If you have ground venison, you need this venison meatballs recipe ASAP! You can quickly scale it up or down, depending on how many pounds of meat you're cooking. You'll just need 5 ingredients, plus a little salt and black pepper, and about 45 minutes to prep and bake. I like to make a triple batch and freeze half for a quick weeknight crockpot meal.
One recipe, so many ways! Keep reading, once you've mastered my easy venison meatballs recipe, you'll be obsessed!
This is my basic recipe, and it can be used many delicious ways! Today we are making a family-friendly baked spaghetti, but this venison meatball recipe is very versatile! These are the same meatballs I use in Italian Wedding Soup, as well as Disappearing BBQ Meatballs, Meatball Subs, and Creamy Meatballs with Mushroom Sauce.
I've included these variations at the bottom of this post, you can use the jump-to feature below to quickly find them!
Jump to:
- Why this recipe works
- Ingredients for Venison Meatballs
- How to make homemade meatballs
- Recipe
- How to store meatballs
- How to bake venison meatballs
- How to cook venison meatballs in the instant pot
- How to cook venison meatballs in a crockpot
- Tips and Troubleshooting
- Serving Suggestions & Variations
- How to store meatballs
- FAQ
- More venison recipes
- Latest posts!
- Comments
Why this recipe works
We all need a juicy venison meatballs recipe up our sleeve, don't we? If I had a guest coming over for supper who had never tried venison, or claimed to not like the taste, this is the first recipe I'd cook for them.
Everyone loves cooked meatballs and this is a great way to introduce ground venison! And the subtle gamey flavor of this version are simple and satisfying. I would probably serve them in using the Disappearing BBQ Meatball variation below.
As a busy mom, I greatly appreciate how easy it is to whip up a double or triple batch and eat half as a quick spaghetti recipe, then serve the others later in the week a different way. I've also been known to freeze pre-shaped uncooked ground venison meatballs in vacuum bags. It is so perfect for those days when I forget to defrost meat and everyone is in a hangry.
To recap, these easy baked venison meatballs are delicious, fast and easy!
Ingredients for Venison Meatballs
- I'm using either straight ground venison, or a mixture with 12% ground pork. Any ground venison will work! This recipe is written for one pound, but you can double the ground meat without changing any of the other ingredients and it still works great!
- Parmesan cheese, and I would buy a wedge and grate it if you can! It's so much better tasting and melts really well compared to the shaker version.
- A pinch of nutmeg adds subtle depth of flavor.
- We are adding a generous amount of salt to these meatballs.
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups bread crumbs or substitute rolled oats
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make homemade meatballs
The first step is to decide if you want to mix by hand, or use a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Today I'm combining my meat mixture by hand, but the process is the same if you use your KitchenAid.
You will also need to decide how you want to bake these perfect meatballs and get a pan ready. For an entirely baked meatball (no browning), line a cookie sheet or half sheet pan with parchment paper or spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray. Baked or browned, don't over think it! Both are going to be really good. We are making generic meatballs today, so we are browning them in a skillet and then finishing them off in the oven.
Okay, so now our pans are prepped. Preheat the oven on to 350℉ and let's move on to the instructions!
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, grated parmesan cheese, rolled oats (or bread crumbs), eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix until everything is evenly distributed in the meatball mixture.
2. I like big, chunky meatballs. I'm using a large cookie scoop to get a uniform size of about 1 ½ inch balls. You can make them any size you want! The smaller they are, the faster they'll cook. Inversely, the bigger venison meatballs take a little longer to bake.
3. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's ready, pour a tablespoon or two of olive oil, grease, or lard in the skillet. Add the meatballs to the skillet, no touching, and don't flip them for 2-3 minutes!
We want to get a nice sear on the bottom before we begin rotating them. The meatballs will naturally release from the skillet when they are ready to turn. Brown each side of the meatballs by repeating this step.
