Sweet and Sour Venison Meatballs with Chokecherry Jelly will quickly become one of your favorites when you are looking for game day appetizers or super bowl food ideas.
Most people are familiar with grape jelly meatballs as the best meatball recipe when you are in search of game day food or super bowl food ideas. Grape jelly meatballs are juicy, delicious, and an easy appetizer to make when you need to bring something to a football party. But I prefer using chokecherry jelly instead of grape jelly when making my sweet and sour meatballs because chokecherries are the state fruit of North Dakota. And I love chokecherry jelly!
I have fond childhood memories of all of us piling into the family station wagon and taking a late summer road trip to visit my grandparents in Elgin, Nebraska. Along the way, my dad would spot chokecherry bushes, pull over, and gorge on them until my mom yelled at him to get back in the car. He'd untuck his shirt, shovel as many chokecherries as he could into his "shirt bucket" and run back to the car. My mom would then scream even louder when she saw the dark purple stains running down his belly. She would make him dig in his suitcase and change into a clean shirt before we arrived to see his mom and dad.
Pride of North Dakota
This Wild Chokecherry Jelly is part of the Pride of North Dakota program and made in Valley City, ND where I was first introduced to hunting 20 years ago. Pride of Dakota's goal is to provide local business owners the business development resources and marketing opportunities they need to be successful. Members include food and beverage companies, manufacturers, publishers, artisans, gift manufacturers and service providers. When it comes to choke cherry jelly, this Pride of North Dakota product is my favorite!
Choke Cherries
Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana), a member of the rose family, is the state fruit of North Dakota. This small tree or shrub grows to a height of 20 feet. Often found in ravines and valleys. The white flowers grow in clusters on the tips of branches and bloom in May. The slightly tart fruit is ripe in late July and August. Chokecherry berries were one of the main ingredients in a food commonly used by Plains Indians known as pemmican. Pemmican is a mix of dried meat, fat, and fruit that could be stored for years. Today chokecherries are commonly used to make jelly, syrup and wine.
Venison Meatball Recipe
These Venison Sweet and Sour Meatballs are mega juicy and SO easy. This really is both an easy meatball recipe and the best meatball recipe when it comes to game day food. While you can opt for store-bought frozen meatballs, once you taste the difference of homemade meatballs, you will never go back!
I used panko breadcrumbs for this venison meatball recipe because I had some in the pantry. But I've also made these venison meatballs with Saltine crackers and my favorite buttery delicious Ritz crackers.
This Sweet and Sour Meatball recipe is as easy as mixing the simple ingredients, rolling the venison meatballs, baking them in the oven on parchment paper for an easy cleanup, then cooking them in the chokecherry jelly chili sauce.
Choose the Dutch Oven or Slow Cooker
You can cook these venison sweet and sour meatballs on the stovetop in a Dutch oven, or in a slow cooker. I love making them ahead of time and freezing them for an easy, stress-free game day food. Our 10-year-old daughter also loves this dish as one of her favorite venison recipes served over a bed of mashed potatoes. No matter how you serve this Venison Meatball recipe, its guaranteed to disappear in a flash!
Venison Meatball Internal Temperature
The baked 100% venison meatballs need to be properly cooked to a minimum internal temperature of just 150 degrees F, not the 160 degrees F you need when using a mixture of pork. Beyond that, this easy meatball recipe makes venison meatballs that aren't too dense - and packed with delicious flavor.
More Game Day Appetizers
If you are looking for more great ways to use that wild game in your freezer for game day appetizers or super bowl food ideas, don't stop with this Venison Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe with Chokecherry Jelly. I also have a delicious and easy-to-make Jalapeno Popper Venison Flautas recipe, and a Buffalo Pheasant Dip. If you want another meatball recipe, be sure and check out my Venison Swedish Meatballs.
Come Deer Hunting in North Dakota
If you are headed our way for North Dakota deer season, check out the North Dakota Game & Fish Department website. And if you want me to come along with you as your camp cook, photographer, or butcher, you can find out more details here.
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Sweet and Sour Venison Meatballs with Chokecherry Jelly
Ingredients
Venison Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (or 20 Saltine or Ritz crackers)
- ⅓ cup yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 12 ounces chili sauce
- 9 ounces chokecherry jelly
Instructions
Stovetop Version
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Set aside.
- Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl except the venison and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Add the ground venison and mix with your hands until well combined.
- Divide the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Place venison meatballs onto prepared baking sheet without touching.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for about 18 minutes until the venison meatballs reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
- Meanwhile, whisk all of the Sauce ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Transfer the mixture to a Dutch oven and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, until warmed through.
- Add the baked venison meatballs to the sauce and stir to evenly coat. Serve warm or transfer to the slow cooker and keep on the “warm” setting until ready to serve.
Slow Cooker Version
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Set aside.
- Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large mixing bowl except the venison and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Add the ground venison and mix with your hands until well combined.
- Divide the mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Place venison meatballs onto prepared baking sheet without touching.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes to sear the meatballs – they will not be cooked through.
- Meanwhile, whisk all of the Sauce ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Lightly grease a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the venison meatballs, then pour the sauce over the top of them. Do NOT stir the meatballs yet or they will fall apart.
- Cook on LOW for 2 hours in the slow cooker until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees F on an instant read thermometer, gently stirring one hour into cooking. You can keep the slow cooker on the WARM setting until you’re ready to serve.
Cindy todd says
Would you suggest grape jelly or cranberry sauce as substitute for chokeberry?
Jeff Benda says
Great question Cindy! Either would work. I've experimented and done this recipe with cranberry sauce around Christmas, and with grape jelly for a Superbowl Party. Both were delicious options and big hits with family and friends.
Charlene says
These were great. Made them for everyone who came over to watch football, and they were a big hit.
Jeff Benda says
Thanks Charlene. Glad it was a game day hit!