Who hasn’t come across Grape Jelly Meatballs at a gathering? That blue text means there is a link to my version. Cranberry, too.
This version adds cherry preserves into the mix, as well as a can of chipotles in adobo. The original recipe called for three chipotles from the can and one tablespoon of sauce, but, what the heck am I gonna do with the rest of ’em? So I just chucked in the whole seven ounce can, and all was truly right with the world.
INGREDIENTS
•48 oz good frozen meatballs*
•7 oz can chipotles in adobo
•12 oz Barbecue Sauce
•8 oz Garlic Diana Sauce
•26 oz cherry preserves
•1-1/2 cup water
*I get mine from Whole Foods. They are organic and do not taste like all the other frozen meatballs I’ve tried.
Note: I used a combination of my own barbecue and garlic Diana sauces. Feel free to use your fave barbecue sauce.
Stir the chipotles and adobo into the barbecue sauce(s), cherry preserves, and water in a large Dutch oven. I used my multi-setting slow cooker which has a sauté and simmer option.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat (my cooker was set to 350º) then stir in the meatballs, reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes or so, until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are nicely heated through.
I had some extra time before folx were gathering, and I thought the sauce a touch too soupy still, so I continued cooking until the sauce was really thick, more like a glaze than a sauce.
Really nice meatballs.