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Smoked Cheese Stuffed Meatballs Recipe

  • Author: Jennie Graham
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 24 meatballs 1x

Description

Juicy beef and pork meatballs stuffed with melted Oaxaca cheese and smoked to perfection. These crowd-pleasing appetizers feature gooey cheese centers and smoky flavor that pairs beautifully with tangy BBQ sauce.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup milk
  • 10 oz Oaxaca cheese, cubed
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp BBQ rub
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup barbecue sauce

Instructions

  1. Place breadcrumbs and milk in a large mixing bowl. Stir and let soak for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut Oaxaca cheese into ½-inch cubes.
  2. Add beef, pork, parsley, garlic, and seasonings to the bowl. Mix until well combined.
  3. Pinch off 2 tablespoons of mixture. Shape into ball, flatten, add cheese cube, and roll back into ball. Repeat to make 24 balls. Refrigerate while lighting smoker.
  4. Heat smoker to 300°F with indirect heat zone. Add cherry wood chips.
  5. Place meatballs on smoker. Sprinkle with BBQ rub. Smoke 15 minutes, flip, add more rub, smoke another 15 minutes.
  6. Flip once more, brush with sauce. Continue cooking 10-15 minutes until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  7. Remove to platter, garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with toothpicks and extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

Notes

  • Keep cheese cubes cold until ready to stuff for easier handling
  • Wet your hands with water when rolling meatballs to prevent sticking
  • Don’t overmix the meat mixture to keep meatballs tender
  • Internal temperature must reach 165°F for food safety
  • Meatballs can be assembled 24 hours ahead and refrigerated
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Smoking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 meatballs
  • Calories: 285
  • Sugar: 3g
  • Sodium: 420mg
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 8g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 8g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 22g
  • Cholesterol: 75mg

Keywords: cheese stuffed meatballs, smoked appetizers, Oaxaca cheese meatballs, BBQ meatballs, party appetizers, stuffed meat appetizers, smoker recipes, cheese filled meatballs

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Find it online: https://jennierecipes.com/smoked-cheese-stuffed-meatballs/