Disclosure: This post is part of my relationship with the Stubb's Insiders Program.
Product and compensation have been provided, but all opinions are my own.
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I've been working with an amazing company this summer, Stubb's Bar-B-Q. I cannot say enough great things about them - and that is before I even start blubbering about how good their products are!
With summer winding down {tears being shed} most families are focusing on sending kids back to school, getting back into a scheduled routine and hopefully their end of the year Labor Day celebration. Whether that be as simple as a family picnic or barbecue or if you go all out with the neighbors and through a huge shindig, most everyone plans a great menu!
I didn't even mention football. 'Tis the season. We are big time football lovers here and I know many of my readers are. Who is anxiously awaiting opening kickoff?
What I love about these meatballs is that they can easily be an appetizer or quickly turned into a meal when served over rice, mashed potatoes or veggies.
Each month Stubb's sends me the most incredible care package full of barbecue greatness. This month's package included: Texas Sriracha Anytime Sauce, Sweet Black Pepper Anytime Sauce, Green Chile Anytime Sauce, Stubb's Chicken Rub and Stubb's Beef Rub.
All Stubb's products, including their new Anytime sauces are gluten-free, made with real ingredients and contain no artificial ingredients, flavors, colors, MSG or high fructose corn syrup. I personally love that you read the ingredients on their products and you easily know what each and everyone is {plus, you can actually pronounce them}.
I personally enjoy brainstorming new recipe ideas {I know some people HATE it}, but I rather enjoy it. I had meatballs on the brain and recently I had had a great thai chili dipping sauce at a restaurant. In my head I felt they went together.
When prepping this dish I felt they went together.
When finally eating these, I realized I was right, meatballs and thai chili sauce DO got together.
However weird/odd/questionable it may sound they seem to compliment each other. The deep, rich meat and the tangy, vinegary, sweet and a bit spicy sauce.
I added Stubb's Beef Rub to the meatball mixture for a deep depth of flavor. It's a bold mix of seat salt, molasses and coffee. I technically didn't use it as a "rub", but I did massage the heck out of it into these meatballs!
I included this recipe in last week's 5 Crock Pot Meals x 2 = 10 Dinners blog post {which went over like gangbusters in case you are wondering}. So, YES, they can be mixed up, frozen, thrown together with the sauce and then placed in a freezer storage bag to be dumped into a crock pot at a later date.
Not a crock pot fan? They can be baked in the sauce too. No worries, you won't hurt my feelings. Prepare them anyway you like.
Sweet Thai Chili Meatballs
makes 24 meatballs
2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 c. breadcrumbs
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 T. Stubb's Beef Rub
1/4 c. thai chili sauce, plus additional 1 cup
1 c. barbecue sauce
Combine first six ingredients and form into 2 inch meatballs. Lay on a greased baking sheet and freeze solid for 1-2 hours. When frozen drop in a freezer storage bag. Pour in the additional 1 c. thai chili sauce and barbecue sauce. Freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to cook place into a slow cooker frozen and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours, stirring half way through. Serve over rice, with a potato or veggies or with a toothpick as an appetizer, with additional thai chili sauce.
If not using a crock pot, assemble meat balls and place in a rimmed glass 9x13 baking dish. Pour sauce over the meatballs and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until meat is cooked through and no longer pink, stirring half way through.
Have I mentioned Stubb's is a great company? I'm pretty sure I did, but in case you forgot, check out this above gear they are giving one of my readers. They are giving one lucky winner $20 in FREE product coupons, a tote bag, t-shirt, apron, mason jar and a slick wooden carrier with four of their great sauces.
Talk about a great prize pack!
I will be choosing one random winner on Friday, August 28th. Enter via the Rafflecopter entry form below. There are many ways to enter and up your chances so take advantage of them all!
A huge thanks to Stubb's for the great partnership and for being so generous to my readers. You are simply the best!
This post was sponsored by Stubb's, as part of the Stubb's Insider Program. All opinions are my own.
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