Venison meatballs are a welcome change from traditional beef or pork meatballs, and they are not gamey whatsoever. Venison is a great low-fat alternative to beef that is just as easy to work with, and the meatballs fry up quickly. They're super tender and juicy and taste wonderful on their own or over pasta with your favorite pasta sauce.
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Venison isn’t a staple of everyone’s meals, but it is an excellent lean protein that can be seasoned and used in any way you would use beef or pork.
Mixing in optional bacon amplifies the already delicious taste of venison with aged Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Butter takes it up another notch!
If you have a lot of venison on hand or just enjoy cooking with venison, be sure to check out my full collection of venison recipes here! I also have a page dedicated specifically to ground venison recipes!
🥘 Ingredients
You probably already have most of these ingredients. Venison might be a little more challenging, depending on where you live.
- Bacon (optional) - ¼ pound of streaky bacon. Use a good, fatty, thick-cut bacon. It’s delicious!
- Ground Venison - 1 pound of ground venison. If not at your local grocer, you can find this at a specialty meat shop or butcher.
- Breadcrumbs - 1 cup of plain or Italian breadcrumbs.
- Eggs - 2 large room-temperature eggs. Set these out before you get ready to cook to bring them to room temperature.
- Salt & Pepper - 1 teaspoon each of salt & pepper.
- Parmesan Cheese - 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. A strong, aged Parmesan is all you need to create a mind-blowing flavor for these meatballs.
- Butter (optional) - ¼ cup of butter. Freeze half a stick and grate it for optimal results. Keep it cold!
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil will brown these up quickly!
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
📖 Variations
- Garlic Powder or Garlic - Garlic is the natural next addition to anything that calls for Parmesan. It’s not necessary, but it’s a tasty addition.
- Italian Seasoning - If you’re using Italian breadcrumbs and want to highlight those spices further, add some extra.
- Diced Onion - These will add a bit of a crunch and savory juices. Remember, onions will add extra liquid when they cook, so you might need some extra breadcrumbs to compensate.
- Thyme - Bring out an earthy taste with thyme. Remember to use less if using dried spices vs. fresh.
- Fennel Seeds - Fennel is a licorice-tasting seed that is often added to pork sausages. It is equally as good in venison if you prefer.
- Pecorino or Romano - Either of these strong, hard cheeses would be flavorful enough to make these meatballs delicious. Pick your favorite, or use whatever you have on hand.
- Hot Italian Sausage - There’s no reason you can’t combine traditional with unique! Try using a blend of venison and sausage in a 3:1 ratio.
🔪 How To Make Venison Meatballs
No complicated steps in this recipe, just be sure you have a cast iron skillet, a food processor, your measuring utensils, a mixing bowl, and a wire cooling rack.
1 pound of venison makes 12 large meatballs with 3 meatballs per serving.
Step 1: Grind bacon (optional). If adding ¼ cup (113.4 grams) of bacon, finely dice it or pulse it in a food processor until it looks like ground meat. You’ll want to keep the texture consistent with the venison.
Step 2: Mix the meatballs. In a large mixing bowl, combine diced bacon, 1 pound (453.59 grams) of ground venison, 1 cup (108 grams) of breadcrumbs, 2 large eggs (100 grams), 1 teaspoon (6 grams) each of salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon (5 grams) of Parmesan cheese. If you are using the optional butter, add that now, just before shaping the meatballs. Grate ¼ cup (56.75 grams) of frozen butter into the bowl.
Step 3: Shape meatballs. When everything is combined, shape the meat mixture into 1 to 1 ½-inch balls. You should have about 12 to 16 meatballs if using all the meat.
Step 4: Transfer to pan. Pour 1 tablespoon (14.79 milliliters) of extra virgin olive oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pan or cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Carefully transfer the meatballs to the pan when it’s hot. Be sure to leave enough space between each so as not to be touching. You can work in batches if needed.
Step 5: Cook. Fry the meatballs, browning them on all sides. Roll them around as they cook. The internal temperature should reach 160℉ (71℃) before removing from the heat.
Step 6: Cool. When they are completely cooked, move the meatballs to a wire rack to cool. Place paper towels underneath to catch excess grease.
🍽️ What To Serve With
Serve hot on a pile of fluffy garlic mashed potatoes or a plateful of spaghetti bolognese or cream cheese pasta.
In fact, they're tasty with either marinara or alfredo sauce or anything you would put with Italian meatballs. Garnish with parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Bake your meatballs. Not into frying stuff? No problem. These meatballs can also be baked at 375℉ (190℃) for 18 to 20 minutes. The internal temperature should reach 160℉ (71℃). Use a meat thermometer to check.
- Try it with the butter! I highly recommend using the optional butter. It really is fantastic with lean ground venison.
- Don’t over-knead. Over-mixing the meat mixture will lead to tough meatballs. Stir until everything is just combined. They should be tender and delicate.
- It’s possible to overcook meatballs. They will get softer up to a point when cooking, but if on the heat for too long, they’ll fall apart and be mushy. Stick to the instructions, and start cooling them down once they reach 160℉ (71℃) inside.
