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September 20, 2018

Spicy Baked Venison Meatballs:Appetizer to Main Dish

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Venison Meatballs are spicy, moist, and easy to bake ahead then freeze. It seems that every culture that enjoys meat has some form of meatball. You’ll find Italian, German, Greek, Swedish, and even Japanese meatballs. It’s just a matter of what sauce and seasoning you use in the ground meat. And, by using just a few tricks, you can be sure that your meatballs are perfect. By adding a bit of hot Italian sausage to the ground venison, you’ll not only increase the flavor of the baked meatball but you’ll render them amazingly moist and tender. Meatballs are a staple in our house and should be in yours too. You can use this venison meatball recipe for the main dish, hoagie sandwiches, and appetizers. Pretty versatile, don’t you think?

For this recipe, you will need ground venison, hot Italian sausage, panko crumbs, garlic cloves, eggs, Italian seasoning, chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, kosher salt. 

Three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti and red sauce on a white porcelain plate all on top of a green and white checked placemat. A fork rests on the left hand side of the plate.

Venison Meatballs – A Family Favorite

Before we moved to the Cave, our apartment here, we fixed the rest of our frozen garlicky meatballs for Michelle, our daughter, and family. They came down to help us move some things out of our old house. So for lunch, we decided to fix Italian hoagies. Let me say, those meatball subs were a huge hit!

So now, we were not only homeless but without meatballs in our freezer. A sad state of affairs to be sure.

Then, a few weeks ago our son Jason, the hunter, was over for lunch. Honey turned to him and said, “If you have any more ground venison left I’ll make you some venison meatballs. I need something to do.”

Jason got a big smile on his face. “If you’re bored I’ll bring over several packages and some sausage. Deer season is coming up and I have to make some room in my freezer.”

And so, Honey made the venison meatballs which we shared with the family. Now, we’re planning on making some delicious recipes out of those sausages.

Closeup of three baked venison meatballs on top of spaghetti and covered with a red sauce all on a white porcelain plate and basil leaves sprinkled on top.

Uses for Venison Meatballs

We know that whenever people think of meatballs they think of Italian meatballs in a pile of spaghetti. But did you know that in Italy they don’t serve meatballs with pasta?

Usually, the pasta comes first and the meatballs follow.

Frankly, I think think the popularity of spaghetti with meatballs started with that alley scene in Lady and the Tramp.

Here are some other ideas where you can use meatballs:

  • Use them with rich brown gravy and mushrooms.
  • Include them in a delicious soup.
  • A sweet and sour sauce.
  • Sandwich as a slider or hoagie.
  • Swedish meatballs with rich gravy.
  • Albondigas stew.
  • Thai meatball curry.
  • Greek meatballs with tzatziki.
  • German meatballs with sauerkraut.
  • Japanese meatballs with ginger, garlic, and scallion.

Have we convinced you how handy it is to have frozen baked meatballs on hand?

A table set with a white plate with three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti covered in a red sauce. Chopped basil is sprinkled on top. Fork is on left side, a white bowl of red roma tomatoes are behind the plate and next to it is a brown pottery bowl with a tossed salad.

How to Make and Bake Venison Meatballs

Have you ever tasted a meatball that has the texture of golfballs?  The secret to preventing a dense meatball is gently mixing the ingredients and NOT over packing the meatball. You can use a scoop to measure out the meat or you can weight them.

We use our digital scale, and let me tell you that is one handy-dandy piece of equipment. Every meatball is identical and perfect.

In order to prevent the meat from sticking to your hand, moisten them with water. Once you measure the meatball place them on a non-stick metal cooling rack placed inside a foiled lined baking tray.

You can also place the meatballs on a parchment-lined or foiled-lined baking sheet. We prefer the rack because air can circulate around the meatball.

Rows of baked venison meatballs on top of a black wire rack over a foil-lined tray.

How to Freeze Meatballs

After the meatballs are baked and cooled, you place them on a lightly oiled wax paper. Now, this may seem odd to spray wax paper but we’ve had things stick to the paper when we try to remove the frozen item.

