Ingredients
Meatballs
22 square saltines
1 cup milk
2 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Sauce
1 cup hot pepper jelly
1 cup water
½ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Directions
1
For the meatballs: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Set wire rack in aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet and spray rack evenly with vegetable oil spray.
2
Place saltines in large zipper-lock bag, seal bag, and crush fine with rolling pin (you should end up with 1 cup). Combine saltines and milk in large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes to soften. Mash with fork until smooth paste forms.
3
Add beef, Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to saltine mixture and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into about 70 (1-tablespoon) portions. Roll portions between your slightly wet hands to form meatballs and evenly space on prepared wire rack. Roast meatballs until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer meatballs to slow cooker.
4
For the sauce: Whisk jelly, water, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic together in bowl. Pour half of sauce (about 1½ cups) over meatballs in slow cooker. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce until needed. Cover slow cooker and cook until meatballs are tender, 3 to 4 hours on high or 4 to 6 hours on low.
5
Whisk cornstarch into reserved sauce. Microwave until sauce is bubbling and has consistency of thick jam, about 6 minutes, whisking halfway through microwaving. Add sauce to slow cooker and gently fold with rubber spatula until meatballs are thoroughly coated. Serve. (Meatballs can be held in slow cooker on low or warm setting, partially covered, for 2 to 3 hours.)
6
TO MAKE AHEAD: After roasting meatballs in step 3, let meatballs cool completely. Transfer cooled meatballs to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, transfer meatballs to slow cooker and proceed with recipe from step
7
Cooking times will not change.