Wild Game Meatballs: A Delicious and Versatile Recipe
Wild game can be delicious, but it does need to be prepared in the right way. Using the proper seasonings and other ingredients will help balance out the gamey flavors in the meat. You also want to prepare wild game recipes that call for more lean meat and less fat, since the fat tends to be where a lot of the gamey flavor comes from. One dish you may want to consider making is wild game meatballs. The following recipe is quite easy to follow and yields a dozen large meatballs that you can eat with pasta and sauce, on a sandwich, or in whatever other way you desire.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds lean, wild game meat
- 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam
- 1 teaspoon dried, ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Mix together the eggs, breadcrumbs, and milk. Let this mixture sit for approximately 10 minutes. The breadcrumbs should absorb the liquid and swell up, expanding to form a soft paste.
While the breadcrumbs are soaking, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Mix well to ensure the seasonings are evenly dispersed in the meat. Then, pour the soaked breadcrumb mixture into the meat mixture, and stir the two together as thoroughly as possible. Don't worry about over-mixing.
Divide the mixture into 12 even portions. If you have a kitchen scale, you can weigh each portion to ensure they are uniformly sized. Otherwise, just eye-ball it. Roll each portion into a round ball. They should be about 2 inches across. You want to pack the balls tightly so they do not fall apart as you cook them.
There are two ways you can cook your wild game meatballs. The first option is to spread them out on a baking tray and bake them for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Turn them over once during cooking.
The other option is to heat a little oil in a skillet, and then pay-fry the meatballs. They should take about 10 to 12 minutes to cook through. Make sure you turn them over several times, being careful not to squish them with your tongs.
Once they're cooked, you can serve these meatballs with pasta and sauce. They're also wonderful on a hoagie roll, perhaps with a little barbecue sauce and cheese layered on for good measure. Enjoy!