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Stuffed Onions Wrapped in Bacon & BBQ Sauce

Stuffed onions packed with minced beef then wrapped with streaky bacon and slathered in BBQ sauce before being slowly roasted or grilled.

The minced beef stuffing features fennel seeds, thyme, a bit of chilli and Worcestershire sauce and tastes incredible!

Stuffed mushrooms wrapped in bacon & BBQ sauce cut open showing beef stuffing.

Bacon Wrapped Onion Bombs!

I love these little minced beef stuffed onion bombs of flavour.

Inside you have a glorious beef and onion meatball, featuring fennel Worcestershire sauce and a little chilli.

These are stuffed inside a hollowed-out small to medium onion which is then wrapped in thin cut streaky bacon.

Finally, they get a coating of BBQ sauce to turn those flavours all the way up to 11!

You can slowly roast them or cook them on the BBQ, slowly cooking them helps the bacon tighten up in much the same way as it does on my bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin and bacon wrapped cod.

You could even add a cube of sharp cheddar to the meatball and give it a whiff of a British version of Hunters Chicken.

Overhead stuffed mushrooms wrapped in bacon & BBQ sauce glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions.

Are these better cooked on the BBQ or in the oven?

From a pure flavour point of view, I would choose to cook these stuffed onions on the BBQ every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

However, from a practical point of view, I cook them most often in the oven and they still taste superb!

What BBQ sauce do you use?

My favourite sauce for this recipe (at the current time) is Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce, I also use it in my slow cooker sausages recipe.

Can I prepare these in advance?

Yes, definitely! In fact, they are better left to sit for at least a couple of hours, but they cook up fine immediately after being prepared.

You can prepare them up to 48 hours in advance without any trouble. Store them in the fridge in an airtight container.

Can I use large onions?

I would avoid using larger onions. Anything larger than 125-150g calls for a larger lump of meat in the middle which needs more cooking. This means that the bacon on the outside overcooks and risks becoming bitter.

Can I use back bacon?

I would not, back bacon cooks differently to thin-cut streaky bacon and because of this, it does not form a nice tight ball.

Stuffed mushrooms wrapped in bacon & BBQ sauce glaze.

Serving Suggestions.

I tend to serve these with a nice salad, I like them with my lightly pickled cucumber salad. The sharpness and spice bounces off the sweet BBQ sauce really well.

They work just as well with my spicy mango salad for the same reason.

But they are just as good with something like a simple rocket or arugula salad.

If I am cooking this bacon-wrapped stuffed onions in winter then I almost always serve them with some air fryer potato wedges and some extra BBQ sauce.

If you wanted to try something a little different then these sweet potato fries would be perfect.

Overhead stuffed onions wrapped in bacon & BBQ sauce glaze with a salad.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

  • Oven or BBQ.
  • Baking tray if you are cooking these in the oven.
  • Kicthen knife.
  • Small paring knife.
  • Chopping board.
  • Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.
  • Mixing bowl.
  • Pastry brush.
  • Kicthen tongs.
Stuffed onions wrapped in bacon & BBQ sauce glaze showing minced beef stuffing.
Yield: 2 Servings

Stuffed Onions wrapped in Bacon Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

These bacon-wrapped stuffed onions are insanely good, a perfect beef meatball stuffed inside an onion, then wrapped in bacon.

Ingredients

  • 4 (125g Each) Medium Onions
  • 250g (9oz) Minced Beef
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 Chilli Pepper
  • 1 Tsp Fennel Seeds
  • ½ Tsp Dried Thyme
  • ½ Tsp Salt
  • ½ Tsp Black Pepper
  • 125g (8 Thin Slices) Streaky Bacon
  • 125ml (½ Cup) BBQ Sauce

Instructions

  1. Top and tail each onion and then remove the skin.
  2. Core each onion. I prefer the method of using a sharp paring knife as a 'drill', poke into the centre and twist. Repeat from the other cut side, then push with your thumb, the center should pop out.
  3. Then use your fingers to work around the remaining onion until you leave a shell just 2-3 onions layers deep.
  4. Coarsely chop a third of the removed onion and discard the rest. (Don't throw it away though, freeze it for stocks, stews or soups).
  5. Mix the chopped onion with the minced beef.
  6. Dice the chilli pepper as finely as you can and add it to the beef.
  7. Throw in the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, fennel seeds, salt and pepper, then mix well.
  8. Stuff the onions with the minced beef mixture.
  9. Wrap each onion with 2 strips of streaky bacon.
  10. Take half of the BBQ sauce and brush it over the bacon wrapped onions.

