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!
¼cupbutter(optional- ½ a stick, frozen and grated)
1tablespoonolive oil(extra virgin)
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Instructions
(OPTIONAL) Start out by finely dicing or grinding the bacon (if using) in a food processor on pulse until it resembles ground meat.
Combine meatball ingredients (bacon, ground venison, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt & pepper, and Parmesan cheese) in a large mixing bowl. *If using optional frozen 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 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.