Ever heard of Moink Balls?
Jump to Recipe Print RecipeThat’s okay, all you need to know is that they are smoked bbq pork meatballs wrapped in bacon, glazed in barbecue sauce and hot sauce, and smoked to perfection on a pellet grill.
The flavor is amazing and they make for the perfect tailgate or Superbowl appetizer.
I can’t think of a more perfect football food than these little bites…other than wings of course.
What is a MOINK Ball?
MOINK. Well this is a crazy word, isn’t it?
This word has been circulating around the internet BBQ world for quite some time. But, if you have ever been to a barbecue competition, you have probably seen these around, as they are a classic and staple in the BBQ world.
The general idea is that it came from “moo” and “oink” put together since you’re using beef meatballs and pork bacon.
MOINK balls are bacon-wrapped meatballs that are smoked for about 2 hours. They are dusted with BBQ dry rub and brushed with BBQ sauce.
You know I had to give this a try … and honestly, it’s really simple, super tasty, and makes for a fantastic appetizer.
Ingredients Needed to Make Moink Balls
Meat: Bring on the meat! You can’t make Moink balls without, 1 lb of ground pork or ground beef and ½ lbs of thick-cut bacon. If you’re not in the mood to make your own meatballs I won’t tell if you buy some frozen Italian meatballs from the grocery store.
The Binder: To ensure your meat ball don’t fall apart, you will need 2 large eggs and ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. The cheese is actually serving a dual purpose, it helps hold everything together, but is also that perfect cheesy addition.
Dry Ingredients: Add to the flavor of your Moink balls with 1 cup of ground pork rinds ( you can use bread crumbs as a substitute, 1 tbsp of BBQ dry rub, and 2 tbsp of chopped banana pepper rings.
Sauce it Up: That perfect glaze is made up of 1 tbsp of hot sauce and ⅓ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce. you can also glaze with a hot pepper jelly or maple syrup if you like.
How To Make Moink Balls
Preheat your grill. Preheat Pellet Grill to 250 degrees F.
Combine ingredients. In a large mixing bowl add ground pork, eggs, ground pork rinds, cheese, dry rub, banana pepper rings, and hot sauce.
Make and assemble meatballs. Mix all ingredients together in the bowl then chill for 15 minutes. Once meatballs are chilled scoop them out into 2 oz golf ball size meatballs and roll balls.
Wrap in bacon. Wrap each Moink ball with a half slice of bacon then secure with a cocktail stick / toothpick. Season the outside of the meatballs with a little more of your best dry rub and then place on the pellet smoker grates.
If you don’t have a pellet grill you can use any grill or smoker like a big green egg or weber kettle. Just use the indirect heat cooking method and place the meat balls on the cool side of grill.
Smoke until cooked. Smoke for about 2 hours until the meatballs are fully cooked. Brush meatballs with bbq sauce and smoke for 30 more minutes to let the sauce caramelize. You are looking for an internal temperature of about 160 degrees F.
Serve and enjoy! Serve with ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce
Moink Ball Recipe Variations
If you are looking to shake things up in your Moink Balls, consider adding some of my favorite ingredients into the mix. Chopped onion, chopped jalapenos, or bacon pieces! even a drizzle of maple syrup for a little sweetness.
Turn up and heat and make it hot by either chopping up or blending just the peppers from the chipotle peppers in adobo and adding them to the bowl!
Looking to be a vision of health? Consider adding a vegetable and chop mushrooms into small pieces and toss them into the meatball mix!
Appetizers to serve with Moink Balls
If you are hosting a Super Bowl party or any type of party/gathering for that matter. Do it right with a variety of tasty appetizers before the meal is served.
Consider adding to the table:
- Pepperoni Roll Tailgate Appetizer
- Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Celery Slaw
- Best Homemade Chicken Taco Seasoning
- The Best Smoked Cream Cheese on the Pellet Grill
- Creamy White Crab Chili
- Burrata and Prosciutto Wrapped Peaches
How to Serve Moink Balls
Now that you make made the appetizer everyone will talk about for the rest of the night, serve them up on a small, medium, or large (depending on how many you made) chaffing pan.
This will keep them warm and at the right temperature to enjoy no matter what time someone goes to grab them.
How to store leftover Moink Balls
On the off chance, you and your guests don’t inhale this easy-to-make appetizer, transfer them to an airtight container and pop them in the fridge!
The meatballs will keep for about 3-5 days.
If you are looking for your Moink meatballs to last longer than 3-5, consider freezing them in a freezer bag; they will keep for 2-3 months.
More Recipes You Will Love
Moink Balls- Bacon Wrapped smoked Meatballs
Equipment
- 1 Pellet Smoker
- toothpicks
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- ½ lbs Bacon Thick Cut
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Ground Pork Rinds
- ½ Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 tbsp BBQ Dry Rub
- 2 tbsp Banana Pepper Rings Chopped
- 1 tbsp Hot Sauce
- ⅓ cup BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Pellet Grill to 250 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl add ground pork, eggs, ground pork rinds, cheese, dry rub, banana pepper rings, and hot sauce.
- Mix all ingredients together in the bowl then chill for 15 minutes. Once meatballs are chilled scoop them out into 2 oz golf ball size meatballs and roll them out.
- Wrap each moink ball with a half slice of thick-cut bacon then secure with a toothpick. Season the outside of the meatballs with a little more rub and then place on the pellet grill.
- Smoke for about 2 hours until the meatballs are fully cooked. Brush each meatball with bbq sauce and smoke for 30 more minutes to let the sauce caramelize.
- Serve with ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce
Libby Jasmer
Do you put these directly on the grate with no pan?
Frank Campanella
I put then directly on the grates