To Cook on a BBQ:

  1. Add the onions to a hot grill and cook for an hour in an indirect heat 'zone' at around 160°C-170°C or 320°F-340°F.
  2. Brush with the remaining BBQ sauce and move to the direct heat section of the BBQ for a final 5 minutes.

To Cook in an Oven:

  1. Place the onions on a baking tray and place in a preheated oven at 170°C or 340°F and cook for an hour.
  2. Remove the onions from the oven and then turn it up as hot as it will go, flip it to fan mode if you have that option.
  3. Brush the onions with the remaining BBQ sauce and cook for a final 7-10 minutes or until nicely coloured.

Notes

Inspired by BBQ Pit Boys

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 772Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 180mgSodium: 2928mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 4gSugar: 9gProtein: 60g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Gina Strauch

Wednesday 3rd of August 2022

Made these again today, in the oven because the drought has me worried about a stray spark getting away from the charcoal grill and starting a fire. I used venison again, and they turned out just as nice as the other times, accompanied this time by a cold lentil salad and pickled eggs. A meal of more or less spherical things.

Brian Jones

Thursday 18th of August 2022

Lol, balls for dinner :o I'm struggling to find good venison here int he UK, but can't wait to try these with some when I find it!

Delyse Duminy

Tuesday 19th of July 2022

Thank you for this recipe. I initially watched another version on YouTube & decided to research - finding your recipe. I loved the Q&A section as it helped me decide to use your recipe instead of the one that initially interested me. They used very large onions. I will be making these this weekend. I will add a Cheese Slab at the end of cooking, to melt over the top. My husband will love them!! We are always trying new recipes & ideas. I would just like to point out that you have a small hitch with your labeling "To Cook on a BBQ" - both titles are the same. The bottom one just needs to say "Oven". Apologies if you feel I'm petty - only trying to help. Can't wait to eat these. Thank you again.

Delyse Duminy

Thursday 28th of July 2022

@Brian Jones, Hi Brian, we did make your Grilled Stuffed Onions with a slab of Cheese. We put the Cheese on top 5 minutes before the end of cooking time just to get it to melt nicely over the Onion. They were delicious!! Very moreish.... (sorry I forgot to take a pic for you - they didn't last long...). Thanks again for all the great recipes.

Brian Jones

Tuesday 26th of July 2022

Hi Delyse...

Love the sound of these with a big slab of cheese from some proper indulgence, I hope that you enjoy them.

No problem at all flagging up errors, I am just a chap cooking at home and I make mistakes and I am genuinely grateful well people flag them up, it really does help me keep things tight. So thank you very much!

Enjoy.

Brian

Gina Strauch

Saturday 21st of August 2021

I notice a lot of comments seem to come from people who have not actually cooked the recipe.

Well, I made these last night and was impressed! I used ground venison because that is I what had, but other than that followed the recipe exactly, with home made barbecue sauce, and cooked on a charcoal grill. The prep time is minimal, and prep dishes few. The spheres made a visually interesting presentation, and my dinner guest described them as "magically awesome" and meant both taste and appearance. Now if I could just figure out how to hollow out the onions without getting all teary.

Gina Strauch

Sunday 22nd of August 2021

@Brian Jones,

I think too that a lot of people read recipes with the best of intentions, but then call and order carry out.

I like to cook, and the recipes you present are quite tasty and accessible, plate very attractively and are very suitable for a person finds the words "serves 6-8" intimidating. I will be making your Coniglio alla Cacciatora tomorrow or Wednesday as I have six rabbits going to the abattoir and lots of cherry tomatoes ready in the garden.

Brian Jones

Saturday 21st of August 2021

Hi Gina... I think that all recipes sites have a lot of comments like this, because when we start the only people that see it are our friends, family and others in a similar position, and those comments are supportive but not helpful to those cooking dishes.

Unfortunately, people rarely take the time to come back after cooking dishes and leave a comment, so I am profoundly grateful that you took the time to do so, thank you very much... and I love the idea of using venison and finally I have no solution for the tears, sorry :)

Veena Azmanov

Friday 8th of June 2018

This is something I will for sure try! I know my family will love this, thank you!

Brian Jones

Monday 11th of June 2018

Thank you.

Savita

Thursday 7th of June 2018

Such a simple, easy and delicious idea is this. I never tried stuffed onion this way, so this is sure on my to-try list.

Brian Jones

Friday 8th of June 2018

Thanks Savita, it really is very good!

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