Smoked Eyeball Meatballs
“A Halloween Snack That'll Creep Out Your Guests! These spooky smoked eyeball meatballs are the perfect fun and flavorful centerpiece for your Halloween night.”
— East Oak Culinary Team
Prep Time:15 MIN (active)
Chill Time:1 HR
Smoke Time:45 MIN
Serves:2 - 3
Temperature:275°F
Wood:Apple or Hickory wood
Step-by-Step Instructions
1.
Prep the Meat Mixture
- Finely chop the half onion.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, salt (6g), fine black pepper (4g), onion powder (5g), breadcrumbs (30g), and the chopped onion.
- Gradually add about 20g of water while stirring in a single direction until the mixture becomes sticky.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to let the flavors meld and firm up the meat.
2.
Set Up the Smoker
- Fill the water pan with water or your preferred flavorful liquid up to the Max line.
- Fill the wood chip loader with apple or hickory wood chips.
- Preheat your smoker to 275°F and wait until a steady smoke is established.
3.
Shape & Smoke
- Take the chilled meat mixture and divide it evenly into 12 portions. Roll each portion into a smooth meatball.
- Place the meatballs on the middle rack of the smoker.
- Smoke at 275°F for 35 minutes.
4.
Brush & Glaze
- Mix BBQ sauce with water in a 2:1 ratio.
- Brush this BBQ glaze evenly over the surface of the meatballs.
- Continue to smoke for an additional 10 minutes.
5.
Prepare the Bloody Sauce
- In a small pan, combine the tomato purée (50g) and water (30g).
- Bring to a slight simmer over medium heat, then turn off the heat.
- Remove the smoked meatballs from the smoker and roll them in the pan until they are evenly coated in the red tomato purée.
6.
Build the Eyeballs & Serve
- Pour any excess tomato sauce onto your serving plate to create a "bloody" base, then arrange the meatballs on top.
- Slice the mini mozzarella balls and pitted black olives into thin rounds (about 2mm thick).
- Place a mozzarella slice on top of each meatball, followed by a black olive slice to create the "eyeball" look.
- Serve warm and let the spooky feast begin!
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