Bison Meatballs
Easy Bison Meatballs are sure to become a regular dinner in your menu plan! These are incredibly easy to whip up, and have a wonderful savory flavor and tender texture. Say hello to your new favorite meatball recipe.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground bison
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 small yellow onion cooked then peeled and grated 1/3 cup, place onion in a paper towel and gently squeeze to remove excess fluid.
- 1 small sweet potato COOKED, peeled and grated about 3/4 cup (directions for cooking below)
- 2-3 tablespoon parsley chopped
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup gluten free panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- RAO marinara or another sugar free marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and blend evenly, using your hands.
- Form into 2” balls and place 1” to 1 1/2” apart on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Serve with marinara sauce.
How to cook sweet potato
- Wash, pat dry and pierce sweet potato with fork all over.
- Place sweet potato on microwave safe plate and microwave for 5 minutes. Turning halfway through.
- Your sweet potato should be for tender, if not cook an additional 30 seconds.
- Peel potato and mash or grate for meatballs
Notes
- Doneness: It's important to make sure your bison meatballs are cooked through without overcooking them. The easiest way to do that? A meat thermometer! The internal temperature of the meatballs should be about 160 - 165°F.
- Use Cold Bison and Wet Hands: Forming meatballs can be a little tricky. Two things that make it easier? Using cold meat right out of the fridge, and wetting your hands with water to prevent sticking.
- Grating the Veggies: You might be tempted to just finely chop the onion and sweet potato instead of grating them, but grating really is better. Grated onion and sweet potato almost dissolve in the meatball mixture, flavoring the meat and adding tenderness. Chopped veggies, even if they are fine, will create a more chunky texture.
- Form the Meatballs Gently: Any time you are working with ground meat, including ground bison, handle it gently and don't pack the meatballs tightly or overwork the mixture. Tightly packed or overworked meatballs tend to be tough, while loosely-rolled, gently-mixed meatballs are more tender.
- Make-Ahead (Fridge): While you can find storing and freezing guidelines for cooked meatballs below, it's great to know that these can also be stored or frozen uncooked, if you just want to do some quick prep and then cook them at a later date. To store in the refrigerator, form the meatballs and then place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
- Make-Ahead (Freezer): To freeze uncooked bison meatballs, place the formed meatballs in the freezer on a clean cookie sheet, not couching until frozen solid. Then package them in freezer bags to freeze for up to three months.
- Storage: Store baked, cooled bison meatballs in airtight containers or food storage bags. They will keep for up to four days in the refrigerator, or up to three months in the freezer. Thaw before reheating.