Description
These Slow Cooker Korean Meatballs combine tender, flavorful beef meatballs with a rich, tangy, and slightly spicy Korean-inspired sauce. Perfectly baked first to get a light browning, then slow-cooked to absorb the flavorful sauce, this recipe makes a delicious, easy-to-prepare meal ideal for gatherings or a comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs:
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup crushed saltine crackers
- 1/3 cup dry minced onion
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Sauce:
- 1 cup seedless blackberry preserves
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/4 cup red apple vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with foil to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly, then add in the ground beef, crushed saltine crackers, dry minced onion, milk, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, and pepper. Mix everything well until fully combined.
- Form and Bake Meatballs: Roll the meat mixture into approximately 60 meatballs, and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until they are lightly browned on the outside.
- Prepare Sauce: While the meatballs bake, combine the seedless blackberry preserves, hoisin sauce, Gochujang, red apple vinegar, and low sodium soy sauce in a separate bowl. Whisk until smooth and well integrated.
- Layer in Slow Cooker: Place half of the baked meatballs into the slow cooker, then pour over half of the prepared sauce. Repeat with the remaining meatballs and sauce, layering evenly.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for about 2 hours. After one hour, gently stir to ensure the meatballs are evenly coated with the sauce and continue cooking.
Notes
- For best texture, do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender.
- You can prepare meatballs up to baking step ahead of time and refrigerate before baking and slow cooking.
- Adjust the amount of Gochujang to control the spice level according to your preference.
- Serve these meatballs over steamed rice, noodles, or alongside steamed vegetables for a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
