These ground venison meatballs are a classic Italian meatball recipe. They’re the perfect meatballs for spaghetti or meatball subs – a versatile and easy ground venison recipe.
We love to keep a batch or two of these classic venison meatballs in our freezer. They’re perfect for when you need an easy weeknight dinner. This recipe calls for baking the deer meat meatballs, but check out the recipe notes section below for alternative cooking options.
Ingredients needed
- 1 pound ground venison (ground deer meat)
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage or ground pork
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1/2 white onion – diced
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 jar marinara
How to make ground venison meatballs
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and mix to combine.
- Roll the meat mixture into 1-1.5 inch round meatballs and place onto a baking sheet. Continue until all meatballs are formed.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven.
- Transfer the meatballs to a large oven-safe skillet, and pour the jar of marinara over the meatballs. Place the skillet into the oven and let heat for about 10 minutes, just enough to warm the sauce.
- Serve over pasta or enjoy on their own!
Recipe FAQs and Notes
What is the best way to cook ground venison meatballs?
I prefer to bake the ground venison meatballs instead of skillet frying them because I find that they cook more evenly this way. You could also cook venison meatballs in the air fryer at 350 degrees F. for about 10-12 minutes.
What takes the gamey taste out of venison?
I’m sure you’re familiar with people saying venison and other wild game meat tasting “gamey.” The “gamey” flavor actually comes from a variety of factors, including the diet of the deer, the processing of the meat, the season in which the animal was harvested (i.e., if the male deer was in rut), the age of the animal, and more. Outside these factors, venison will not taste exactly like beef, so if you’re expecting that, you’ll be in for a surprise. However, I’ve also found how the meat is cooked can also greatly reduce any strong gamey flavor.
If you’ve had a bad experience with venison tasting “gamey”, there are a few things you can try.
- If it’s your kill/harvest, do your research on proper field dressing, bleeding, and processing to know what elements can affect the flavor of the meat during these.
- Purchase ground venison from a company like The Honest Bison. By doing this, you’ll ensure the meat was properly processed and see if you experience a noticeable difference in the taste and texture. Order with Honest Bison now!
Recipe Notes
- For a quicker cooking option, you can bake the meatballs in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- If you like your meatballs spicy, use hot Italian sausage or add 1 tsp. red pepper flakes to the mixture.
Recommended kitchen resources for cooking with ground venison
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Enjoy these additional wild game meatball recipes!
Ground Venison Meatballs Recipe
Ground Venison Meatballs
These ground venison meatballs are a classic Italian meatball recipe. They're the perfect meatballs for spaghetti or meatball subs - a versatile and easy ground venison recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison (ground deer meat)
- 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage or ground pork
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- 1/2 white onion - diced
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 jar marinara
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and mix to combine.
- Roll the meat mixture into 1-1.5 inch round meatballs and place onto a baking sheet. Continue until all meatballs are formed.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
- Remove from the oven.
- Transfer the meatballs to a large oven-safe skillet, and pour the jar of marinara over the meatballs. Place the skillet into the oven and let heat for about 10 minutes, just enough to warm the sauce.
- Serve over pasta or enjoy on their own!
Notes
- For a quicker cooking option, you can bake the meatballs in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- If you like your meatballs spicy, use hot Italian sausage or add 1 tsp. red pepper flakes to the mixture.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 399Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 144mgSodium: 861mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 35g
The recipes included on this website are written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist or medical professional, and the nutritional data on this site have not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist, registered dietician, or other medical professionals.
Primal Pioneer is a food blog and public land hunting resource by Mike and Jennifer Shreckengost. We’re a husband and wife team who combined their two passions – a love of the outdoors and food – into a joint effort with Primal Pioneer! You’ll find resources on planning and executing your own DIY over-the-counter public land big game hunt, along with wild game recipes featuring mostly venison and elk.
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