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Smoked Hot Honey Bourbon BBQ Meatballs with Homemade Pan Gravy

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  • hand formed meatballs
  • smoked meat balls
  • egg noodles
  • hot honey bourbon gravy
  • burbon gravy
  • smoked meatballs
  • meatballs in smoker

Sweet heat. Smoky goodness. Rich, savory gravy. All served over tender egg noodles.

This recipe brings together smoky, tender beef meatballs, the sweetness of bourbon barbecue sauce, and a little kick from hot honey seasoning. But the real magic happens after the smoke, when those flavorful pan drippings become a homemade gravy.

Nothing goes to waste, and every bit of flavor finds its way onto the plate!

(Prep: 20 minutes) (Smoke: ~60 minutes) (Servings: 6–8)

Ingredients

Nonna’s Delights

Smoked Hot Honey Bourbon BBQ Meatballs with Homemade Pan Gravy

Sweet heat. Smoky goodness. Rich, savory gravy. All served over tender egg noodles.

This recipe brings together smoky, tender beef meatballs, the sweetness of bourbon barbecue sauce, and a little kick from hot honey seasoning. But the real magic happens after the smoke, when those flavorful pan drippings become a homemade gravy.

Nothing goes to waste, and every bit of flavor finds its way onto the plate!

(Prep: 20 minutes) (Smoke: ~60 minutes) (Servings: 6–8)

The measurements below are estimated to recreate your original method, since you were cooking by feel.

Ingredients

For the smoked meatballs

IngredientAmount
Ground beef (80/20 preferred)2 lbs
Panko breadcrumbs1 cup
Large eggs2
Garlic salt1–1½ tsp
Hot honey seasoning2 tbsp
Bourbon barbecue sauce½ cup in mixture
Additional bourbon BBQ sauce½–¾ cup for coating

For the homemade pan gravy

IngredientAmount
Rendered beef fat and drippings¼ cup
All-purpose flour¼ cup
Chicken stock2–3 cups
Hot honey seasoning1–2 tsp, to taste
Bourbon barbecue sauce¼–½ cup
Salt and pepperTo taste

For serving

  • 12–16 oz wide egg noodles
  • Salted water for boiling
  • Optional butter for finishing noodles

Instructions

1. Prepare the meatballs

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, panko breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic salt, hot honey seasoning, and bourbon barbecue sauce.

Mix until incorporated without overworking the beef. Form into generous meatballs, approximately 2–2½ inches in diameter.

2. Coat with barbecue sauce

Before placing the meatballs into a roasting pan or disposable aluminum tray, gently toss in additional bourbon barbecue sauce, making sure each meatball gets a good coating.

Leave a little space between them to allow the smoke and heat to circulate.

3. Smoke low and slow

Preheat the smoker to 250°F.

Place the uncovered trays in the smoker and cook for approximately 60 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F.

Actual cooking time will vary based on meatball size. Keep the rendered fat and flavorful drippings in the pan for the gravy.

4. Make the homemade gravy

Carefully transfer approximately ¼ cup of rendered beef fat to a saucepan over medium heat. If necessary, supplement with butter to reach ¼ cup.

Add an equal amount of flour and whisk continuously to create a roux. Cook for 2–4 minutes, until the raw flour smell disappears and the roux develops a golden-brown color.

Slowly whisk in 2 cups of chicken stock, incorporating it gradually to prevent lumps.

Add the hot honey seasoning and bourbon barbecue sauce. Simmer until thickened, adding more stock to reach your preferred consistency.

For additional flavor, stir in some of the defatted meat juices from the smoker pan. Taste before adding salt.

5. Cook the noodles and serve

While the gravy simmers, cook the egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and optionally toss with a little butter, our toss in gravy.

Place a generous helping of egg noodles on each plate, top with smoked bourbon BBQ meatballs, and ladle the homemade gravy over everything.

Serve hot!

Nonna’s Kitchen Notes

  • Don’t discard the drippings. The rendered beef fat carries the smoke, seasonings, and barbecue flavor that make this gravy special.
  • Balance the sweetness. Bourbon barbecue sauce and hot honey seasoning both bring sweetness. Chicken stock and the savory roux help balance everything.
  • Keep the roux moving. Cooking the flour properly develops a richer flavor and prevents a pasty gravy.
  • Make it your own. More hot honey seasoning brings additional heat, while extra barbecue sauce creates a sweeter, bolder finish.
  • For a thicker gravy, start with less stock and add gradually. The gravy will continue thickening as it simmers.

The story behind the recipe

Smoked Hot Honey Bourbon BBQ Meatballs & Homemade Gravy

Sometimes the best recipes aren’t measured. They’re created by grabbing a little of this, adding a little of that, and trusting your instincts.

These homemade meatballs started with ground beef, panko, eggs, garlic salt, hot honey seasoning, and bourbon barbecue sauce. After another coating of BBQ sauce, they went into the smoker at 250°F until perfectly cooked.