4. Once the meatballs are brown on each side, they can be finished off in the skillet by turning it to low and continuing to cook until they reach 160℉, or they are ready to be finished off in the oven.
Pour a quart of marinara sauce over the meatballs (step back! It might splash up at you!) and add cheese to the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160℉ minimum. I like to cook them closer to 180℉.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. For more delicious recipes from scratch and homesteading tips, follow me on instagram @NinnescahHomestead
Recipe
Easy Venison Meatballs Recipe (Baked 3 Ways!)
Equipment
- Skillet
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups bread crumbs or substitute rolled oats
Instructions
- The first step is to decide if you want to mix by hand, or use a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Today I'm combining my meat mixture by hand, but the process is the same if you use your KitchenAid. You will also need to decide how you want to bake these perfect meatballs and get a pan ready. For an entirely baked meatball (no browning), line a cookie sheet or half sheet pan with parchment paper or spray a 9X13 baking dish with cooking spray. Baked or browned, don't over think it! Both are going to be really good. We are making generic meatballs today, so we are browning them in a skillet and then finishing them off in the oven. Okay, so now our pans are prepped. Preheat the oven on to 350℉ and let's move on to the instructions!
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, grated parmesan cheese, rolled oats (or bread crumbs), eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix until everything is evenly distributed in the meatball mixture.
- I like big, chunky meatballs. I'm using a large cookie scoop to get a uniform size of about 1 ½ inch balls. You can make them any size you want! The smaller they are, the faster they'll cook. Inversely, the bigger venison meatballs take a little longer to bake.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's ready, pour a tablespoon or two of olive oil, grease, or lard in the skillet. Add the meatballs to the skillet, no touching, and don't flip them for 2-3 minutes! We want to get a nice sear on the bottom before we begin rotating them. The meatballs will naturally release from the skillet when they are ready to turn. Brown each side of the meatballs by repeating this step.
- Once the meatballs are brown on each side, they can be finished off in the skillet by turning it to low and continuing to cook until they reach 160℉, or they are ready to be finished off in the oven. Pour a quart of marinara sauce over the meatballs (step back! It might splash up at you!) and add cheese to the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160F minimum. I like to cook them closer to 180℉.
How to bake venison meatballs
- If you are baking the meatballs, shape the meatballs, and place them directly onto a parchment lined or greased cookie sheet. I like to have them just barely touching, but not so close that the edges aren't able to get darken up. Preheat the oven to 400℉ and bake until browned with crispy edges. It will take about 20-30 minutes. Use an internal thermometer to check for a temperature of 160F minimum. I usually bake my meatballs until they reach 175℉. Serve them with your favorite sauce!
How to cook venison meatballs in the instant pot
- If you want to cook the meatballs in the instant pot, pour one quart of your favorite pasta sauce into the bottom of the instant pot. I like to use marinara, but plain crushed tomatoes with seasoning would work well, too. Add the brown meatballs to the pot, and secure the instant pot lid and set the steam release valve to the sealing position. Set the cook time to 10 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will start counting down.
How to cook venison meatballs in a crockpot
- If you are planning to finish cooking the meatballs in the crockpot, once you browned all the meatballs you made, add them to the crockpot with a jar of chili sauce and a jar of grape jelly. Give everything a gentle stir. If you’re using frozen meatballs, just add the frozen meatballs directly to the slow cooker. There is no need to thaw them out beforehand. That’s it!
Notes
How to store meatballs
Meatballs will store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you choose to freeze the meatballs for later use, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and partially freeze them before placing them into an airtight bag or vacuum sealing them. If packaged correctly raw and leftover venison meatballs will last for up to 2 months in the freezer.Nutrition
How to bake venison meatballs
If you are baking the meatballs, shape the meatballs, and place them directly onto a parchment lined or greased cookie sheet. I like to have them just barely touching, but not so close that the edges aren't able to get darken up.
