Smoked Turkey Meatballs Recipe with Bacon Paste
Recipe for easy turkey meatballs and the secret to adding delicious flavor and moisture to turkey meatballs -- bacon paste! Learn the trick to amazing meatballs for your favorite pasta dish.
Servings: 24 meatballs
Cost: $10
Ingredients
- 2 slices thick cut bacon Peppered bacon works well with more flavor.
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic clove, finely diced
- ½ cup Panko crumbs Or ¼ cup regular bread crumbs
- ⅓ cup Shredded Pecorino Romano Parmesan cheese works as a good substitute
- ¼ cup onion, finely diced (about ½ medium onion)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
Instructions
Smoked Turkey Meatballs
- Preparation: Preheat your smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit (108 Celsius) using fruit wood or oak. Prepare the meatballs while the smoker warms up.
- Smoke: Place the meatballs onto a cookie drying rack, inside of a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and smoke the meatballs for up to one hour or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165 degrees F using a good instant read thermometer.
- Serve: Serve with your favorite marinara sauce and pasta or in metballs. For a fun appetizer serve over warmed red sauce, fresh basil, and a toothpick.
Bacon Paste
- Pulse: Place the bacon in a food processor and pulse it a few times until it turns into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Make Meatballs: Add all other ingredients and gently combine together being careful to not overwork the meat. Roll into golf ball sized balls and place onto a large foil lined baking sheet. Bake 15-10 minutes, or until internal temperature of the meatballs reads at least 165 degrees.
Notes
This is for the basic recipe. Feel free to add additional seasonings (like oregano, basil, marjoram, etc.) to the recipe as you see fit.
Alternative cooking methods:
- Oven Bake: Bake in the oven at 400 degrees F (203 degrees C) for 15 minutes until the reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Pan Fry: Place meatballs in a skillet coated with oil and cook 5-6 minutes until the internal temperature reads 165, and they are browned all over. To avoid splatter use a cover.
Nutrition
Calories: 48kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.3mg