But I wasn’t about to waste all those flavorful drippings!

I took the rendered beef fat, made a roux, added chicken stock, more hot honey seasoning, and bourbon barbecue sauce, and turned it into a rich, homemade gravy.

Served everything over egg noodles.

Smoky. Sweet. Savory. A little heat. And a whole lot of comfort food.

That’s what cooking is all about.

#NonnasDelights #HomemadeCooking #SmokedMeatballs #ComfortFood #FromScratch #HotHoney #BourbonBBQ

Easy pizza dough at home

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  • Breakfast Pizza
  • 00 Pizza Flour
  • Pink Sauce, light cheese
  • On the stone
  • Pizza on the peel
  • Pizza dough

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Stir the ingredients together to make a cohesive, rough dough. Cover and allow the dough to rise at room temperature overnight (at least 12 hours, up to 24 hours).
  2. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball, and place each into a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour while your oven preheats.
  3. Place a baking stone on a rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 500°F. Allow a few minutes for stone to reach temp after the oven notifies you of oven temp.
  4. Transfer one dough ball to a well-floured work surface. Sprinkle the top with flour. Use your fingertips to gently depress the interior of the round, leaving a thicker edge for the crust. Stretch the dough into a 10″ to 12″ circle.
  5. Move dough to floured peel or similar (overturned baking sheet).
  6. Spoon sauce on the dough, sprinkle with cheese, then add your toppings. Transfer the pizza from peel to the hot stone.
  7. Bake the pizza until bubbly and charred on the edges. Remove from the oven and top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

Yield: two 12″ pizzas.

Recipe credit: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/neapolitan-style-pizza-crust-recipe

One click grocery list: click me!

Pozolé (Mexican Pork Stew)

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Ingredients:

Raw Toppings:

  1. Place pork butt in large stew pot. Add enchilada sauce, hominy, water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, garlic powder, and onion powder. Bring to boil. Simmer for 5 hours, or until tender. Stir occasionally, flip pork but as needed. Shred pork.
  2. Serve hot, add toppings of your liking.

One click shopping list can be accessed here: https://amzn.to/4ejy4DE

Jack’s Boneless Chicken Wings (Chicken Bites)

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Ingredients:

Directions:

Heat a medium sized pan with oil. Dredge chicken in the seasoned flour. Sauté the chicken a few pieces at a time until golden brown, and fully cooked. Set aside all cooked strips.

Once the entire batch is cooked, add butter, and flour to pan to create a roux. Cook for another 30-45 seconds. Add in the JD, allow alcohol to cook off. Add stock, and hot sauce.

Place chicken back into mix. Let reduce, while turning chicken, and stirring. Add in sweeter. Season to taste.

Want it hotter? Add red pepper, chili powder, or more hot sauce to make it spicer. Too spicy? Add in a bit of butter to help cool the heat.

Serve hot with ranch, or blue cheese & crudités.

Chilian Empanada Dough

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  • 2 cups of flour
  • 3/4 cup of milk
  • 2 tablespoons of shortening
  • 1 teaspoons of salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons of vinegar

Bring milk to boil, add vinegar. Let cool, combine remaining ingredients. Kneed dough. Once combined, place dough in fridge, covered in plastic wrap for 30-45 minutes. Once cool the dough is very easy to work with. Cut off small amount, and roll. Then stuff with anything you’d like. Use water, or an egg wash to seal in all the yummy goodness. A pastry brush works well, to keep the hands fresh from glue that is dough.

See below for creative ideas. Empanada are fun. They can be a small bite sized appetizer, an entree, a side, or even a dessert! Filling ideas:

  • seasoned ground beef
  • ground pork
  • pulled pork
  • pulled chicken
  • potatoes/vegetable mix (seasoned potatoes, and peas work well)
  • Thanksgiving leftover mix: turkey, cranberry, yams, splash of gravy (one of my favs)
  • fruit cream cheese mixture

Once stuffed, you can freeze for later, or cook right away. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or fry until golden brown.

Butternut Squash Soup

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  • 2 butternut squash
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/4 pound of prosciutto, chopped into cubes
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • 32oz of chicken stock (low sodium, or homemade)
  • 1 table spoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of ground clove (and/or pumpkin spice)
  • 1 teaspoon of onion powder
  • 1/8 cup of Maple syrup (can sub with honey, brown sugar, or agave)
  • Salt, and white pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400º. Slice squash in half, remove seeds. Roast squash for 34-45 minutes, or until they are bright in color, and can easily poke with a fork. Allow to cool enough to peel skin off squash.

