Bourbon BBQ Meatballs

For the meatballs:

1 pound of ground meatloaf mix ground beef, pork and veal

1 cup of baby spinach fresh, chopped

1/3 cup of bread crumbs seasoned

1 large of egg

1 clove of garlic minced

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder

kosher salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

1 cup of ketchup

1/2 cup of bourbon

3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

1 tablespoon of honey mustard

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder

Pinch kosher salt

For the meatballs:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat liner.
2. In a large bowl, add all meatball ingredients. Using your hands mix together until fully incorporated. Roll into about 2-inch sized balls and place onto prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until no longer pink. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the sauce:

1. Add all sauce ingredients to a large covered skillet over medium heat. Whisk together to combine.
2. Let the sauce mixture simmer for 20 minutes—just until it starts to bubble and cook down.
3. Add meatballs to the sauce, cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Uncover, flip the meatballs and simmer until ready to serve.
4. Make sure to keep an eye on the sauce so it doesn’t cook down too much.