Smoked Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef (85/15 meat to fat ratio preferred)
• 1 pound ground pork
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub
• 12 ounces mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup marinara sauce
• Parmesan cheese (grated, optional)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the smoker. Set your smoker to 225 degrees F using your favorite hardwood. I love oak and cherry for these meatballs.

2. 2

   Form the meatballs. Combine all meatball ingredients, except the marinara sauce, in a large bowl and combine gently with your hands. Shape the meat mixture into even sized balls (around 2 ounces each). Use your finger to create an indentation, press in a cube of mozzarella, and roll until the meatball is sealed around the cheese. Place on a lightly oiled flat cooling rack.

3. 3

   Smoke the meatballs. Transfer your meatballs (still on the rack) to the smoker grates. Close the lid and smoke the meatballs until they reach an internal temperature of 155 degrees F. This typically takes 1 to 1.5 hours, so start checking the internal temperature after about 45 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the sauce. Baste the meatballs with your marinara sauce. Close the lid of the smoker and continue cooking until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

5. 5

   Serve and enjoy. Remove the meatballs from the smoker and carefully from the rack (tongs seem to work best). Serve the meatballs on top of pasta with additional marinara sauce and freshly-grated Parmesan cheese.