Smoked Meatballs

The New York Giants and New England Patriots will be playing in the Super Bowl this weekend.  And I'll be smoking meatballs for the Super Bowl party at my friend's new home.  But these aren't just your ordinary smoked meatball.  I will stuff mine with smoked Monterey Jack Cheese and finish them by wrapping each meatball in bacon before they all go onto the smoker.

The following recipe netted 110 meatballs.  So, adjust the ingredients based on how much ground meat you are using.  Here it goes!

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. Ground Beef
• 1/2 lb. Smoked Monterey Jack Cheese, chunked (any hard cheese will do)
• 3/4 cup Bread Crumbs (seasoned, preferably)
• 4 Eggs
• 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 1/2 cups Water
• 1/4 cup Onion Powder
• 1/4 cup Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/4 cup Ground Black Pepper
• 1/4 cup Parsley, chopped
• 1 lb. sliced Bacon (cut in half)

Directions:

Seasoning the meat:  Place ground beef into large mixing bowl.  Add garlic, Worcester sauce, onion powder, seasoned salt, black pepper, and parsley.  Mix thoroughly.  In separate bowl, beat eggs (whites and yolks)  and add water.  Slowly add bread crumbs to egg mixture and mix thoroughly.  Add egg mixture to ground beef and mix well.

Grab enough beef to make a small meatball.  Do not make the meatball just yet.  Press the beef until it is relatively flat and create a small pocket for the chunk of cheese.

 Now you may roll the beef into a meatball, ensuring the cheese cannot be seen!

Cut bacon slices in half.  Take one cut slice and wrap meatball.  Place a toothpick through the bacon and meatball to hold in place.  You're all done.

Smoke the meatballs at 225-235F for roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.

These meatballs may also be finished with the sauce of your choice.