Sweet and Spicy Meatballs that combine both ground beef and pulled pork = Dirty Meatballs (a.k.a the best kind of meatballs). Tender pulled pork is stuffed into these bite-size meatballs and then they’re coated in an irresistible sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. Served with roasted potatoes and plenty of barbecue sauce on the side for dipping, these Sweet and Spicy Meatballs have been my boys’ favorite meal for the past couple weeks.
These Dirty Meatballs were inspired by the Filthy Burgers that we made last summer. Sweet and Spicy Meatballs are everything I love about pulled pork in a bite-size meatball. The bits of pork along the edge of the meatball get a little bit crispy, the inside stays juicy and the whole thing is coated in a sticky sweet and spicy barbecue sauce.
I highly recommend you set aside a bit of pulled pork next time you have it in the house because these meatballs are an excellent way to make the most of the leftovers. I like to serve these Sweet and Spicy Meatballs with Roasted Potatoes, Memphis Coleslaw, or Slow Cooker Baked Beans.
Here are some more meatball recipes you might like:
Kung Pao Meatballs by Iowa Girl Eats
Juicy Lucy Meatballs by Spend with Pennies
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs by Barefeet In The Kitchen
Baked Greek Meatballs by Kalyn’s Kitchen
Stuffed Bell Pepper Meatballs by Barefeet In The Kitchen
Teriyaki Meatballs by Mom On Timeout
Kitchen Tip: I use these baking sheets to make this recipe.
- 2 cups cooked pulled pork roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups of barbecue sauce divided
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the pork, beef, and 1/2 cup barbecue sauce in a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hands to evenly mix the different meats. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Scoop and shape into small 1-inch meatballs and place on two foil lined baking sheets.
Set aside 1/2 cup barbecue sauce for serving and refrigerate until needed. Top each meatball with a generous teaspoon of the remaining sauce, and brush to coat the tops if needed. Bake for 16 minutes.
- Remove meatballs from the oven, brush with an additional teaspoon or so of sauce and bake an additional 2 minutes. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side for dipping, if desired. Enjoy!
My first choice is to use my Sweet And Spicy Barbecue Sauce for these meatballs. However, I've made the meatballs several times now and in a pinch, Sweet Baby Ray's Original Barbecue Sauce is a great store-bought alternative. (Ha, nope, they don't have a clue who I am, it's just the only non-fake-smoke-flavor sauce I've found that we actually like!)
{originally published 4/4/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 2/15/18}
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