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Nothing says summer like a barbecue. From family gatherings to birthday parties or office events, barbecues bring people together while enjoying some of the best seasonal produce.
This meal is another great addition to the collection of my keto-friendly BBQ recipes. I used fresh herbs & spices, lemon zest and Spanish chorizo for a smoky flavour boost.
I served the meatballs with a simple vegetable salsa and some keto buns which is one of the most popular recipes on my blog and amongst my friends. It's definitely the best low-carb & grain-free bread recipe I've ever made. In fact, it proved to be so popular that I also made a nut-free version! :-)
What's the difference between Spanish and Mexican chorizo?
Mexican chorizo is made with raw meat and spices. Spanish chorizo is made with cured meat. This post from The Kitchn explains the difference in detail.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Pan Frying: Preheat a large regular or griddle pan greased with lard or ghee on high heat. Turn the heat down to medium and place the skewers on the pan. When done, set aside and keep them warm near the cooker.
Oven Cooking: Cook under a broiler, or bake at 200 °C/ 400 °F until the meatballs are golden for 12-15 minutes.
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Hands-on Overall
Serving size 2 skewers
Nutritional values (per 2 skewers)
Net carbs2.9 grams
Protein40 grams
Fat50.6 grams
Calories641 kcal
Calories from carbs 2%, protein 25%, fat 73%
Total carbs4.1 gramsFiber1.1 gramsSugars0.9 gramsSaturated fat19 gramsSodium1,023 mg(44% RDA)Magnesium43 mg(11% RDA)Potassium724 mg(36% EMR)
Ingredients (makes 4 servings, 8 skewers)
- 600 g ground beef (1.3 lb/ 21.2 oz)
- 1/2 medium red onion (50 g/ 1.7 oz)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 large egg, free-range or organic
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest (use organic unwaxed lemons)
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste (I like pink Himalayan)
- 200 g Spanish chorizo or other hard type (7.1 oz)
Instructions
- Peel and finely dice the onion. Place the meat in a mixing bowl and add the onion, crushed garlic, fresh lemon zest, freshly chopped herbs, paprika and egg.
- Using your hands or a fork, combine all the ingredients. If preparing in advance, cover the meat with a foil and place in the fridge overnight. When the meat is ready for the barbecue, slice the chorizo sausage (I used Spanish chorizo but you can use any other hard type). Using your hands, form 24 meatballs: 3 meatballs per skewer = 6 meatballs per serving (about 30 grams/ 1 ounce per meatball).
- Assemble the skewers by piercing through the meatballs and chorizo slices in an alternating order (3 meatballs and 4 chorizo slices per skewer).
- Place the skewers on the barbecue and cook on high for 7-8 minutes or until crispy on the outside and cooked inside. Enjoy!
BBQ Meatball Skewers with Spanish Chorizo
Ingredients (makes 4 servings, 8 skewers)
- 600 g ground beef (1.3 lb/ 21.2 oz)
- 1/2 medium red onion (50 g/ 1.7 oz)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 large egg, free-range or organic
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tbsp fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest (use organic unwaxed lemons)
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste (I like pink Himalayan)
- 200 g Spanish chorizo or other hard type (7.1 oz)
Instructions
- Peel and finely dice the onion. Place the meat in a mixing bowl and add the onion, crushed garlic, fresh lemon zest, freshly chopped herbs, paprika and egg.
- Using your hands or a fork, combine all the ingredients. If preparing in advance, cover the meat with a foil and place in the fridge overnight. When the meat is ready for the barbecue, slice the chorizo sausage (I used Spanish chorizo but you can use any other hard type). Using your hands, form 24 meatballs: 3 meatballs per skewer = 6 meatballs per serving (about 30 grams/ 1 ounce per meatball).
- Assemble the skewers by piercing through the meatballs and chorizo slices in an alternating order (3 meatballs and 4 chorizo slices per skewer).
- Place the skewers on the barbecue and cook on high for 7-8 minutes or until crispy on the outside and cooked inside. Enjoy!
Nutrition (per 2 skewers)
Calories641kcal
Net Carbs2.9g
Carbohydrates4.1g
Protein40g
Fat50.6g
Saturated Fat19g
Fiber1.1g
Sugar0.9g
Sodium1,023mg
Magnesium43mg
Potassium724mg
Detailed nutritional breakdown (per 2 skewers)
| Total per 2 skewers |
| 2.9 g | 40 g | 50.6 g | 641 kcal |
| Beef, minced (ground), raw, grass-fed |
| 0 g | 25.8 g | 30 g | 381 kcal |
| Onion, red, fresh |
| 0.8 g | 0.2 g | 0 g | 5 kcal |
| Garlic, fresh |
| 0.5 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 2 kcal |
| Egg, whole, fresh, raw (free-range or organic eggs) |
| 0.1 g | 1.6 g | 1.2 g | 18 kcal |
| Paprika, spices |
| 0.3 g | 0.2 g | 0.2 g | 5 kcal |
| Oregano, fresh |
| 0.3 g | 0 g | 0 g | 2 kcal |
| Basil, fresh |
| 0 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
| Lemon zest (peel), fresh |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Chorizo sausage |
| 0.9 g | 12.1 g | 19.1 g | 228 kcal |
| Salt, pink Himalayan rock salt |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
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