Smoky Mozzarella Meatball Bombs
Master these mozzarella meatball bombs with bold seasoning and molten cheese centers. Perfect for backyard grilling or game-day feasts.
Smoky Mozzarella Meatball Bombs
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Appetizer
Cuisine
Barbecue
Author:
This recipe comes to us from Casey Bard, CEO of Tacticalories Seasoning Co. and longtime collaborator and friend of Montana Knife Company.
Servings
10
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
280
These mozzarella bombs combine seasoned ground beef, melted cheese, and hickory smoke into one perfect bite.I’ve made hundreds of these bad boys, and this method works every time.
The trick is sealing the beef completely around the cheese and hitting that sweet spot between 325 and 350°F. Add the whiskey BBQ glaze at the end, and you’ve got meatball bombs that disappear fast.
Ingredients
To whip up these delicious mozzarella bombs, snag these ingredients:
- 2 lb. ground beef (90/10 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 8 oz. mozzarella balls or pearls (drained and patted dry)
- Your go-to beef seasoning
- Your favorite sweet barbecue sauce (I’m partial to Tacticalories’ Candy Apple Whiskey BBQ Sauce)
Directions
Bring these meatball bombs to your neighborhood cookout, and you’ll be the talk of the town:
Season your ground beef generously with your preferred barbecue seasoning, mixing thoroughly to distribute flavor throughout. (This step gives your beef bombs real flavor depth.)
Take a handful of seasoned beef and flatten it in your palm. Press a mozzarella ball into the center, then carefully work the meat around the cheese, sealing completely. Roll between your palms to create perfectly round meatball bombs. (The key to preventing cheese leakage is making sure you have no thin spots in your beef coating!)
Fire up your smoker to 325–350°F with hickory chips for authentic smoke flavor. Arrange your mozzarella bombs on the grate with space between each one for even cooking.
Smoke your beef bombs for 25 minutes, turning once halfway through. You’re looking for an internal temperature of 140°F for perfectly juicy meatball bombs with melted centers.
Brush each mozzarella bomb generously with your sweet BBQ sauce. Return to the smoker for five more minutes to let that glaze caramelize into a sticky, flavorful coating.
Recipe Note
Tips for Killer Mozzarella Meatball Bombs
Master these beef bombs with proven techniques from hundreds of batches:
- Pat the mozzarella completely dry before wrapping to prevent steam pockets that can burst your meatball bombs during cooking. I learned this the hard way when half my first batch of beef bombs split open on the smoker. Now, I drain the mozzarella an hour early and press each piece between paper towels.
- Keep ground beef cold while forming for easier handling and better mozzarella bombs that hold their shape. Room-temperature meat gets sticky, and it’s nearly impossible to get a good seal around the cheese. Pop the beef back in the fridge between batches if you’re making a large quantity.
- Make all beef bombs uniform in size for even cooking across the batch. I use a small ice cream scoop to portion the meat before wrapping each mozzarella ball. This way, every meatball bomb finishes at the same time, and nobody gets stuck with an undercooked center.
- Use mini mozzarella pearls for bite-sized appetizer versions of these meatball bombs. They cook faster (about 15 minutes) and give you two-bite beef bombs perfect for parties. The smaller size means you get more of that caramelized BBQ glaze in every bite.
- Double the batch and freeze the uncooked mozzarella bombs for up to three months. Arrange them on a sheet pan to freeze solid, then transfer to freezer bags.
- Try apple or cherry wood instead of hickory for a milder smoke on your beef bombs. Fruit woods add a subtle sweetness that complements the whiskey BBQ sauce well.
- Let the finished meatball bombs rest for three minutes before serving to avoid molten cheese burns. Use this rest time to give your beef bombs one final brush of sauce for maximum flavor impact.
These mozzarella bombs prove that the best barbecue is often the simplest. With 30 minutes and four ingredients, you’ll pull smoky meatball bombs off the grill that rival any pitmaster’s creation.
Make a double batch. The first round of beef bombs disappears faster than a whitetail at first light.