🥄 Make Ahead Options
If you’re into cooking at the beginning of the week and sliding through a few days on leftovers, it’s a great recipe to plan meals around. Refrigerate or freeze the meatballs as instructed below, then enjoy them for days to months afterward.
You can really get creative. On day two, make fantastic subs on a toasted baguette with provolone and tomato sauce. The next day, top off a new pasta dish or eat them for snacks with toothpicks as a party appetizer!
>>>See All Of My Tasty Recipes Here!<<<
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Let them cool fully before refrigerating.
To keep them longer, freeze them in a plastic freezer bag or in a single layer in an airtight container. Eat within 3 to 4 months.
Reheating
Try reheating these in an air fryer at 350℉ (175℃/Gas Mark 4) for approximately 5 minutes, depending on size and how hot you want them.
You can also use an oven at the same temperature. For the latter, place meatballs on a baking dish, cover, and cook until heated through.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Definitely! However, I’d recommend browning them in a skillet with olive oil. It adds a nice color and texture you won’t get in a sauce. Plus, the middle will stay juicy as it cooks.
Most of the time, the eggs and breadcrumbs are responsible for this issue. If you have too much of one or the other, things won’t stick together. Every meat is a bit different. If the meat mixture created in step 2 is too wet, add breadcrumbs.
Too dry? Add another egg. Use your best judgment. Another way to keep things together is to bake the meatballs (see tip above). The less you touch them, the less of a chance there is for breakage.
You can pair your venison meatballs with any sauce you pair with classic Italian meatballs. Tomato-based sauces like marinara, spaghetti sauce, or arrabbiata sauce. They're also tasty in mushroom gravy if you aren't a fan of tomato sauce! As an appetizer, they're delicious skewered on a toothpick with a side of sweet lingonberry sauce!
🥩 😋 More Tasty Venison Recipes
- Venison Chili - This hearty venison chili is incredible with a little shredded cheddar and sour cream.
- Ground Venison Tacos - Elevate your Taco Tuesdays with this easy ground venison taco meat.
- Venison Burgers - Venison makes for some of the juiciest and most flavorful burgers ever.
- Venison Tenderloin Roast - Wrap this succulent tenderloin roast in bacon for even more incredible flavor.
- Roasted Rack of Venison - Rack of venison is a show-stopping main course with a perfect sear and a simple yet delicious seasoning blend.
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📖 Recipe Card
Venison Meatballs
Ingredients
- ¼ lbs streaky bacon (optional, good fatty thick-cut bacon)
- 1 lbs ground venison
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan (grated)
- ¼ cup butter (optional- ½ a stick, frozen and grated)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- (OPTIONAL) Start by finely dicing or grinding the ¼ lbs streaky bacon (if using) in a food processor on pulse until it resembles ground meat.
- Combine meatball ingredients (bacon, 1 lbs ground venison, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 large eggs1 teaspoon salt & ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan ) in a large mixing bowl. *If using optional frozen ¼ cup butter, use a cheese grater to grate it and quickly mix it into the meat right before forming meatballs.
- Once combined, portion and shape the meat mixture into 1 to 1 ½-inch balls. There should be about 12-16 meatballs once all of the meatballs have been shaped.
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan or cast-iron skillet with the 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium-high heat. Place the shaped meatballs into your fully heated pan, leaving space between the meatballs so they do not touch while cooking. Work in batches if needed.
- Fry the meatballs until browned, rolling them so that each meatball cooks on all sides, until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C).
- Once cooked, remove the meatballs to a wire cooling rack over paper towels so that excess grease can drain before serving.
Notes
- Optionally, meatballs can be baked at 375°F (190°C) for about 18-20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160°F (71°C).
- The added fat from the butter is great when combined with lean venison, I highly recommend it.
- Do not over-knead the meatball mixture or it will become tough, just work it until everything is fully combined.
Valerie says
my son told me "that's a keeper"!!!! it sure is, and delicious!!! thank you
Mr. Allard says
I was looking for easy with on-hand ingredients. Found a winner!
Connie B says
These were some of the best meatballs I’ve ever made! I used butter- not the whole amount but left out the bacon.
Sarah G says
Such a easy and very delicious quick recipe we love the onion and bacon and I added a little minced garlic with shredded parmesan cheese they are so juicy and I added in a little sweet Italian sausage with my 3 pounds of venison and OMG so delicious and juicy wouldn't even know it was venison you were eating thank you for the great recipe
Julia says
This was my first time making meatballs from scratch. I didn’t do the bacon or the butter but I enjoyed them! My husband also were “delicious”. I thought the recipe was well written and easy to follow! Thanks for posting!
Vickie says
The bacon an the butter are such a great idea. I made these and added onion with lots of spices and they were so good. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Pikka says
I use venison a lot. So i was happy to find your meatball recipe that called for bacon. I used 2 lbs venison and ground the bacon. with adjusted recipe and it turned out so good. I froze most of it but I will be making it again soon. Thank you for the bacon ingredient as I always had to look for the ground pork but with bacon, I usually always have it.