Meet: Faddy's Meatballs, the Secret-Ingredient Appetizer My Great Grandmother Was Famous For

In my family, we referred to my paternal great grandmother as Faddy. It’s a name that came to be when my oldest uncle was a toddler and “Faddy” was his best attempt at “Grandma.”  The moniker stuck, and I was lucky enough to know my Faddy until I was about 10 years old. What I remember most about her to this day are her famous cocktail meatballs, which also happen to be the most coveted appetizer at all our holiday gatherings. My mother makes them for lots of occasions, and they've become the staple for our New Year's Day celebrations, too. What’s better than lots of college football and adorable little cocktail meatballs? Over the years I’ve tried introducing new appetizers to the menu, but despite my fancy culinary chops, Faddy’s Meatballs are still the absolute favorite. 

The meatballs are pretty standard, save for one killer secret ingredient: Stuffing mix. By using the stuffing mix you can pack lots of flavor into the meatballs without the need for a ton of different ingredients. I like to soak the milk called for in the recipe with the stuffing mix before adding the meat to ensure it mixes evenly. This step also helps to keep the meatballs moist. 

As for what really sets this recipe apart, it’s all in the sauce. A piquant mix of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, port wine, and vinegar are combined, then everything gets tossed in the crock pot to simmer together in savory harmony. When I asked my mother about this curious combination, she had this to say: “The key to this recipe is the sauce. The funny thing is that once the meatballs are gone, we have caught people standing over the pot or bowl either scooping up the sauce or drinking it. It must be the port wine!” 

She also mentioned that it’s probably a good idea to make a double batch of the sauce not only because it disappears in a flash, but because it’s great left over, too. She likes to freeze any excess, then reheats it and simmers cooked kielbasa in it as another easy appetizer option.

Faddy’s Port Wine Cocktail Meatballs

Serves about 15 (for an appetizer)

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 cup Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing mix
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 ¼ pounds ground beef
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced

For the Sauce:

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup port wine
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup vinegar (I use white wine vinegar)
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. To make the meatballs, in a large bowl combine stuffing mix and milk and let sit for about 5 minutes, or until the stuffing absorbs the milk. 

Add the beef, salt, pepper, and onions and use your hands to evenly mix the stuffing and onions into the meat. 

Use your hands to roll the mixture into meatballs that are about the size of ping-pong balls and set on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. Set aside to drain on paper towels while you make the sauce. 

In a medium pot, combine ketchup, port wine, sugar, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. 

At this point you can either pour the sauce over the meatballs, tossing to coat, and serve, or transfer everything to a large slow cooker and let simmer over low heat for up to 3 to 4 hours. Once added to the slow cooker, the meatballs can be served immediately, but will get better the longer they spend simmering in the sauce!