Description

These Slow Cooker Korean Meatballs offer a flavorful twist on classic meatballs, combining tender ground beef with an aromatic blend of spices, baked to perfection, then simmered slowly in a vibrant Korean-inspired sauce made with blackberry preserves, hoisin, and gochujang. Perfect for a party appetizer or comforting meal, they are easy to prepare with a two-step cooking process involving baking and slow cooking for rich flavor development.

Ingredients

Scale

Meatballs

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup crushed saltine crackers
1/3 cup dry minced onion
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp pepper

Sauce

1 cup seedless blackberry preserves
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
1/4 cup red apple vinegar
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

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Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a baking sheet with foil to prepare for baking the meatballs.
Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the ground beef, crushed saltine crackers, dry minced onion, milk, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger powder, and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined.
Shape and Bake Meatballs: Roll the meat mixture into approximately 60 small meatballs of your desired size. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes or until the meatballs are lightly browned but not fully cooked through.
Make the Sauce: While the meatballs bake, combine the seedless blackberry preserves, hoisin sauce, gochujang, red apple vinegar, and low sodium soy sauce in a bowl. Whisk together vigorously until the sauce is smooth and homogenous.
Layer Meatballs and Sauce in Slow Cooker: Transfer half of the baked meatballs into the slow cooker. Pour half of the sauce over the meatballs to coat them. Then add the remaining meatballs on top and pour the remaining sauce over the second layer.
Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low heat for about 2 hours. After one hour, gently stir the meatballs to ensure they are evenly coated and cooking uniformly. Continue cooking until the meatballs are fully cooked and tender, absorbing the flavors of the sauce.

Notes

Shaping smaller meatballs ensures even cooking and makes for excellent appetizers.
Baking before slow cooking helps seal the meatballs and prevents them from falling apart in the slow cooker.
Adjust the amount of gochujang if you prefer a milder or spicier sauce.
The slow cooker maintains moisture and infuses the meatballs with deep flavor from the sauce.
Serve with steamed rice, noodles, or as a party appetizer with toothpicks.