Once the venison meatballs are frozen, place in a freezer bag and then in a freezer container. Yes! We use both a freezer bag and a freezer container because we want our delicious meatballs to stay fresh tasting when thawed.

When you’re in the mood for a meatball recipe, thaw out the amount you want to eat and make whatever recipe tickles your fancy. They are so easy to make it’s a shame not to make a large batch to keep on hand.

More game meat recipes to try

  • Hearty Venison Chili
  • Polpettone Italian Stuffed Meatloaf
  • Grilled Antelope Tenderloin|Bacon Wrapped and Succulent

If you don’t have ground venison, just substitute ground beef or tenderloin for the meat.

We hope you give this recipe a try we know you’ll enjoy it.

Tutti a tavola è pronto!

Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

YOU MAY NEED …

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Three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti on a white porcelain plate sprinkled with chopped basil. A fork is on the left side of the plate.

Spicy Baked Venison Meatballs: Appetizer to Main Dish

These venison meatballs are perfect. They are so tender and moist you’ll be dreaming up recipes just so you can use them. And since they freeze beautifully, there’s no reason you can’t have a good supply of them so when the mood hits, you can quickly thaw some out. I think of them as meal lifesavers! There is no limit to what you can make.

If you like this recipe, please consider giving it a 5-star rating. It helps others to decide whether to try this recipe.

Closeup of three baked venison meatballs on top of spaghetti and covered with a red sauce all on a white porcelain plate and basil leaves sprinkled on top.

Spicy Baked Venison Meatballs: Appetizer to Main Dish

Baked Venison Meatballs are juicy and tender and make a great start to your main dish, hoagies, or appetizer. They freeze beautifully so it's easy to keep them on hand. The dishes you can make limitless. Let your imagination go wild. 
5 from 27 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American-Italian
Keyword: game meat, ground meat
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 265kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs ground venison
  • 1 lbs hot Italian sausage
  • 18 garlic cloves
  • 3 eggs jumbo size
  • 3 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 1 1/4 cups Panko crumbs
  • 2 tbsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. With your hands gently mix until just combined. 
  • Use a disher to scoop an even amount of the meat mixture or use a kitchen scale -- we made the meatballs 2 oz. each. Moisten your hands with water if the meat seems to stick. 
  • Place meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet or on a vegetable sprayed non-stick cooling rack placed inside the baking sheet. 
    Rows of baked venison meatballs on top of a black wire rack over a foil-lined tray.
  • Bake in a preheated 350 F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The amount of time will depend on the size of your meatballs. Don't overcook. 
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the meatballs cool. Once cool place the meatballs on a lightly oiled sheet of wax paper. Freeze. Once frozen store in a freezer container or freezer bag. We use both to keep them fresher. 
  • When ready to eat, thaw out the number of meatballs you want to use and add to whatever recipe you like. 
    A table set with a white plate with three baked venison meatballs with spaghetti covered in a red sauce. Chopped basil is sprinkled on top. Fork is on left side, a white bowl of red roma tomatoes are behind the plate and next to it is a brown pottery bowl with a tossed salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 869mg | Potassium: 399mg | Vitamin A: 1.7% | Vitamin C: 1.8% | Calcium: 4.5% | Iron: 19.8%

Note: Recipes and content from © 2014-2018 All Our Way are copyright protected. Please do not use content or recipe without prior written permission. If you want to share the information, please link to this post. Grazie!

 

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    Comments

    1. Cheese Curd In Paradise says

      December 16, 2018 at 10:00 am


      I adore meatballs, and venison is popular in my area. I can’t wait to give these a try!

      Reply
    2. Claudia Lamascolo says

      December 15, 2018 at 2:32 pm


      I have some venison steaks in the freezer someone just gave me. I wonder if I can grind the meat to make these with. My husband loves fried cutlet steaks so making meatballs fried he would go nuts over. Not sure if it will work but I am going to try this!

      Reply
    3. Emily Leary says

      October 10, 2018 at 4:46 am


      Meatballs are a classic favourite in our house. Great idea to use venison. They look really well cooked.

