Cajun Turkey Meatballs with Fire Roasted Cajun Sauce

Who says BBQ can't be keto friendly? Bear Mountain ambassador Jessica Heringer shares one of her go-to recipes. 

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients

Meatballs

½ medium sweet onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

½ green bell pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 pounds ground turkey

1 egg beaten

¾ cup pork panko (plus more, if needed)

½ of a 14.5 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 tbsp of Neil Sarap Dayum Bayou Cajun Seasoning, or your favorite Cajun seasoning

Bear Mountain Gourmet BBQ or Savory Blend

Fire Roasted Sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

½ medium onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

½ green pepper, diced

2 large cloves of garlic, sliced thinly

1 ½ tsp of your Cajun seasoning of choice

1 and ½ of 14.5 oz cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes

2 bay leaves

Instructions for the Meatballs

1. Heat olive oil in pan and sweat down onion, celery, and bell pepper

2. Add garlic for last 30 seconds, scrape mixture into a bowl and allow to cool while getting other ingredients together

3. In a large bowl, combine turkey, beaten egg, pork panko, tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, and cooled onion mixture. You can add more panko if needed, or liquid

4. Form into meatballs (I used a ¼ cup to measure, but feel free to make whatever size you like)

5. Place them on a sheet pan and give them a light dusting of Cajun seasoning

6. Place in refrigerator for at least 45 minutes

7. Set your smoker or pellet grill to 225 degrees and put in Gourmet or Savory Blend Bear Mountain pellets.

8. Place meatballs on the grill and smoke for about 30 minutes

9. Raise the temperature to 300 degrees

10. Remove the meatballs once they’ve hit an internal temperature of 165 degrees

11. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a cast iron pan. Sweat down onion, celery, and peppers.

12. Once the vegetables soften, add sliced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, then add in Cajun seasoning and stir for another 30 seconds.

13. Add tomatoes and bay leaves

14. Place in smoker with meatballs when you raise the temperature to 300 degrees in order to catch the smoke flavor in the sauce while the meatballs finish.

15. Remove the sauce and meatballs from the grill. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and serve over cauliflower rice or spaghetti squash.