Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple
Meatballs and lil smokies crockpot pineapple style gives you a sweet and rich party mix in one pot. Frozen meatballs and cocktail sausages simmer in a sticky pineapple, brown sugar and soy glaze. It takes five minutes to assemble and stays warm for hours.
Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple
Course: AppetizerDifficulty: Easy14
servings10
minutes4
hoursFrozen meatballs and little smokies cook in a pineapple, brown sugar and soy glaze. Serve them with toothpicks.
Ingredients
1 bag (32 oz) frozen fully cooked meatballs
1 package (14 oz) little smokies cocktail sausages
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, with juice
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water
Sliced green onions, for serving
Directions
- Add the frozen meatballs and little smokies to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the pineapple chunks with all of their juice and the diced bell pepper.
- Whisk the ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic powder and ginger in a bowl until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and sausages and stir gently.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until everything is hot and the meatballs reach 165°F.
- Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl.
- Stir the slurry into the slow cooker and cook uncovered on HIGH for 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
- Stir gently so the meatballs do not break.
- Turn to WARM and stir every 45 minutes.
- Sprinkle with green onions and serve with toothpicks.
Notes
- Use turkey or chicken meatballs for a lighter dish. Add a splash of sriracha for a sweet and spicy version. Refrigerate for 4 days and freeze for 2 months. Serve over rice for a quick dinner.
Why the sweet and tangy combination works
Pineapple, brown sugar and soy sauce is a classic pairing, sweet and salty with a little tang. The acid in the pineapple juice balances the sugar, and the soy sauce adds depth that keeps the glaze from tasting like candy.
Meatballs and little smokies are already cooked, so the slow cooker only needs to heat them through and let them soak up the sauce. That is why this recipe is so hard to get wrong.
Both meat items are cooked, so the pot is more of a warmer than a cooker, which also makes it very safe for large gatherings.
Ingredient notes for the party mix
Frozen meatballs: Look for fully cooked beef, pork or turkey meatballs. Raw meatballs need a different method and are not safe at the low temperatures of a long hold.
Little smokies: They add a smoky, salty bite. You can use all meatballs or all sausages, depending on the crowd.
Pineapple chunks: Use the can packed in juice, not syrup, and keep the juice. It is the base of the sauce.
Soy sauce: A small amount adds deep flavor. Choose low-sodium if your meatballs are already seasoned.
Cornstarch: A quick slurry at the end thickens the sauce into a glaze that sticks to every bite.
Bell pepper: A little diced red pepper adds color and a mild sweetness that matches the pineapple. It softens in the sauce.
Ginger: A half teaspoon of ground ginger warms the glaze and works well with the sweet pineapple. Fresh grated is fine too.
Tips for a glossy glaze
Thaw nothing: The meatballs can go in frozen, and the slow cooker will heat them through. Just allow the extra time.
Thicken at the end: The pineapple juice thins the sauce as it cooks. A cornstarch slurry in the last 15 minutes fixes that.
Most common mistake: Stirring too hard. Meatballs that sit for hours get tender, and rough stirring breaks them up, so fold gently.
Use a larger pot for a crowd: Six quarts give the meatballs room, so they heat evenly and are not crushed at the bottom.
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Swaps and variations
Use barbecue sauce in place of the ketchup for a smoky version. Add a spoonful of sweet chili sauce for a bit of heat. Pineapple tidbits are fine in place of chunks. Chopped bell peppers and onions make it feel more like a meal.
One swap that does not work is fresh pineapple in an unripe state. It stays tough and sour while the sauce turns sweet, so use canned.
For a spicier party mix, swirl in a tablespoon of sriracha or a few red pepper flakes along with the ginger.
What to serve with meatballs and smokies
Set out toothpicks and a bowl for the picks. For a main dish, serve the mix over rice with steamed broccoli. It is also good on small slider buns for game day, with a side of coleslaw.
Pair the pot with a crunchy slaw and a plate of rolls for a full party meal.
Add a bowl of fresh pineapple chunks on the side to cool down the sweet and salty bites.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce firms up as it chills.
Freeze in the sauce for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a saucepan or the slow cooker on LOW with a splash of water until bubbling hot.
Spoon extra sauce over the leftovers when you reheat, since the meatballs soak it up overnight.
Freeze in small portions so you can warm just what you need for a quick dinner over rice.
Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple at a glance
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours
- Servings: 14 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by bag (32 oz) frozen fully cooked meatballs, package (14 oz) little smokies cocktail sausages, (20 oz) pineapple chunks, ketchup
Tips for Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple
Use turkey or chicken meatballs for a lighter dish. Add a splash of sriracha for a sweet and spicy version. Refrigerate for 4 days and freeze for 2 months. Serve over rice for a quick dinner.
Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple FAQ
How long does Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple take?
Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple takes 4 hours of cooking after 10 minutes of prep.
How many people does Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple serve?
This recipe makes 14 servings.
What do I need to make Meatballs and Little Smokies in the Crockpot with Pineapple?
13 ingredients, led by bag (32 oz) frozen fully cooked meatballs, package (14 oz) little smokies cocktail sausages, (20 oz) pineapple chunks, ketchup. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
