Instead of grabbing a bag of frozen meatballs, follow this recipe for insanely easy slow cooker pork meatballs that are perfect for potlucks, entertaining and even dinner at home.
About Slow Cooker Pork Meatballs
When the list comes around the office, or your mom calls, or the neighborhood Evite goes out and someone needs to sign up for appetizers you can be the first to raise your hand, jumping up and down, yelling,“Me, me!” or whatever less embarrassing way you might go about it. Just make sure you sign up! Everyone will think you are pretty awesome when you show up with these Slow Cooker Pork Meatballs.
Instead of using bagged frozen meatballs, you can quickly and easily make your own. These meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and SO tender!
The sauce is quick to whip up (a 3 ingredient wonder), just a bit tangy, and just a bit sweet. Who doesn’t love that flavor combination?!
Ingredient Notes
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Ground pork is readily available at most supermarkets and is a nice change from beef. If desired you can sub out ground beef, chicken, or turkey in this recipe.
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I love the flavor combination of sage with pork. Feel free to swap out for another herb if you don’t have sage. Good options are thyme or rosemary or an Italian seasoning blend.
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The chili sauce in this recipe is not the spicy version, but rather the type that’s similar to ketchup but with a bit of a kick and a thicker texture.
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I love the flavor and taste of apricot preserves in this recipe, but feel free to try out other flavors and see what you like best!
Preparation Notes
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I love meatballs made with a panko breadcrumb mixture soaked in milk. It’s quick and easy and adds the bulk and binding without adding to much of a “bread” taste to the meatballs
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When mixing meatballs, it’s best to do so by hand so that you can get it just mixed without over-mixing and making them tough
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Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temp of the meatballs to ensure they have reached at least 165 degrees F.
Equipment Notes
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I prefer using a casserole slow cooker when making meatballs so that there is no need to stack them.
Recipe Notes
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Meatballs cooked in the slow cooker will not be perfectly round or have a crispy outer crust. They will be tender and juicy instead.
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Ground pork produces a lot of grease, so if serving at a gathering you may want to transfer to a platter for better presentation.
How To Prep Ahead
How To Prep Ahead-
Prepare raw meatballs and lay (not touching) on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours before transferring to a freezer bag or container
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Store in freezer up to 3 months
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Thaw before cooking
How To Store Leftovers
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Let cool completely then store in air tight containers in fridge up to 3 days
Related Recipes
Slow Cooker Honey Glazed Pork Meatballs
How To Make In The Oven
- Bake at 350 degrees F in a casserole dish for 15-20 minutes until meatballs cooked through
Slow Cooker Pork Meatballs
Instead of grabbing a bag of frozen meatballs, follow this recipe for insanely easy slow cooker pork meatballs that are perfect for potlucks, entertaining and even dinner at home.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 378kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup chili sauce
- 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 1 teaspoon deli mustard
Instructions
- Mix together breadcrumbs and milk and set aside for 5 minutes
- Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray
- Gently mix all meatball ingredients in bowl until just evenly combined
- Form meat mixture into rounds around the size of ping pong balls and place in single layer in slow cooker
- Mix together sauce ingredients in separate bowl and then pour over meatballs
- Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 7-8 hours
Notes
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Meatballs cooked in the slow cooker will be tender and juicy instead of crispy
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Ground pork produces a lot of grease, so if serving at a gathering you may want to transfer to a platter for better presentation
- Prep ahead: prepare raw meatballs, place (not touching) on parchment-lined baking sheet in freezer, 1-2 hours before transferring to freezer bag or container
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Store in freezer up to 3 months, thaw before cooking
- Let cool completely then store in air tight containers in fridge up to 3 days
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 876mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg
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Would it work if I just baked these up in the oven since they’re probably going to give off a lot of grease & then finish them off in the sauce on top of the stove? If so, would you have a recommendation on what temp & how long? Looks like a recipe we’d like in this house. Thank you.
Hi Tillie! Yes, you can cook them at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes in the oven.
Can you use frozen italian-style meatballs with this recipe?
yes, that should work just fine!
Thank you.
Hi! What size crock pot did you use for this? it sounds delicious!
I’m pretty sure I used my 3.5 quart oval crock although sometimes I sometimes use my 5 quart oval crock for meatballs. The larger the slow cooker the faster they will cook, typically.