Herbed Turkey Meatballs and Cranberry BBQ Sauce

There is something about Thanksgiving that doesn’t feel right if at least one meal doesn’t include turkey.  But not everybody wants to roast one of those beautiful birds so these tender meatballs are a delicious alternative.  Served in a tangy smokey barbeque sauce they are perfect for a main course with creamy mashed potatoes and a green vegetable or serve the sauce on the side for a perfect Thanksgiving appetizer.  The sauce is equally delicious on leftover turkey sandwiches.

 

 

Ingredients: 

Meatballs:

1 pound ground turkey

½ cup panko bread crumbs

1 egg

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon sage

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon parsley

Sauce:

1-12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries

½ cup orange juice

½ teaspoon ginger

1 chipotle pepper in adobo or a few pinches of cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Instructions:

For the Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray gently with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine all the ingredients and mix gently but thoroughly with your hands.

Shape into 16- 20 meatballs and place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.

For the Sauce:

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat.

Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened and cranberries have burst.

Serve the meatballs with the sauce on the side as an appetizer or mix meatballs into the sauce for a main course.

Serves 4 as main course or 8-10 as an appetizer.