Description
These Crockpot Guinness Glazed Meatballs are a hearty and flavorful dish featuring tender meatballs made from extra lean ground beef, simmered in a rich Guinness beer glaze with tomato, barbecue sauce, and spices. Perfect for a comforting meal, they are cooked in the crockpot for a tender texture and served garnished with fresh parsley. Ideal for a casual dinner, these meatballs pair wonderfully with creamy mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 lbs. extra lean ground beef
- ¾ cups seasoned dried bread crumbs
- ½ cup minced onion
- â…“ cup Guinness beer
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Glaze Sauce
- ½ tablespoon oil
- ½ cup diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 ½ cups Guinness beer
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon thyme
Garnish
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare meatballs: Preheat oven to 375℉. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix and form meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread crumbs, minced onion, Guinness beer, minced garlic, eggs, paprika, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly using hands or a spoon until fully incorporated. Shape the mixture into 1 ½-inch meatballs and place them evenly spaced on the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes until partially cooked, then transfer the meatballs to the crockpot.
- Prepare the glaze sauce base: While the meatballs are baking, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Combine sauce ingredients and simmer: Whisk in Guinness beer, tomato paste, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes to blend flavors.
- Cook meatballs in crockpot: Pour the prepared glaze sauce over the meatballs in the crockpot. Set the crockpot to low heat and cook for 2 to 3 hours, allowing the meatballs to absorb the flavors and become tender.
- Garnish and serve: Once cooked, garnish the meatballs with chopped parsley. Serve hot, ideally over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes for a complete comfort meal.
Notes
- Use extra lean ground beef to reduce fat content and improve texture.
- Partially baking the meatballs before crockpot cooking helps them hold shape and enhances flavor.
- The Guinness beer adds a rich, malty flavor; substitute with a dark stout if unavailable.
- Simmer the glaze sauce adequately to thicken it before pouring over meatballs.
- The slow cooking process in the crockpot makes the meatballs tender and allows the glaze to fully infuse.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or your favorite side to balance the richness.
