Meatballs with Maple Onion Bacon Jam is a delicious appetizer or main dish meal. We like them year-round, but they seem to go well with winter get togethers.
Delicious Anytime
Sometimes I don’t have a lot of time in the kitchen once I get off the highway and back to the ranch. So much to do! You can always make the meatballs in advance and whip up the Maple Onion Bacon Jam at the last minute. It seems like I always have these ingredients on hand anyway, so this is a “go-to” recipe.
You can always make the jam ahead of time, but if you add the bacon too early, it will get soggy and lose it’s toothy bite. Making the maple onion bacon jam at the last minute keeps the texture of the bacon perfectly crisp.
Easy to Make Ahead of Time
If you are short on time, make the meatballs in a day or two in advance. Once they are cooked, cool them down completely and then store in the freezer until you need them. If you have a potluck dinner to attend, even better. Just take the meatballs and jam with you and pop into the microwave for a quick warm up.
I like serving Meatballs with Maple Onion Bacon Jam with the jam spooned into a warm platter first then topping with the meatballs. Otherwise, I think the presentation looks like a big gooey mess. Also, if the jam is served on the bottom of the platter your guests can opt for more or less jam according to their taste. Both cilantro and parsley work as a garnish.
I serve these meatballs with a nice fruity Malbec and a small cheese board for appetizers with friends. A bottle of tabasco on the side would be a good idea also.
Meatballs with Maple Onion Bacon Jam is the perfect appetizer
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 appetizer servings 1x
Ingredients
Meatballs:
1lb ground beef (500g)
½ cup breadcrumbs (62g)
1 egg
¼ cup milk (60ml)
¼ cup finally minced onion (37g)
1 tbsp. fresh parsley (2g)
1 clove garlic, minced about 1 teaspoon
1 tsp. salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Maple Onion Bacon Jam:
4 strips bacon, chopped (48g)
2 onions, thinly sliced
1–2 tbsp. Malbec wine (15-30ml)
¼ cup sugar (50g)
1/4 cup maple syrup (60ml)
1 tsp. salt (4g)
Ground black pepper to taste
Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Place the ground beef, breadcrumbs, milk, onions, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a spoon or knead with the hands until well combined. Divide into 4 portions, then form 8 equally sized meatballs for a total of 32 meatballs. Once the meatballs are formed set aside on a plate.
In a large skillet, fry the bacon until it is crispy. Remove the bacon and allow to drain on paper towels. Keeping the skillet hot, carefully add the meatballs and brown, cooking over medium heat. Only turn the meatballs once to brown on two sides. Once the meatballs are completely brown, remove to a bowl and keep warm.
Add the sliced onions to the hot pan and allow to caramelize for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Once the onions are golden brown, stir in the wine, maple syrup, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook briefly over medium heat, about 4-5 minutes until reduced.
Place the warm onions on a serving platter. Crumble the crispy bacon over the onions and then top with the warm meat balls. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
This appetizer can be made in advance. Although it will no longer be crispy, you can stir the crumbled bacon into the caramelized onions. Once they have completely cooled, store the onion jam and meat balls in the refrigerator When your guests arrive, warm both the meatballs and onion jam for a delicious hot appetizer.
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