Peach Glazed Meatballs (Printable Version)

Tender beef meatballs slow-cooked in a sweet peach and chili sauce glaze, perfect for gatherings or weeknight dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meatballs

01 - 1.5 lbs ground beef
02 - 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 0.25 cup milk
05 - 1 small onion, finely diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

→ Glaze

09 - 1 cup peach preserves
10 - 0.75 cup chili sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
13 - 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, diced onion, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
02 - Shape the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together peach preserves, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes until well combined.
04 - Transfer meatballs to the slow cooker and pour the peach glaze evenly over them, ensuring all meatballs are coated.
05 - Cover and cook on low setting for 3 hours until meatballs are cooked through and tender.
06 - Gently stir the meatballs before serving. Serve hot as an appetizer with toothpicks or as a main dish over steamed rice.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The contrast between the tangy chili sauce and sweet peach preserves creates this irresistible glaze that caramelizes slightly around each meatball.
  • You can assemble everything in minutes, then walk away and let your kitchen fill with mouthwatering aromas that build anticipation for hours.
02 -
  • Never stir the meatballs until at least two hours into cooking or they might break apart, a mistake I made with my first batch that left me with meat sauce instead of meatballs.
  • The peach preserves with larger fruit chunks create the most interesting texture in the final sauce, something I discovered by accident when I grabbed the wrong jar one time.
03 -
  • Lightly coat your hands with cooking spray before rolling the meatballs to prevent sticking without adding extra flour or breadcrumbs that might toughen them.
  • In the last 30 minutes of cooking, prop the slow cooker lid slightly open with a wooden spoon to allow some liquid to evaporate, concentrating the flavors and thickening the sauce to the perfect consistency.
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