In a medium sauce pan, sauté onion utilizing the olive oil over medium heat. Add in prosciutto when the onions are almost translucent. Allow prosciutto to brown. Add in squash, stock, and seasonings. Emulsify (alt: use a masher, or puree the squash before putting in pot). Add maple syrup, simmer for about 10-15 minutes, allowing soup to reduce. Taste, add additional seasonings as need be. Serve hot.

Vegan options:

  • Omit prosciutto
  • Sub vegetable stock for chicken stock

Side note: Don’t throw out the seeds. Toasting them makes for a great snack, or salad topper! Spread seeds single layer on a sheet pan, lightly salt, bake in the oven (you can do this with the squash, the oven is already on) for about 15 minutes, or until brown.

Spicy Cheesy Corn Dip: Perfect Appetizer Idea

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🌽 The Corn Dip That Steals the Show! 🔥

Some recipes are good, and some recipes completely take over the party—this Corn Dip is definitely the latter! If you’ve ever watched a dish disappear before your eyes, you know exactly what we mean.

It all started with a simple idea: a creamy, cheesy, flavor-packed dip that brings people together. Whether it’s game day, a backyard BBQ, or just a casual get-together, this sweet and savory corn dip always finds its way to the center of the table—and trust us, it never sticks around for long.

The secret? The perfect balance of melty cheese, zesty seasoning, and just the right amount of spice. It’s bold, creamy, and ridiculously easy to make—just mix, bake, and watch it vanish!

💡 Pro Tip: Serve it with tortilla chips, crackers, or even as a side dish—however you eat it, you really can’t go wrong.

So, next time you need a foolproof, crowd-favorite dish, you know what to do. Whip up a batch, grab some chips, and be ready to share—because this dip is too good to keep to yourself! 🌽🔥✨

Ingredients

Directions

Melt only 1 of the tablespoons of butter in a large skillet, over medium, to medium-high heat. Add the corn, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels are brown. Be sure not to burn butter, or corn. The corn will pop as it cooks. This is normal. Once cooked, set aside in a mixing bowl.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet. Add in the onions, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring often, until they are wilted, approx 2-3 minutes. Add green onions, jalapeños, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the veggies are soft, stirring occasionally. Add these into the mixing bowl, set aside, and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 350º.

Add the mayo, 1 cup of the grated cheese, and cayenne to corn mixture. Mix well. Pour into an 8 inch square baking dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Bake until bubbly, and golden brown – 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve hot with tortilla chips, pita chips, and/or crudités.

Looking for all the ingredients in one place? Sure thing, just click here for your easy grocery list!

Ultimate Guide to Pickling Eggs with Dill and Spices

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day 1

🥚 Pickled Eggs – A Bold, Tangy Snack You Didn’t Know You Needed! 🥚

Forget boring snacks—pickled eggs are here to add a punch of flavor, protein, and nostalgia to your kitchen! Whether you love them for their zingy, briny bite or their perfect balance of savory and tangy goodness, these eggs are a must-try.

With just a few ingredients and a little patience, you’ll have a snack that’s packed with flavor and only gets better over time. Eat them straight from the jar, slice them onto salads, or even add them to a charcuterie board for an unexpected twist!

Spicy, garlicky, or classic—how do you like your pickled eggs? However you make them, this recipe is guaranteed to become a favorite! 🔥🥚✨

Ingredients;

Instructions;

  1. Place all ingredients except eggs, garlic, and dill in a saucepan.
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
  3. Add garlic clove to the jar. Place 3 eggs in a large jar. Top with some of the cooked onion slices and a sprig of dill. Repeat until the jar is full.
  4. Pour the liquid over the eggs and seal the jar.
  5. Refrigerate at least 3-4 days before eating (1 week is best).

And your grocery list for these ingredients can be easily accessed: here!

creamy buffalo chicken dip

Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip: Perfect for Parties

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🔥 Buffalo Chicken Dip – The Ultimate Crowd-Pleaser! 🧀🍗

If there’s one dish that always disappears first at the party, it’s Buffalo Chicken Dip! Creamy, cheesy, spicy, and packed with tender shredded chicken, this dip is the perfect blend of heat and flavor—a guaranteed hit for game days, parties, or just a snack-worthy night in.

It’s bold, it’s addictive, and best of all—it’s ridiculously easy to make! Just mix, bake, and watch it disappear. Serve it with tortilla chips, celery sticks, crackers, or even a spoon (we won’t judge).

Ready to level up your appetizer game? This dip is about to become your new favorite go-to! 🔥🥣

Ingredients

Directions:

Bring small sauce pan / pot to boil. Season chicken with salt & pepper. Boil chicken, cooking through until all pink is gone.

Preheat over to 400º.

Remove chicken from pan. Place in a small bowl, and pull apart chicken utilizing two forks. Season chicken breasts again with salt and pepper. While chicken is cooling, in a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients utilizing wooden spoon, or whisk. Incorporate chicken into mix. Place mix into thin baking dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Serve with your favorite chips or crudité.

Chip ideas;