Stout Meatballs with BBQ Sauce

These Stout Meatballs with BBQ Sauce are everything you’ve ever dreamed of and more! They’re juicy, a bit spicy, not to mention they’re baked and then drowned in a homemade stout BBQ sauce that is to die for.

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you because this literally is one of my all time favorite meatball recipes ever! The stout for this dish is in both the meatballs and in the BBQ sauce, so you will definitely taste it. The BBQ sauce is very simple to make but the end result is incredible. The stout is what makes the sauce look super glossy and loads it with flavor.

Don’t be afraid that it will taste boozy because it won’t. The alcohol evaporates during the cooking process, leaving you with a rich and tasty sauce. Adding the stout to the meatballs themselves tenderizes the meat a bit and makes them juicier, plus adds a lot of flavor.

What Is Stout?

Stout is a dark beer, a super dark beer. You get tons of flavor from cooking with stouts as they’re chock full of coffee, caramel, and chocolate notes. So they’re a perfect addition to dark and rich sauces like the one we’re creating today! My favorite stout is the classic, Guinness, but feel free to use whichever you prefer!

Ingredients In Stout Meatballs With BBQ Sauce

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Meatballs

• Meat – We’re using both ground beef and pork today for juicy meatballs with lots of depth of flavor. You can use only beef or only pork. Ground lamb can also be used.
• Breadcrumbs – I used panko but you can substitute it for any breadcrumbs you have on hand.
• Egg – The binder in our meatballs. If you’re egg free you can use 1/4 cup of ricotta per egg.
• Beer – I used stout today, trust me you want to look for something dark, no lagers allowed.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
• Spices – Cumin and cayenne pepper.
• Aromatics – Fresh garlic and onion. If jarred is all you have on hand keep in mind that 1 1/2 teaspoons equals 1 fresh clove.

BBQ sauce

• Olive oil – We want a nice neutral tasting oil to be the liquid base of our homemade sauce.
• Garlic – We’re using lots of fresh garlic today. If jarred is all you have on hand keep in mind that 1 1/2 teaspoons equals 1 fresh clove.
• Sauces – Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and sriracha to add depth, heat and lots of flavor.
• Sugar – You’ll need brown sugar to add rich molasses notes to our dish.
• Smoked paprika – This spice will add sweetness and a great smoky note to our dish, be sure to look for something high quality.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
• Parsley – Chopped up fresh and sprinkled liberally on top.

How To Make Stout Meatballs

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

1. Preheat your oven: To 400 F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. Combine the meatballs: In a large bowl add all the meatball ingredients and mix well using your clean hands. Shape the meat mixture into balls around the size of a golf ball. You should get around 40 meatballs.
3. Bake the meatballs: Place the meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Start the sauce: Start making the sauce while the meatballs are baking. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until aromatic.
5. Finish the sauce: Add all of the remaining sauce ingredients, except for the parsley, and whisk well. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and reduced by about half.
6. Finish the dish: Add the meatballs to the sauce and toss them around making sure they are fully covered in sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes.

What Can I Serve With Stout Meatballs

You want something that soaks up all that rich, hearty sauce. You will love the final outcome, no matter how you slice it!

• Mashed Potatoes
• Creamy Polenta
• Fluffy white rice
• Spaghetti, to twirl around in your beautiful rich sauce!

Baked Or Fried?

If you’d like to fry these meatballs, more power to you! Believe me these bad boys taste just as good baked or fried. Just follow these steps below after forming your meatballs to fry them up.

1. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium to high heat. Add meatballs and cook.
2. If you’re using a large skillet all meatballs should fit in one batch otherwise, you might have to fry them in a couple batches.
3. Cook the meatballs on all sides, add more oil if needed. Remove meatballs from skillet and set aside.

Other Ways To Cook Stout Meatballs

Slow cooker

Follow the instructions for forming the meatballs but place in your slow cooker instead. Make the sauce before hand and cover the meatballs with the sauce and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours.

Pressure cooker

Add your sauce to the pot first, followed by the meatballs. Cook on the manual setting on high for 7 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally before removing the lid, this step takes about 10 minutes.

Can I Use Other Kinds Of Meat In My Meatballs?

You definitely can, that’s the great thing about meatballs – they’re a blank canvas! Today I blended ground pork and beef but you can use any kind of ground meat you would like. Chicken, turkey, veal, or even sausage removed from its casing are all perfectly delicious substitutes.

Tips For Making The Best Stout Meatballs

1. If you find your meatballs are a bit dry, try cubing up some bread nice and small and soaking in a bit of milk before incorporating into the meatballs. This is a traditionally Italian way of ensuring moisture.
2. Don’t crowd your pan when frying these up, this is to ensure that meatballs brown properly.
3. Before making your meatballs, you can place the meatball mixture in the fridge for 1 hour to up to a day. This will help the meatballs hold their shape while cooking especially if frying.
4. If you’re still having trouble with your meatballs, try referencing this page to trouble shoot what exactly is going wrong.

Want To Make This Recipe Ahead?

This dish can be made ahead of time if that’s what you’re into! Both the sauce and the meatballs themselves are perfect for the fridge or freezer.

These meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days. This recipe also freezes quite well so just be sure to separate the balls from the sauce in airtight containers and store. Each should last around 3 months frozen just allow to thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove top when ready to eat!

More Must Try Meatballs:

• Salisbury Steak Meatballs
• Moroccan Meatballs
• Meatballs with Mushroom Sauce
• Porcupine Meatballs
• Thai Meatball Lettuce Wraps
• Cheesy Chicken Meatball Rolls
• Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
• Turkey Meatballs
• Easy Meatballs