Peach Brandy Bacon Meatballs (Simply the Best Appetizer!)

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Peach Brandy Bacon Meatballs are going to be the highlight of your gathering! They are delectable bites of crispy bacon and beef slathered in a rich tangy peach brandy barbecue sauce. I could literally eat them all in one sitting, you know…like I did the first time I made them! And if you don’t like the idea of rolling that meat into all of those little balls, no problem! You could easily mold the meat mixture into a loaf pan and create a phenomenal meatloaf dish creative enough for an dinner party. (A meatloaf will need to cook about an hour at 350 degrees.)

As far as appetizers go, Peach Brandy Bacon Meatballs are simple and can be made in advance to save precious time on your special day. The meat mixture is blended together easily and I use a store-bought barbecue sauce to create a fast yet delicious sauce. Serve meatballs with long toothpicks so they can be balanced on top of a cocktail glass. No mess! Now, that’s a party win!!

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Favorite Appetizers

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Peach brandy and possible substitutes

I chose Paul Masson brandy for this recipe due to its sweet and delicate flavor. I revved up the recipe by using their peach variety and it definitely made these bacon meatballs sensational! Any peach brandy will do and since I don’t keep it on hand, I bought a small nip bottle for about a dollar. Peach Schnapps is not the same thing as brandy. It is not as sweet, does not taste as peachy, and has a stronger flavor of alcohol. If you can’t find peach brandy, or you would rather keep your dish alcohol free, you can substitute with peach nectar or the syrup that is found in canned peaches.

How to make Peach Brandy Bacon Meatballs

This appetizer is truly one of my favorites. There is a little bit of preparation involved, but the effort is worth it when you bite into these juicy, saucy, smoky balls of bacon and beef! I’m drooling just thinking about them! 😋

Equipment Used

• Cutting Board – used for chopping the onions and parsley
• Large Rectangular Baking Dish – used for cooking the bacon (this dish is my favorite for cooking bacon – no sticking and cleans easily)
• Food Processor – used for pureeing the bacon
• Mixing Bowl – used for mixing ingredients
• Large Frying Pan – used for frying the meatballs

The ingredients used for Peach Brandy Bacon Meatballs are pretty simple and many items are probably already in your pantry. Four tips to make your dish perfect:

1. When buying the bacon, make sure to get thick cut or the little bits of bacon will get lost in the other ingredients.
2. I use Italian breadcrumbs versus regular because I like the added herbs and seasonings.
3. I used vegetable oil for my frying because of its high smoke point (which means it will not smoke or change flavor at high heat). Other possible frying oil options are canola and peanut oil (Do not use peanut oil if you have peanut allergies).
4. You can use any barbecue sauce you choose, which means that if you prefer a little heat in your recipes, feel free to get a spicy blend. The heat will work very well against the sweetness of the peach brandy.

Ingredient List

• Meatballs – bacon, small yellow onion, ground beef, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, salt, pepper, garlic powder
• Peach Brandy Barbecue Sauce – barbecue sauce of your choice (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey), peach brandy, water
• Frying Oil – vegetable, canola, or peanut oil

Recipe Preparation

• In a large rectangular baking dish or a large baking sheet, bake the strips of bacon at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until crispy. Drain cooked bacon on paper towels then add bacon to a food processor. Process bacon until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

• While the bacon is cooking go ahead and chop the onion and parsley. These meatballs are small, so you want to “mince” the onion which means to chop it into very tiny pieces. Parsley should also be chopped into small pieces.

• In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef, cooked and processed bacon, minced onion, chopped parsley, Italian breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix until ingredients are well combined.

• Using clean hands, roll meat mixture into small 1-inch balls.

• In a large frying pan add about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch oil for frying. When oil is hot, carefully add meatballs and fry in batches until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

• Remove meatballs from pan and discard grease. In a measuring cup or small mixing bowl, add the barbecue sauce, water, and peach brandy. Stir until well blended.

• Add meatballs back to the frying pan, along with the barbecue sauce mixture, and cook until heated through and bubbly. The hardest part of this recipe will be waiting until the guests arrive to eat these yummy little balls of heaven!