Grape Jelly Cocktail Meatballs

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 3 TBSP minced onion
• 1 TBSP soy sauce
• 1 TBSP Sriracha, optional
• 1 TBSP water
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp fine salt, heaping
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 (12-ounce) jar Concord grape jelly, such as Smucker's (heaping 1 cup)
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce, such as Heinz (1 1/4 cups)
• 1 TBSP brown sugar
• 1/2 TBSP lemon juice
• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease it.

2. 2

   Mix together the ground beef, salt, pepper, onion, bread crumbs, water, soy sauce, Sriracha, and egg. Don't overmix or the mixture will be tough. Form into small balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

3. 3

   Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, turning once halfway through the baking process. Don't overbake. Cook only until just cooked through.

4. 4

   Stir together the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan over low heat until smooth. Add the meatballs and sauce to the slow cooker and stir to coat the meatballs well with the sauce.

5. 5

   Cover and cook until the sauce has slightly thickened—2 to 2½ hours on HIGH or 3 to 4 hours on LOW. For a thicker sauce, remove the lid during the final 30 minutes of cooking and switch to the HIGH setting if necessary, stirring occasionally.