

12. Cover and cook meatballs on low for 5-7 hours, or until cooked. Once they are cooked, switch to warm setting and let sit there until ready to serve. 

Serve with mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, hash brown casserole, or your favorite side. Make sure to also serve a veggie!

Makes about 24 golf ball size meatballs. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.  

Print Recipe for Make Ahead Meatball Recipe

Print Recipe for BBQ Sauce for Crock-Pot Meatballs

Do you have a favorite meatball recipe?  What is your favorite sauce on meatballs?