Sweet and Sour Venison Meatballs with Chokecherry Jelly
This 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.
Servings: 25 meatballs
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 20 minutes until the venison meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160 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 to 3 hours in the slow cooker until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160 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.
