Slow-Cooker Sweet & Sour Turkey Meatballs
Author: Aimee
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 7 hours
Total time: 7 hours 45 mins
Cranberries and orange juice give these meatballs their sweet & sour zing. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
  • 3 lbs ground turkey meat
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup green onion, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
  • 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
  • Zest of 2 oranges
  • 1 cup Panko flakes or breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
For the Sauce:
  • 1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed if possible
  • 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 6 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 orange pepper, cubed
  • 1 green pepper, cubed
  • 1 large red onion, cut in large dice
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with foil for an easy clean-up.
  2. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the meatballs. Using your hands, gently mix to distribute ingredients throughout the meat.
  3. Roll ground turkey mixture into meatballs about the size of a Mandarine orange. It should yield about 24.
  4. Place meatballs on the baking tray and roast for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your sauce.
  5. In the bottom of a slow-cooker, whisk together orange juice and cornstarch until smooth. Add vinegar, honey, stock, salt, garlic and ginger and stir to combine.
  6. Remove meatballs from the oven and transfer directly to the slow-cooker. Cover with cranberries, sweet peppers and red onion.
  7. Gently stir meatballs, sauce and vegetables until ingredients are evenly distributed. Tuck meatballs down under the liquid.
  8. Cover the slow-cooker and place on Low for 7 hours. Alternately, cook on High for 4 hours.
  9. Serve over long-grain rice or mashed potatoes.
Recipe by Simple Bites at http://www.simplebites.net/sweet-sour-turkey-meatballs-with-cranberries-peppers-slow-cooker/