      Reply
    4. Tina says

      October 9, 2018 at 5:53 am


      Wow! I love meatballs, and this recipe using venison should be a big hit in our house this deer season! I’m always looking for new and creative ways to use up our harvest. Thanks for the great recipe!

      Reply
    5. Jacque Hastert says

      October 8, 2018 at 4:19 pm


      I will be making these next Sunday as an appetizer for game day!

      Reply
    6. Sri Mallya says

      October 7, 2018 at 2:58 pm

      I am drooling. Pasta and meatballs is such a great combo. Can’t wait to try your recipe. Yummy!

      Reply
    7. Les says

      October 7, 2018 at 12:11 pm

      We don’t do venison in our house, but I have a lot of friends up in Vermont that do – they’re going to love this when I send it to them!

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca says

        October 7, 2018 at 4:44 pm

        Thank you, Les, for sharing. We appreciate it.

        Reply
    8. Nicolas Hortense says

      October 7, 2018 at 3:54 am

      Wow my stomach is rumbling looking at these meatballs. I love your idea of having them as Sweedish meatballs! (:

      Reply
      • Marisa Franca says

        October 7, 2018 at 4:44 pm

        Hi, Nick! Yes, they are so versatile. We love them.

        Reply
    9. Lorie says

      October 6, 2018 at 9:58 pm


      My one year old’s favorite food? Meatballs! Making these but will make half spicy and half mild for him. Thanks!

      Reply
    10. prasanna hede says

      October 6, 2018 at 2:07 pm

      That’s a wonderful post with great tips.I need to have meatballs with pasta now!

      Reply
    11. Veronika's Kitchen says

      October 6, 2018 at 11:23 am


      I love meatballs and always on a hunt for a new recipe) Yours look delicious and super easy to make! Definitely will try them!)

      Reply
    12. Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says

      October 6, 2018 at 2:46 am

      What a fun take on the classic meatball! We have a couple of friends who are avid hunters so we’ll definitely be passing this recipe along to them.

      Reply
    13. Kelly Anthony says

      October 2, 2018 at 9:31 am


      My husband is a hunter, and he always cooks the venison! He would be over the moon if I slammed out these meatballs! They look perfect!!

      Reply
    14. Elaine Benoit says

      October 2, 2018 at 8:23 am


      Venison is one of those meats that when I eat it, I think, why don’t I eat more of this! I’ve never had it in meatball form but I certainly will now! This looks delicious and easy!!

      Reply
    15. Dawn says

      October 2, 2018 at 7:33 am


      You can never go wrong with a meatball…especially when paired with pasta. I love how you could freeze these. Definitely convenient for busy weekday dinners! YUM!

      Reply
    16. Donna says

      October 1, 2018 at 10:53 pm


      Great tips on freezing the meatballs, I always make a huge batch because my kids love them, but I am definitely making more next time and freezing them so we have some on hand!

      Reply
    17. Dana says

      October 1, 2018 at 5:00 pm


      I think I’ve only had venison once. Whenever people talk about it, they never really mention *how* they’ve had it, so I guess I never realized just how versatile it is. These look great, though! You can’t beat a tender meatball 🙂

      Reply
    18. Amanda says

      October 1, 2018 at 8:04 am


      I’ve never made meatballs with venison, and now I want to have them for dinner! I love that you’ve paired the venison with hot sausage. These meatballs must be so full of flavor! I also love your suggestions for serving meatballs other than “spaghetti and meatballs”. We enjoy them in soup too!

      Reply
    19. Stef says

      September 29, 2018 at 9:54 pm


      I want meatballs in my freezer! Your line about not having them there anymore cracked me up. We pretty much never have meatballs in our freezer. I get sad when we no longer have waffles in the freezer. Now, I want to make your meatballs and maybe eat them on my waffles. 🙂

      Reply
    20. Sarah says

      September 26, 2018 at 3:31 pm


      I love how many ways you cook with deer meat! That’s such a good use of game meat. AND I love how versatile meatballs are– DELICIOUS!

