One of our favorite recipes is these crunchy meatballs, It will become your new favorite meatball recipe. No matter your favorite sport, you probably enjoy a good snack while watching the game.
Why You’ll Love This Game Day Crunchy Meatballs Recipe
If you love homemade meatballs but like a little extra texture, you’ll love this recipe. This recipe adds crunchy potato chips to basic meatballs.
They’ll taste just like baked meatballs but with a smoky flavor and a crispy exterior. These crispy meatballs are a crowd favorite!
What You’ll Need to Cook Crunchy Meatballs
- Ground Beef
- Ground Pork
- Egg
- Breadcrumbs
- Salt
- White Onion
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Parsley
- Herbs of Provence or Italian Seasoning
- Corn Chips
- Garlic
How to Make Crunchy Meatballs
Step 1: Prepare the meatballs
In a large mixing bowl, add in the ground meat, salt, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, 1/2 grated white onion, chopped parsley and Worcestershire sauce.
With your hands, mix all the ingredients together.
Using a small cookie scooper, scoop out 1″ sized meatballs and place the rolled meatballs on a wirerack.
Step 2: Smoke the meatballs
Smoke the meatballs at 250°F for about an hour. The meatballs are ready when the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
Step 3: Finish the meatballs
Add a few handfuls of chips in a ziplock bag and crunch them by hand or with a mallet until they are broken down into fine pieces.
Coat the meatballs in barbecue sauce and with a toothpick, pick 1 meatball and roll it in the crushed chips.
Serve and enjoy!
Variations For Meatballs
You can add black pepper flakes, brown sugar, or other seasonings to the meat mixture. This will alter the taste to meet your personal preferences.
Some people may even put cheese cubes in the center of the meatballs for a fun twist! Instead of BBQ sauce, make a homemade sauce with your favorite sauce ingredients.
If you don’t have time to make the meatballs, you could even use store-bought meatballs. We won’t tell anyone!
For a healthier option, try making chicken meatballs.
If you don’t want to use your pellet smoker, you could even make these in the deep fryer, a Dutch oven, or a slow cooker.
What Temperature to Smoke Crunchy Meatballs at
Smoke these meatballs at 250°F. This medium heat is the perfect temperature. Higher temperatures could cook them too quickly. Lower temperatures could take too long to cook them.
What Internal Temperature You Need to Reach For Meatballs
These meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 160°F. That is the safe cooking temperature for ground beef and ground pork.
Check the temperature with a meat thermometer. If the middle of the meatballs is 160°F, they are safe to remove from the heat.
How Long to Smoke Crunchy Meatballs
You only need to smoke the meatballs for an hour. This is a quick recipe that will be easy to make for game day! You may need a little bit of extra time if the internal temp isn’t 160°F.
How To Store Leftover Crunchy Meatballs
Refrigerate meatballs for up to a week in an airtight container. You can freeze them for longer if you have a freezer bag for them.
My Favorite Wood Chips for Crunchy Meatballs
You can use your favorite wood chips for this recipe.
Mild chips like applewood or cherry would leave a faint taste. Something hearty like mesquite or hickory will leave a bolder flavor.
What To Serve With Crunchy Meatballs
If you want more game-day appetizers to complement the meatballs, try one of these recipes:
Your friends will love these juicy meatballs! They’re even a fun appetizer for a dinner party whether or not you’re watching the game!
The crunchy chips add a fun twist to these juicy meatballs. You’ll want to make these every time someone comes to your house!
Dorito Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Ground Beef
- .5 lbs Ground Pork
- 1 whole Egg
- ½ cup Breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp Salt
- ½ whole White Onion
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ cup Parsley
- 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 bags Corn Chips
- 1 tbsp Garlic
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the ground meat, salt, breadcrumbs, 1/2 grated white onion, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, egg, chopped parsley, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Mix all the ingredients together, then use a cookie scooper or spoon to scoop out 1″ sized meatballs, roll between your palms, and place the meatballs on a rack.
- Step 2: Cook
- If you are using the oven: preheat to 350°F; when it reaches the temperature, cook for 35 minutes or until the meatballs reach 160°F.
- If your grilling: preheat to medium high and cook, turn 1/4 every 3-4 minutes, cook for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Drain the fat from the pan, then add the BBQ sauce.
- Step 3: Finish the meatballs
- Place two-three cups of chips in a ziplock bag and crunch them until they are broken down into fine pieces.
- Coat the meatballs in barbecue sauce. With a toothpick, pick one meatball and roll it in the crushed chips.
Smoke On!
Charlie
Author: Charlie Reeves
Hi, I’m Charlie, I have been meat-smoking and grilling for the past 15 years. I have an array of different smokers, thermometers, and have a love for finding the right wood and charcoal combo My favourite recipes are my EXTRA CRISPY smoked pork belly, juicy pulled pork, smoked brisket, duck poppers, and ANY SEAFOOD I grill).
I loves sharing his tips with beginners, helping them navigate the world of smoking. I find it’s not just about cooking; it’s a quest for that perfect smoky flavor.
You will usually find me playing with the kids, perfecting my brisket bark, or sipping beers with boys around the fire. Can’t wait to share all my delicious smoking and grilling recipes with you!
You can read more about me on our About Us page.
Hungry For More?
