¼-½teaspoonchipotle powderoptional to add some spiciness
For the Meatballs
1 pound ground beef80/20
1TablespoonBeginners Luck BBQ rub
1LargeEgg
⅓cupbread crumbsor crushed crackers
1½Tablespoons10-minute BBQ sauceor your favorite BBQ sauce
9slicesthick-cut bacon
18toothpicksor 9 if you want to break them in half.
Instructions
Beginners Luck Rub
Mix all the spices together to make the rub. This will yeild about 1 cup of rub. Store leftovers in a sealed container. Be careful with the chipotle powder, a little goes a long way. Skip it if you don't want a spicy rub.
¼ cup white sugar, 2½ Tablespoons onion powder, 2 Tablespoons seasoned salt, 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika, 1½ Tablespoons chili powder, 1 Tablespoon fine grind sea salt, ½ Tablespoon celery salt, ¼-½ teaspoon chipotle powder
Moink Balls
In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, Beginners Luck bbq rub or your rub of choice, a large egg, bread crumbs, and bbq sauce. Mix well so all ingredients are combined.
Scoop out 1 ounce (about 2 Tablespoons) meatballs and place on tray.
Cut the bacon in half and roll each scoop of meatball mixture into a smooth ball. Wrap each one with ½ slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Dip the tops into a small bowl of the BBQ rub.
9 slices thick-cut bacon, 18 toothpicks
Smoking
Fill the hopper on the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker with ½ cup of apple wood pellets or whatever pellets you are using. Select the smoker function and set the temperature to 275℉/135℃ and the time for 1 hour.
Allow the pellets to ignite and burn off any white smoke. I usually let it run 5-10 minutes then open the lid and let the white smoke out.
Place the Moink Balls on the grill grate and close the lid. Adjust the time back to 1 hour and let them smoke uninterrupted for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, you can check on them and take an internal temperature.
I found them to have the best texture when smoked a full hour even though the internal temperature reached above 180℉/82℃. You can remove the Moink Balls anytime after they have reached an internal temperature of 165℉/72℃.
Allow to cool and remove the toothpicks. They are best served slightly warm or at room temperature.
Oven InstructionsMake the Moink Balls as instructed, but instead of smoking them, place them on a tray in preheated oven at 275℉/135℃ and bake them for about 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165℉/74℃ AND the bacon is crispy. It is okay to let the meatballs cook until they reach 180℉/82℃ if the bacon needs more time.Air Fryer InstructionsMake the Moink Balls as instructed, but instead of smoking them, place them on a tray in the air fryer as far away from the heating element as you can. Set the temp to 300℉/150℃ and air fry them for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165℉/74℃ AND the bacon is crispy. It is okay to let the meatballs cook until they reach 180℉/82℃ if the bacon needs more time. You do not need to preheat the air fryer.