Make the Meatballs:

1. Preheat and prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

2. Cook the bacon: In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy (about 8-10 minutes). Transfer to paper towels to drain, then crumble into small pieces. Set aside.

3. Mix meatball ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and milk—let sit for 2-3 minutes until breadcrumbs absorb the milk. Add ground beef, crumbled bacon (reserve some for garnish if desired), beaten eggs, minced garlic, minced onion, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika (if using). Using your hands or a large spoon, gently mix until just combined. Don’t overmix or meatballs will be tough.

4. Shape the meatballs: Using a small cookie scoop or your hands, form mixture into 1-1.5 inch meatballs (about 1 tablespoon each). Place on prepared baking sheet with a little space between each. You should get approximately 40-45 meatballs.

5. Bake the meatballs: Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until meatballs are browned and cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F). They don’t need to be completely cooked as they’ll finish in the sauce.

Make the Bourbon Glaze:

6. Combine sauce ingredients: While meatballs are baking, make the glaze. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together bourbon, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and black pepper.

7. Simmer and reduce: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and reduces by about one-third. It should coat the back of a spoon. The alcohol will cook off, leaving behind rich bourbon flavor.

Combine and Serve:

8. Slow cooker method (recommended): Transfer baked meatballs to a 4-6 quart slow cooker. Pour the bourbon glaze over the meatballs and gently stir to coat. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours or HIGH for 1-1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer they sit, the better the flavor!

9. Stovetop method: Transfer meatballs to a large pot or Dutch oven, add sauce, and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

10. Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and reserved crumbled bacon. Serve warm directly from the slow cooker with toothpicks for easy appetizer service.