1. 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!
2. 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.
3.  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.  
4.  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.  
5. 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 

1. 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

1. 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 

1. 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!