Venison Meatballs with Sweet Chili Sauce
These venison meatballs are easy to make and perfect for parties. The meatball sauce is sweet with just a hint of heat.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the Meatball Mixture
- 1 pound ground venison, lean
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 2 scallions, (white and green parts thinly sliced)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (cilantro or fresh parsley)
- 1 tablespoon dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup water
For Cooking the Meatballs
- olive oil, (as needed)
- chicken stock (enough to cover the meatballs half way)
Easy Sauce for Venison Meatballs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup light soy sauce
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Form the Meatballs
- To a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatball mixture (except for the olive oil and stock). With your hands or a large spoon, stir the mixture vigorously until it is mixed thoroughly and is tacky to the touch.
- Using your hands or a cookie scoop, form the They will naturally flatten a little due to their size and lack of breadcrumbs, which is fine.
- Place the meatballs one at a time on a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper.
Cook the Meatballs
- Heat a deep large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil (roughly 1 to 2 tablespoons) to the pan. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the meatballs to the pan. Cook the meatballs until they are nice and golden brown on all sides.
- Add the stock to the pan. Cover with a lid, leaving it a little cracked for steam to escape.
- Bring to a slow simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Flip the meatballs over and cook for another 15 minutes or until the meatballs have just cooked through.
- Remove the meatballs from the pan and place them in a large mixing bowl. Reserve the cooking liquid in another container. It can be used to thin out the the sauce if needed.
Make the Sauce
- Heat a small pot or saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the garlic and the chili pepper. Cook while stirring for 1 minute, making sure not to burn the garlic.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a slow simmer. Cook the mixture until the liquid has reduced by around 1/3 of its volume. It should have a consistency similar to maple syrup, or slightly thicker. Check for seasoning. If it's too spicy, add in a little extra honey. If it's too thick, thin it out with some reserved cooking liquid.
Sauce the Meatballs
- Slowly pour in enough of the sauce to glaze the meat. Any remaining sauce can be used to pour over your final plated dish.
NOTES
Freezing Instructions
- Let them completely cool in the cooking liquid. After they have cooled completely, remove them from the cooking liquid and place them on a cookie sheet pan fitted with parchment paper.
- Next, transfer them to a freezer for around one hour, then put them in an airtight container or freezer bag. If properly stored, they will keep their freshness for around 3 months.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Sear the meatballs in a pan or under your oven's broiler until nicely browned.
- Transfer to a slow cooker and pour in enough chicken stock to cover the meatballs halfway.
- Cover with the lid and cook on the high setting for 1 hour. Remove the meatballs, drain, and reserve the cooking liquid in a separate container.
- Turn the slow cooker setting to low. Place the meatballs back into the slow cooker and add the prepared sauce. Thin out if you like with the reserved cooking liquid. Serve directly from the crockpot.
Oven Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- Follow steps 1 and 2 in the recipe card above. Place the covered pan in the oven and cook for approximately 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 150 degrees F.
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