These mouthwatering keto bbq meatballs are an easy crowd-pleasing appetizer. And the addition of cranberry gives them a delicious sweet and tangy spin that everybody will love!
½ to 1CupAllulose, Xylitol, Or Monk Fruit/Allulose Blendto taste, see notes below for substitutions
2DropsOrange Essential Oil, use therapeutic grade for consumptionor 1 Tbsp. Orange Zest
¼ to ½CupPurified Wateror as needed to thin
Instructions
Meatballs:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the heavy cream, egg, pork rinds, and seasonings. Allow the mixture to sit for a minute or two.
Then, add the beef and mix by hand, being careful not to overmix!
Roll into 1 ½-inch-sized meatballs and place on a greased broiler pan. Be careful not to roll the meatballs too tightly, or they'll be tough. If you don't have a broiler pan, you can place a folded, greased cooling rack over a lined baking sheet.
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until just cooked through. Then, turn the oven up to broil and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the tops are nicely browned. Set aside.
In a large pot, mix together all of the bbq cranberry sauce ingredients. *Note- I like my sauce pretty sweet, you may prefer to start with ¼ cup of sweetener and go from there.
Simmer 15-20 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and blend until desired consistency. Taste and add additional sweetener or seasonings as needed.
Add the meatballs to the sauce and stir to coat. Serve hot.
Notes
For the sweetener, I recommend powdered monk fruit/allulose blend, xylitol, or pure allulose. They all dissolve beautifully and leave ZERO aftertastes. However, an erythritol-based sweetener will work, just make sure it’s powdered. If you use powdered erythritol, you may need to use a little bit extra.
If using pure allulose and not an allulose blend, keep in mind that it's only 70% as sweet as other sweeteners. So if you choose this option, you'll need to add an additional ⅓ cup per 1 cup of sweetener.
To crush the pork rinds, I recommend crushing them in a food processor to get them very finely crushed; however, you can place them in a large, resealable baggie and crush them with a rolling pin. Or, If you want to save time and energy, pre-crushed pork rind breadcrumbs are now readily available!
Meatballs can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept covered in the fridge without the sauce.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
To Freeze: Cooked meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 - 6 months WITHOUT sauce because the sauce doesn't freeze well. To freeze: 1) Place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 2) Freeze until frozen. 3) Transfer to a freezer baggie and freeze for 3 to 6 months.
To reheat meatballs: Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen. Then, reheat with the sauce in a slow cooker on low, in the oven at 350 degrees (approximately 20 to 25 minutes), or on the stovetop until heated through.