The Art of Cranberry Glazed Meatball Perfection

Meatball Formation

Learning to gently combine ingredients without overworking the meat creates tender meatballs with the perfect texture, while uniform sizing ensures even cooking throughout the batch.

Oven Baking Method

Baking rather than frying produces evenly cooked meatballs with less mess and hands-on time, while achieving beautiful browning that adds flavor depth to the final dish.

Glaze Development

Simmering the sauce ingredients together allows flavors to meld and intensify, creating a complex sweet-tart glaze that's greater than the sum of its parts.

Coating Technique

Gently combining the cooked meatballs with the simmering glaze allows the sauce to penetrate and cling to every surface, creating that signature glossy appearance.

Final Reduction

The crucial final simmer thickens the glaze to the perfect sticky consistency that coats each meatball beautifully while intensifying all the sweet and savory flavors.

Mastering the Perfect Cranberry Glazed Meatball

Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare the meatballs up to 2 days in advance and store them unglazed in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before glazing and reheating.

Perfect Texture: The combination of beef and pork creates the ideal texture with enough fat for moisture but not too much greasiness. Don't substitute all beef or the meatballs will be denser.

Glaze Consistency: If your glaze becomes too thick during cooking, add 2-3 tablespoons of water or chicken broth to thin it out. If it's too thin, simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes.

Serving Strategy: Keep the meatballs warm in a slow cooker set to low for parties, which allows guests to serve themselves throughout the event while maintaining perfect temperature and texture.

Flavor Variations: Add orange zest to the glaze for citrus brightness, substitute grape jelly for cranberry sauce for a classic sweet variation, or add a splash of bourbon for sophisticated depth.

Size Matters: Keep meatballs uniform in size so they cook evenly. Too large and the centers won't cook through; too small and they'll dry out and be difficult to skewer with toothpicks.

Sweet and Tangy Cranberry Glazed Meatballs with Homemade Sauce Perfect for Holiday Entertaining

Name: Sweet and Tangy Cranberry Glazed Meatballs with Homemade Sauce Perfect for Holiday Entertaining
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: For the Meatballs:; 1 pound ground beef (85% lean); 1 pound ground pork; 1 cup breadcrumbs or panko; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1/4 cup whole milk; 1/3 cup yellow onion, finely minced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish; For the Cranberry Glaze:; 1 can (14 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce; 1 cup chili sauce or ketchup; 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional; For Special Equipment:; Large baking sheet with parchment paper; Large Dutch oven or deep skillet; Wooden toothpicks for serving

The ultimate cranberry glazed meatballs featuring tender beef and pork, whole berry cranberry sauce, and tangy chili sauce. This party appetizer combines the sweet cranberry flavor with the savory spiced meatballs, creating an unforgettable crowd-pleasing experience that elevates the classic cocktail meatball to extraordinary heights perfect for holiday parties, game day gatherings, or any time you crave the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.

Prep Time

20 Minutes

Cook Time

25 Minutes

Total Time

45 Minutes

Chef

JUE

Ingredients

Custard Cream

For the Meatballs:

1 pound ground beef (85% lean)

1 pound ground pork

1 cup breadcrumbs or panko

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup whole milk

1/3 cup yellow onion, finely minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

For the Cranberry Glaze:

1 can (14 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce

1 cup chili sauce or ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

For Special Equipment:

Large baking sheet with parchment paper

Large Dutch oven or deep skillet

Wooden toothpicks for serving

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, minced onion, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, allspice, and fresh parsley. Mix gently with your hands until just combined, being careful not to overmix which can make the meatballs tough.

Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the meat mixture into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter, rolling each between your palms to form smooth, uniform meatballs. You should get approximately 40-45 meatballs.

Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet with slight spacing between each one, then bake for 18-20 minutes until browned and cooked through with an internal temperature of 160°F.

While the meatballs bake, prepare the cranberry glaze by combining the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat.

Stir the glaze mixture constantly and bring it to a gentle simmer, cooking for 5-7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld together beautifully.

Once the meatballs are done baking, carefully transfer them directly into the simmering cranberry glaze, gently stirring to coat each meatball evenly with the glossy sauce.

Continue cooking the meatballs in the glaze over medium-low heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally and allowing the sauce to reduce and become sticky and rich, clinging perfectly to each meatball.

Transfer the glazed meatballs to a serving dish, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve hot with toothpicks for easy serving at your gathering.

Sweet and Tangy Cranberry Glazed Meatballs with Homemade Sauce Perfect for Holiday Entertaining

JUE

Essential Ingredients Selection

Creating Your Masterpiece

The Art of Cranberry Glazed Meatball Perfection

Sweet and Tangy Cranberry Glazed Meatballs with Homemade Sauce Perfect for Holiday Entertaining

Ingredients

Instructions