Happy Thursday Dubbers. Tailgate Fare is back (sorry for the late post, we're all a bit slammed at work).  This week we have a top-10 showdown with the Hoosiers...yes, you heard that right. Never in a million years would I imagine a season where Penn State is winless, Michigan has 3 losses and Indiana is undefeated ranked #10. 2020 has been a weird phenomenon. This week, I am smoking some meatballs, wrapped in bacon.

Ingredients:

Quick Method:
1 Bag of meatballs from the frozen food section (not Italian seasoned); thawed
Any BBQ dry rub you have in your pantry 
1 pack of bacon
Toothpicks
Any BBQ sauce you have lying around 

Cut the bacon in half. Wrap each meatball with  bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Once all of the meatballs are wrapped with bacon and impaled with a toothpick shake the BBQ dry rub all over:

Set up your smoker for 250 degrees. I have used, and plan to use, apple wood for these suckers. It generally takes them an hour to a hour and a half, depending on how many you make. Then you add any BBQ sauce you want and smoke for another 30 minutes, and there you have it. 

 

I wish these were my pictures, but sadly they are not.  I found this recipe earlier this year during the lockdown and have made them multiple times since. 

Pro Tip #1: Make your own rub:

• ½ cup paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)

Pro Tip #2: Make Your Own Meatballs

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3/4lb ground beef chuck
• 3/4lb ground pork
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

  Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add in onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and chili powder and cook  for about 30 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl, add ground beef, pork, and egg into bowl with onion and garlic and mix until combined. Roll out into little meatballs.

Enjoy, and Go Bucks!

 Week 1 - Smoked Chicken
Week 2 - Mummy Pizzas 
Week 3 - Smoked Burgers 
Previous Years