Bacon Wrapped Meatballs

Defrost frozen meatballs and cut package of bacon in half.

Sprinkle bacon generously with dry rub (or place dry rub on a plate and press each 1/2 slice of bacon into it as you go).

Wrap each meatball with a 1/2 slice bacon, secure bacon with a toothpick, and set on a baking rack over a pan to catch bacon drippings.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until bacon is cooked the way you like it.

Brush with BBQ sauce or your favorite glaze, and cook for another 5 minutes. (Our current household glaze favorite is 2/3 cup blackberry preserves melted slightly in the microwave, mixed with 1/3 cup KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce.)

Let cool slightly on rack, serve warm or cold.

These are even better smoked. If you have a smoker going for a long slow cook and you happen to have some extra room, toss these in. When the bacon is ready, they’re ready to glaze. With a 250 degree smoker, expect 1 1/2 – 2 hours cooking time with 10 minutes for the glaze to set. Seems like a long time, but when you’re doing a 6-hour rib cook (or a 18-hour pulled pork), it’s not that long at all.