Get ready for the ultimate BBQ appetizer: juicy, cheese-stuffed meatballs wrapped in bacon and coated in our signature homemade BBQ rub for a deep, smoky flavor. After a slow smoke, these bites are finished in a cast-iron skillet with a generous drizzle of our homemade BBQ sauce, resulting in a perfectly crispy and glazed finish that will have everyone reaching for seconds.
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🥩 The Ingredients
This recipe brings together a savory blend of lean meat, melty cheese, and a slightly spicy kick to create a flavor-packed center that perfectly complements the smoky bacon exterior. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Ground Beef: We recommend using 85% lean ground beef to ensure the meatballs stay juicy without becoming overly greasy. If you prefer, you can use a 50/50 blend of ground beef and ground pork for added richness, or even ground turkey for a lighter version.
- Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar provides the best flavor punch, but you can swap it for Pepper Jack if you want extra heat or Smoked Gouda for a deeper, wood-fired taste.
- Pickled Jalapeños: These add a tangy, vinegary heat that cuts through the richness of the bacon; however, if you prefer less spice, you can substitute them with mild diced green chiles or finely chopped bell peppers.
- Breadcrumbs: These act as a binder to keep the meatballs tender. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free breadcrumbs or crushed pork rinds, which also add a nice savory depth.
- Bacon: Use standard thin-cut bacon for this recipe. Thick-cut bacon takes much longer to render and may not get fully crispy during the short baking and broiling phase.
- Homemade Rub & Sauce: Our homemade BBQ rub and BBQ sauce are designed to balance sweetness and spice, but feel free to use your favorite store-bought brands if you’re in a pinch—just look for a “sweet and smoky” profile to complement the Smokin’ Tex flavor.
Refer to the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🔥 Tips and Tricks for Perfect Smoked Meatballs
- Uniform Sizing: Use a cookie scoop or a measuring spoon to ensure all meatballs are the same size. This guarantees they all cook evenly and finish at the exact same time.
- Don’t Overlap the Bacon: When wrapping, try to use just enough bacon to cover the circumference of the meatball. Too much overlapping bacon can result in a chewy texture rather than a crispy one.
- Soak Your Toothpicks: To prevent the toothpicks from charring or catching fire under the broiler, soak them in water for about 20 minutes before pinning the bacon to the meatballs.
- No Smoker? No Problem!: If you don’t have a smoker, you can mimic the process in your oven. Bake the meatballs on a wire rack over a baking sheet at 250°F for about 45–50 minutes to develop flavor (add a half-teaspoon of liquid smoke to the meat mixture for that “off the grill” taste) before proceeding to the skillet and broiler steps.
- The Internal Temp Rule: For the perfect balance of safety and juiciness, use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F before serving.
- Avoid Overmixing: When combining your beef, cheese, and spices, mix until just combined. Overworking the meat can lead to a dense, tough meatball rather than a tender, melt-in-your-mouth bite.
👩🏼🍳 How to Make Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Meatballs
- Step 1: Mix the meatball ingredients in a large bowl until just combined.
- Step 2: Form meat into golf-ball-sized balls and roll them in the BBQ rub to cover.
- Step 3: Wrap each ball with half of a bacon strip. Secure with a toothpick through the center of the meatball.
- Step 4: Place them on a grill pan and smoke at 225°F for 35 minutes.
- Step 5: Remove the meatballs from the smoker and place them in a large cast-iron skillet. Drizzle BBQ sauce over the tops of the meatballs. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes. Turn the broiler on HIGH for the last couple of minutes (Keep an eye on them!).
- Step 6: Serve at once, garnished with chopped scallions, if desired. Have extra BBQ sauce for dipping.
Expert Tip: Choosing the Best Smoker
For consistent, mouthwatering results every time, we highly recommend using an electric smoker. They are incredibly user-friendly and take the guesswork out of smoking everything from meats to veggies.
Our personal favorite is the Smokin’ Tex; it’s our go-to for all our backyard BBQ recipes. If you’re looking to upgrade your setup, use code LOON10 at checkout for 10% off your entire order!
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! You can roll, wrap, and season them up to 24 hours early. Just keep them covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to fire up the smoker.
To keep the outside from getting soggy, avoid the microwave. Instead, pop them back into a 350°F oven or an air fryer for a few minutes until they are warmed through and the edges are sizzling again.
Hickory and mesquite are excellent choices for a bold, traditional BBQ taste. If you prefer something a bit more subtle, apple or cherry wood adds a lovely sweetness that complements the glaze.
The most reliable method is using a digital meat thermometer. Once the center reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, they are safe to eat and perfectly juicy.
Yes, these can be frozen either before or after cooking. If freezing them raw, place them on a baking sheet until firm before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag to prevent them from sticking together.
💨 For Amazing Smoker Recipes
Ready to make the best meatballs this side of Texas? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of them, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Meatballs with Cheddar and Jalapeño
Video
Equipment
- 1 Smoker see NOTES
- 1 large oven-safe skillet or pan cast-iron is perfect
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- ½ cup BBQ rub see NOTES
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
- ½ cup breadcrumbs plain
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- ½ cup nacho jalapeños (pickled), chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt see NOTES
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 oz bacon cut in half (not thick cut)
- 2 tablespoon scallions chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Do Ahead
- Make the BBQ rub and the BBQ Sauce.½ cup BBQ rub, 1 cup BBQ sauce
Make the Smoked Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, cheese, jalapeño, salt, and pepper.1 lb ground beef, ½ cup breadcrumbs, 2 large eggs, 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup cheddar cheese, ½ cup nacho jalapeños, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Roll the meat into golf ball-sized balls.
- Place the beef rub in a shallow bowl or platter. Roll the meatballs in the rub to fully cover them.
- Wrap each ball with a bacon half strip and secure with a toothpick.8 oz bacon
- Heat your smoker to 225°F with mesquite or hickory chips. Smoke the meatballs for 35 minutes. See NOTES.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Place the smoked meatballs in an oven-proof skillet or pan. Drizzle BBQ sauce over the tops of each meatball.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes on the middle grate.
- Turn the broiler on HIGH and cook for another 1 to 3 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and slightly charred. Keep an eye on them, don't let them burn.
- Serve at once, garnished with chopped scallions, if desired. Serve additional BBQ sauce on the side.2 tablespoon scallions
Notes
- Adjusting for Salt: Our homemade BBQ rub is salt-free, which allows us to control the seasoning in the meat. If you are using a store-bought rub, check the ingredients for sodium. If your rub contains salt, reduce the salt in the meatball mixture to ½ teaspoon to prevent them from becoming overly salty.
- Use a Perforated Grill Pan: For the best smoking results, we recommend placing the meatballs on a perforated grill pan. This allows the smoke to circulate freely around the bacon for even flavoring and prevents the meatballs from accidentally slipping through the smoker grates.
- No Smoker? No Problem: If you don’t have a smoker, you can still make these in the oven! Bake the meatballs at 250°F on a wire rack set over a baking sheet for 45–50 minutes. To mimic that signature smoky flavor, add ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke to the ground beef mixture before rolling the balls. Finish in the cast-iron skillet and under the broiler as directed in the recipe.
- Toothpick Safety: To ensure the toothpicks don’t burn during the high-heat broiling stage, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before using them to secure the bacon.
Wesley says
The absolute best! Love the jalapeño and cheddar mixed in with the meatballs. Finishing the meatballs off in the broiler is genius…makes the bacon crispier!
Kris Longwell says
Woo hoo!