Preheat the oven to 400℉ and bake until browned with crispy edges. It will take about 20-30 minutes. Use an internal thermometer to check for a temperature of 160℉ minimum. I usually bake my meatballs until they reach 175℉. Serve them with your favorite sauce!
How to cook venison meatballs in the instant pot
If you want to cook the meatballs in the instant pot, pour one quart of your favorite pasta sauce into the bottom of the instant pot. I like to use marinara, but plain crushed tomatoes with seasoning would work well, too.
Add the brown meatballs to the pot, and secure the instant pot lid and set the steam release valve to the sealing position. Set the cook time to 10 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take about 15 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will start counting down.
Once the cook time is complete, allow the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes before manually releasing. Serve and enjoy!
How to cook venison meatballs in a crockpot
If you are planning to finish cooking the meatballs in the crockpot, once you browned all the meatballs you made, add them to the crockpot with a jar of chili sauce and a jar of grape jelly. Give everything a gentle stir. If you’re using frozen meatballs, just add the frozen meatballs directly to the slow cooker. There is no need to thaw them out beforehand. That’s it!
Tips and Troubleshooting
- Why are my meatballs not forming correclty or holding their shape? Not having enough moisture in the meatball mixture will result in your meatballs not staying together in a ball shape. Eggs and bread crumbs are the binding agents for this recipe, but if you do not eat eggs, you can use milk and oats as the binding agent. If you add too much of a binding agent, it will result in a spongy meatball.
- Why are the meatballs tough? If you overcook the meatballs, it will result in a dry meatball that is tough. In order to keep your meatballs tender, make sure to monitor the temperature of the meatballs to make sure they do not exceed 180F. Another reason they could be tough is due to overmixing. When you mix your meatballs, only mix them until just combined. This will increase your chances of getting tender meatballs.
Serving Suggestions & Variations
Italian Venison Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
Make the meatballs as written, and brown them in a large cast iron skillet while preheating the oven to 350℉. Once the meatballs are browned but not fully cooked, pour a jar (or two!) of your favorite marinara sauce over the meatballs.
Grate a cup or more of mozzarella and sprinkle it over the top. Bake until the meatballs are fully cooked, about 20 minutes. Serve with cooked spaghetti and a baguette.
Venison Disappearing BBQ Meatballs
Preheat oven to 350F, mix together meatball ingredients from the recipe above. Shape the meatballs into golf ball size using a large scoop or your hands and place the meatballs in a greased 9X13 pan.
Mix 1 ½ cups ketchup, 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ chopped yellow onion. Pour the ketchup mixture over the meatballs and bake for 1 hour or until done.
Venison Meatballs with Mushroom Sauce
Make a gravy by cooking the meatballs in a large Dutch oven or skillet until browned, then remove the meatballs and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium and add ¼ cup of butter to the pan. Once it has melted, stir in ⅓ cup of flour. Stir continually until the mixture browns and becomes a golden roux. Slowly whisk in 3 cups of beef broth.
Season with 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon ground sage, and garnish with fresh parsley (optional). Add the meatballs back to the pan and cook about 10 minutes until the meatballs are done and the gravy has thickened.
How to store meatballs
- Meatballs will store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- If you choose to freeze the meatballs for later use, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and partially freeze them before placing them into an airtight bag or vacuum sealing them.
- If packaged correctly raw and leftover venison meatballs will last for up to 2 months in the freezer.
FAQ
You will know when your meatball is done cooking when the internal temperature is at least 160 degrees F. So, until you know how long it takes to cook your meatballs, I recommend using a thermometer to make sure you do not over or undercook them. All ovens will vary in the time it takes.
To avoid a rubbery textures ground deer meat meatball, make sure to not over pack them.
When you make meatballs, you can either prep them ahead of time and let the raw meatball sit in the fridge for up to 24 hours or you can cook them right away. Either way, the flavor of the meatball will not change.
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Rose
We made these to go with our ziti this weekend! They turned out perfect! No dry at all!!