Meat-lovers' Meatball Hotpot with Barbecue Sauce

FOR A 4-5.5 LITRE SLOW COOKER. SERVES 6

Four levels of meatiness are contained within this recipe, with a delectable barbecue-style sauce that develops as the meat is cooking. These meatballs are delicious eaten in hamburger-style buns, or as a family meal with a side of steamed vegetables.

500g pork and veal mince

1 onion, grated

1 egg, lightly whisked

3 teaspoons tomato sauce (ketchup)

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

3 teaspoons smooth tomato, apricot or peach chutney

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon fresh ricotta

1 teaspoon flour

½ teaspoon salt

250g fillet steak, trimmed and cut into 2.5cm cubes

200g rindless bacon, cut into 1cm x 8cm strips

1 chorizo, skinned and diced

2 teaspoons cornflour mixed to a paste with 1 tablespoon cold water

For the Sauce

½ cup tomato sauce (ketchup)

¼ cup barbecue sauce

¼ cup sweet chilli sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3 teaspoons lemon juice

¼ cup water

Combine the mince, onion, egg, sauces, chutney, breadcrumbs, ricotta, flour and salt and mix well. With damp hands to prevent sticking (as the mixture is quite soft) shape a portion of the mince mixture around each piece of steak to make a meatball shape. The steak should be fully enclosed. Wrap a piece of bacon around each meatball and place in the slow cooker, seam side down. Scatter the chorizo around the meatballs.

To make the sauce, combine the ingredients and pour over the meatballs. Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 7–8 hours. Remove the meatballs from the cooker with a slotted spoon. If necessary, turn cooker to High for 10 minutes, then thicken the sauce with some or all of the cornflour paste and cook 5 minutes more.

Serve meatballs drizzled with sauce in fresh bread rolls, topped with a little coleslaw if desired, or accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.