My cousin made these for our cookout and everyone lost their minds

You can easily tweak these meatballs to fit your crowd and what you have on hand. For a bit of heat, stir 1–2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes or a few dashes of hot sauce into the cranberry BBQ mixture before pouring it over the meatballs. If you like things smokier, use a smoky BBQ sauce and add a tiny splash of liquid smoke. For a more savory balance, whisk in 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce to deepen the flavor.

If you only have whole-berry cranberry sauce, use it as-is; the glaze will be a little chunkier but still delicious. You can also swap in turkey or chicken meatballs if you prefer lighter meat—just make sure they are fully cooked if frozen. To keep them warm for a long cookout, transfer the baked meatballs and sauce to a slow cooker set to “warm” and stir every so often so nothing sticks.

For meal prep, bake the meatballs as directed, cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat covered in a 325°F (165°C) oven until hot and bubbly or gently warm in a slow cooker.

Food safety tips: Always start with fully cooked frozen meatballs or, if using homemade ones, cook them completely before adding the sauce. Check that the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F (74°C) before serving, especially if you’re reheating from the fridge. Don’t leave the meatballs out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s very hot outside at a cookout); after that, cool and refrigerate promptly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator and reheat only once for best quality and safety.