Best-Ever Meatballs

1 pound ground meat of your choice (I use a beef/pork combo)
1/2 cup fine bread crumbs
- If you don't have bread crumbs, toast up some bread and then pulse in a blender until fine
1/2 cup Bourbon BBQ sauce
1 large egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves (cut a little extra to top with If desired)
1/2 cup onion, grated using the largest holes (and have some tissues nearby for watery eyes!)
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp fine ground black pepper

Set out the pan you plan to use and line it with parchment paper. Turn oven on to hi broil and place oven rack around 5" below the heating element (any closer and the meatballs tend to burn)
In a bowl, place the bread crumbs, Bourbon BBQ Sauce, and egg; mix well and set aside.
Chop the parsley leaves, garlic, and onion. Add to the bowl.
Add cheese, salt, and black pepper to the bowl and mix everything together.
Using your hands (with gloves on if desired), mix in the ground meat. You want to do it thoroughly but also not overwork the meat; handling it too much will make the meat tougher.
Using your hands or a scoop, create meatballs that are around 1.5" in diameter. *Note that the mixture will be somewhat moist; this is normal, and the balls will firm up as they cook/cool.
Place meatballs on the pan, leaving an inch or so between each one.
Put the pan in the oven and let cook for 5-6 minutes, until starting to brown; remove the pan, flip the meatballs, and put back in the oven. Repeat 2 more times (a total of 3 flips) to brown all four sides.
Once all browned, remove pan from the oven and, using a basting brush (preferably silicone), top each meatball with a dab of Bourbon BBQ sauce.
Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce has started to cook/caramelize/harden
Remove from the oven for good and transfer meatballs to a rack for cooling. Let rest at least 5 minutes before eating.