BBQ Ranch Meatballs

If this title doesn't say that you are raised in the south, I don't know what does. Maybe Texans are the only ones obsessed with bbq and ranch dressing, but I figured I couldn't go wrong to have them married.

This recipe is very versatile. A good meatball is meat + veggies + cheese + breadcrumbs + seasonings, and eggs…always eggs.

You can use my ratios on this recipe to make any meatball. Split the meat for Italian sausage and beef, use parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning. The rule I follow for salt is 1/2 tsp per pound of beef.

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Ingredients:

2 pounds beef (or elk if you just happen to have some lol )

1/2 small yellow onion - diced

3/4 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup shredded celery

1/2 cup shredded manchego

1 tbs minced garlic ( 3-5 cloves)

2 tbs ranch seasoning

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup bbq sauce

2 eggs ( beaten )

1 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Shred all the veggies and cheese. Add all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with your hands, don’t throw it in a mixer. I have done this before and it overworks the meat. It is just not the same.

I use an ice cream scoop to spoon out the meat, roll into balls. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and place the meatballs half an inch apart. Bake for 20 minutes. The last 10 minutes, baste the meatballs with your favorite bbq sauce and return to the oven. For 10 more minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, rice, or cauliflower rice.

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Make it with love!

Michal