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Step 3 of 3

Step 3

In a large pot over low heat, whisk together the lemon juice, chili sauce, brown sugar, and cranberry sauce until the mixture is uniform. Toss in the meatballs and let them simmer for an hour before serving.

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Recipe Reviews

Jake Sternquist / Food Styling: Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling: Gabriel Greco

janmauss
2026-02-03

I have been enjoying this dish for over 70 years. I prefer to make my own meatballs so they are bite-sized. I usually triple the recipe and keep plenty stocked in the freezer. When I was younger, the sauce was typically made with grape jelly and chili sauce, but I find this cranberry version much better. For the last 60 years or so, I have preferred using a mix of half lean ground beef and half ground pork. I also think ground chicken works beautifully!

Kim BookJunkie
2026-01-05

Way too spicy! Luckily, I only had half the required amount of chili sauce, but even then, it had my family tearing up. It isn't just about the heat, though—it literally tasted like meatballs smothered in raw spicy chili sauce. I might have been able to balance it with an extra can of cranberry sauce, but since I didn't have any, the dish was a total failure.

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