This meatballs in molasses BBQ sauce recipe is scrumptious! From Jubilee, a fab new cookbook with recipes from two centuries of African-American cooking.
In a saucepan, heat the butter until sizzling. Add the garlic and onion and cook over medium-low heat until tender, about 2 minutes.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes to allow flavors to mingle.
Meatballs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the beef, pork, onion, garlic, salt, paprika, pepper, panko and egg. Quickly pan-cook or microwave a small bit of the mixture to taste for seasoning and add salt as desired.
Roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Drain off liquid.
To serve immediately: increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Toss the meatballs with honey and 1 cup of barbecue sauce. Bake for 10 minutes more until barbecue sauce glaze is set. Serve hot.
Notes
To serve on a buffet: Place the partially cooked balls in a slow cooker with the honey and and enough barbecue sauce to partially cover the meatballs. Simmer on low for up to 3 hours, covered, adding barbecue sauce and honey as needed to keep meatballs moist.