Tag Archives: crock-pot

Slow-Cooker Smoky Blackberry-Barbecue Turkey Meatballs

Did you watch the Superbowl last night?  I did even though neither one of the teams were my team (I’m talking about you, Philadelphia Eagles).  I always used to find myself quietly routing for Denver in games I didn’t have a personal investment in because I lived there when I was 24-years old. But this time I found myself routing for Seattle and, even though I’m kind of a Peyton Manning fan and don’t know anything about anyone on Seattle other than what has been highlighted in recent interviews and sports news, I tend want to see the underdog win.

Regardless, did you know that the Pacific Northwest is a big producer of blackberries?  I didn’t know this until I read Blackberry Winter, a book by one of my favorite authors, Sarah Jio.  I didn’t intentionally make these Slow-Cooker Smoky Blackberry-Barbecue Turkey Meatballs with the Seattle Seahawks in mind but they are what I made for Superbowl Sunday and I was plenty happy with them.

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Blackberry jam and hickory smoked barbecue sauce are mixed together and tossed with frozen turkey meatballs before hot tubbin’ it in a slow-cooker for a few hours.  I came up with this recipe after my sister and I made meatballs over Christmas using the typical chili sauce and grape jelly.  One of my sister’s friends mentioned how she used barbecue sauce instead of chili sauce so it got me thinking about using blackberry jam instead of grape jelly.  So this appetizer was born. Any of your favorite bottled or homemade barbecue sauces would work here but I particularly love how the smokiness pairs nicely with the sweetness of the jam.

Serve this as an appetizer or throw a few on a bun for a fun and different meatball sandwich.

Slow-Cooker Smoky Blackberry-Barbecue Turkey Meatballs (makes 8 servings)

  • 10 oz. seedless blackberry jam
  • 12 oz. hickory smoke barbecue sauce
  • 24 oz. frozen turkey meatballs

Place jam and barbecue sauce in the bowl of a slow-cooker and mix together. Add in frozen meatballs and toss until meatballs are coated. Turn slow-cooker on high and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Top with chives, basil, or scallions before serving.

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Slow-Cooker Beer-Braised Smoked Sausages and Onion

This weekend is the Super Bowl and, as if we don’t turn on the news every single night and have to constantly hear about the Polar Vortex and how cold it is outside, the biggest story surrounding the big game is what will the weather be like.  Like the organizers of the Super Bowl didn’t know when they chose East Rutherford, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium that it didn’t have a DOME and that it could be cold, and possibly snowy, in January.  So when the news people finally stop talking about the weather and move on to sports, we still have to hear about the weather.  Sorry, but isn’t the Super Bowl about football?  Anyway, whether you are having people over for the game or sitting at home watching the game alone, why not make some fun food just because you can?  These Slow-Cooker Beer-Braised Smoked Sausages and Onion are an easy food to throw together and forget about for several hours.

Smoked sausages with cheese (I used Johnsonville’s Turkey Sausage with Cheddar) are browned in a skillet before being layered into a slow-cooker with butter, grainy mustard, brown sugar, caraway seeds, and onions before being bathed with your favorite beer.  After a couple of hours, these sausages take on a completely differently unique – and amazing – flavor.  If you are like me and never really knew what caraway seeds tasted like, they taste like rye bread which I happen to love.  I’ve eaten these particular sausages before and this recipe completely transforms their flavor.  Serve these on your favorite roll or eat them plain for the game this weekend and maybe you might not care a lick about the weather.

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The ingredients:

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Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.

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Meanwhile, coat the bowl of a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place butter, brown sugar and mustard in slow cooker; stir in onions, caraway seeds, salt and pepper. Place sausages over onions and pour beer over the top.

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Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.

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Serve sausages on rolls with onions. Top with mustard and cheddar, if desired.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Smoked turkey sausage with cheddar

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Family Circle magazine

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