      Reply
    21. Tracy Koslicki says

      September 25, 2018 at 11:02 pm


      Wow! What a great way to answer the “if you’re bored…” ha! I love me some venison but have never made meatballs out of them. Now I know that’s a mistake! These sound absolutely incredible!!

      Reply
    22. Carmy says

      September 25, 2018 at 9:32 pm


      I just made meatballs last week and totally agree with your tips on not over mixing and packing them! We also used a scoop to portion it and a very gentle hand to round them out. I haven’t had version meatballs yet but I’m looking forward to trying a new meat for meatballs!

      Reply
    23. Amanda says

      September 25, 2018 at 2:05 pm


      I never tried venison meatballs before, but I have an avid hunter friend that I know would love to try these meatballs asap, so I think I will have to make them for him!

      Reply
    24. Tina says

      September 24, 2018 at 9:43 pm


      I really like game meat. Adding the hot Italian sausage is genius. I usually add olive oil but I like the extra richness your technique would add. I really like meatball hoagies and I like meatballs with mashed potatoes. Yum! Thanks for this.

      Reply
    25. Ciao Chow Linda says

      September 24, 2018 at 9:18 pm

      Your meatballs look positively scrumptious. They remind me of the time I hit a deer with my car (er, rather the deer hit me). Long story short, we had a lot of venison that winter. Unfortunately, my supply of venison has dried up but if I find myself with some, I will make your recipe!

      Reply
    26. Jenni LeBaron says

      September 23, 2018 at 11:54 pm


      These sound really tasty. I love them in both pasta and as an appetizer. The fella lives them in a sandwich roll best! The adobo sauce is a fun addition to give these a good kick.

      Reply
    27. swathi says

      September 23, 2018 at 10:13 pm


      I like that you used abodo sauce along Italian sausage and venison to make this delicious meat balls. Spaghetti dinner is good. I think we can make meat ball soup too.

      Reply
    28. Tammy says

      September 23, 2018 at 3:54 pm

      What a delicious meal, Marisa! I’ve never had venison meatballs but I have no doubts they are as good as they look ;D

      Reply
    29. Mahy Elamin says

      September 23, 2018 at 7:58 am


      Wow, these meatballs look very tasty! This is a great idea for dinner. Ohhh I can’t WAIT to try this! Thank you for this great recipe! So YUMMY!

      Reply
    30. Natalie says

      September 23, 2018 at 5:40 am


      These meatballs look absolutely amazing. So flavorful and super delicious. This is something that my kiddo would love very much. I’m saving this to make to my family.

      Reply
    31. Jyothi (Jo) says

      September 23, 2018 at 3:06 am


      You had me at spicy Marisa. This one reminded of my post from few days back. I posted chicken meatballs over spaghetti and we loved it. this one looks so hearty and comforting! I bet this would be lovely for a weekend treat

      Reply
    32. Veena Azmanov says

      September 22, 2018 at 5:20 pm


      I envy you with all the version deliciousness around you. We love meatballs but have never tasted venison yet. This sounds so flavorful. And I love that this is baked.

      Reply
    33. Gloria says

      September 21, 2018 at 6:14 pm


      I love meatballs as an appetizter. These look delicous. I have never had venison meatballs before. These would be great on some pasta or stuffed in a sub too. So many wonderful ways to enjoy delicious meatballs. Perfect to feed a crowd…and for freezing too.

      Reply
    34. Claudia Lamascolo says

      September 21, 2018 at 4:30 pm


      My husband is 100% Sicilian and doesnt eat pasta do you believe it? but he loves meatballs and hunts every year in his hometown. Going in November and hoping to get a deer. He will love this when I make them thanks! I never thought about making this before!

      Reply
    35. Jovina Coughlin says

      September 21, 2018 at 10:07 am

      Great tips on making meatballs.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Venison Recipes Roundup - Binky's Culinary Carnival says:
      October 25, 2018 at 12:31 pm

      […] Spicy Baked Venison Meatloaf (All Our Way) […]

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