Turkey Cocktail Meatballs

These cocktail meatballs trade ground beef for lean ground turkey, which keeps the calories down without sacrificing the savory, herby flavor that makes a good cocktail meatball compulsively snackable. Poultry seasoning brings the warm, sage-and-thyme aromatics that classic Thanksgiving stuffing relies on, so each meatball tastes like a tiny, hand-held holiday.

The broiler pan baking method is the small detail that solves turkey meatballs’ biggest problem: dryness. Setting the meatballs on the slotted rack of a broiler pan lets the rendered fat drip away while hot air circulates, so the bottoms don’t get soggy and steamed in their own grease. The meatballs come out browned on top and bottom rather than half-cooked.

The chili sauce dip is doing the heavy lifting on flavor for the finished platter. Bottled chili sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar combine into a sweet-and-sour glaze that’s similar to grape-jelly-and-chili-sauce meatballs without the artificial sweetness. The acid in the vinegar cuts through the turkey’s mildness; the brown sugar caramelizes when the meatballs are dipped or coated.

Pro Tips

• Use a small ice cream scoop or two-tablespoon measure for uniform meatballs that cook evenly. Big variations in size mean some are dry while others are still raw.
• Don’t overmix the meat. Combine just until the binders are evenly distributed; aggressive mixing develops the protein and gives tough meatballs.
• Use white meat ground turkey for the leanest profile, but consider a 93/7 dark meat blend for noticeably more flavor and moisture.
• Toss the cooked meatballs in the warm chili sauce at the last minute for a glazed presentation, or serve the sauce alongside as a dip.

Variations

• Swap the chili sauce for a half cup of grape jelly mixed with a half cup of chili sauce for the classic potluck version.
• Add a tablespoon of grated fresh ginger and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to the meatball mix for an Asian-leaning twist.
• Stir 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan into the meatball mix for richer, savory Italian-style turkey meatballs.