Smoked Stuffed Meatballs
These little gems can be served as an appetizer, added to marinara sauce or used for meatball subs (hero/ hoagie depending where you are in the country). If I’m serving them as an appetizer I’ll paint the meatballs with barbecue sauce during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Although they could be cooked in a 350 degrees F. oven for about 20 minutes, I prefer smoking them with apple wood at 225 degrees F. for about 1 1/2 hours.
Depending how large you make the balls, this recipe will yield about 12 to 16 meatballs.
1 1/2 pounds 80/20 ground beef
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 ounce block Jalapeño Jack cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Combine all of the ingredients except the Jack cheese in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
Form the mixture into balls slightly larger than a golf ball. Press one piece of Jack cheese into the center of each ball and reform the meat around the cheese.
Prepare your smoker for 225 degrees F. cooking and smoke the balls for one to 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. (Cooking time will vary based on the size of the balls.)
The cast of characters
Meatballs stuffed and ready for the smoker
Ready for eating
