My creamy Venison Meatballs are fork tender and incredibly delicious. Slow cooked in a cream sauce, this venison meatball recipe will become your family’s favorite.
Follow me, Chef Sherry, as I show you how to make these crave-worthy venison meatballs everyone will love!!
Having several hunters in the family, we have an abundance of ground venison in the freezer. Deer venison is a very healthy meat with grass feed animals and lower saturated fat than beef.
Are you looking for more venison recipes? Try my venison chili if you have extra ground venison to use. Another popular recipe of mine is venison tips and noodles that my family requests often.
As an Amazon Associate, a Walmart Affiliate, and a member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links. Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product. If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I TRULY LOVE. Thank you for your support!
How to Cook Deer Meat
Depending on the cut of meat you are using will depend on how to cook your deer meat. Venison tenderloin meat can be made into venison tips and noodles, kabobs, or venison stew.
Ground venison can be turned into chili, spaghetti, and meatloaf. Anything that you use ground beef for can be turned into ground venison recipes.
What is the Secret to Tender Meatballs?
The secret to tender meatballs is to not over mix your meatball mixture. Using crushed up saltine crackers helps bind the meatballs together and also adds flavor.
Make sure not to over cook the venison meatballs because they will start to get tough.
How to Make Venison Meatballs
Gather all of your ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the venison burger, diced onion, egg, crushed saltine crackers, ketchup and half of the salt & pepper. With your hands, mix everything together until just combined.
Over-mixing will create tough meatballs. Form into 1 ½ inch balls. Use a # 40 scooper to get even balls. Brown your deer meatballs.
Do You Brown Meatballs Before Cooking?
Yes, Yes and Yes!!!! Browning the meatballs gives them FLAVOR!! Flavor is what makes this deer venison recipes stand out about the rest.
Chef Sherry’s tip: for browning your meatballs, use a George Forman Grill! So easy and quick, just place your rolled meatballs onto the griddle and close the lid.
After about 5 minutes, check for a browned color. When done, just transfer the venison meatballs into your cooking pan.
If you don’t have a George Forman Grill, you can sauté them in a non-stick pan on the stove over medium heat. I don’t use any butter or oil. Cook about 1 – 2 minutes on each side until you get a golden-brown color.
Chef Sherry’s tip: do not crowd the meatballs in the pan when browning. Time to cook your venison Swedish meatballs.
In a medium bowl add the cream of mushroom soup, the water and the rest of the salt and pepper. With a whip, incorporate all of the ingredients until smooth.
Slow Cooked Venison Meatballs
You can use a Crockpot, West Bend Slow Cooker or Instant Pot to cook your meatballs. I love, love, love my West Bend Slow Cooker to cook the venison meatballs.
My West Bend Slow Cooker has been a staple appliance in our home for 25 years. This Slow Cooker has helped this working mother get many, many home-cooked meals on the table for my family.
In the slow cooker pan, pour about 1/3rd of the cream of mushroom mixture into the bottom. Place all of the browned meatballs on-top of the cream of mushroom mixture.
Chef Sherry’s tip: add a jar of garden beans or a couple of cans of green beans to the top of your meatballs. Or a bag of baby carrots or baby potatoes or both.
I like to make a complete meal and not have to fuss with a side for the meatballs. Top all ingredients with the rest of the cream of mushroom mixture.
How Long to Cook Venison Meatballs
Cover and cook on medium/high for at least 4 hours or on medium for 8-10 hours. Stir about every hour if possible.
How Do You Keep Meatballs from Falling Apart?
To keep the meatballs from falling apart make sure to follow this recipe properly. Adding to much or not enough of any of the venison meatball ingredients will create an unstable meatball.
You will have a softer meatball if you do not brown it.
Instant Pot Venison Meatballs
Gather all of your ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the venison burger, diced onion, egg, crushed saltine crackers, ketchup and half of the salt & pepper. With your hands, mix everything together until just combined. Over mixing will create tough meatballs.
Form into 1 ½ inch balls. Use a scooper to get even balls. Brown your deer meatballs.
Brown Deer Meatballs
Sauté the rolled balls in a non-stick pan on the stove over medium heat. I don’t use any butter or oil. Cook about 1 – 2 minutes on each side until you get a golden-brown color.
I do not recommend sauteing the meatballs in the Instant Pot. It will get to hot before you can get them all browned.
In a medium bowl add the cream of mushroom soup, the water and the rest of the salt and pepper. With a whip, incorporate all of the ingredients until smooth.
In the Instant Pot pan, pour about 1/3rd of the cream of mushroom mixture into the bottom. Place all of the browned meatballs on-top of the cream of mushroom mixture.
Top with the rest of the cream of mushroom mixture. Add the lid on to the Instant Pot and lock into place. Set the Instant Pot to Slow Cook on the Normal setting for 4 hours.
More Meatball Recipes
I love trying different types of meatball recipes because you can create many different flavors. Try my Swedish Meatball Recipe using regular ground beef for a similar flavor.
Check out this Sausage Balls Recipe which is made with pork and Bisquick and is served as an appetizer. These air fryer chicken meatballs are made with chicken and cooked in an Air Fryer until nice and crispy!
Venison Meatballs – FAQ
Mixing equal amounts of ground beef or ground pork in with the ground venison will give the meatball a different flavor and help control the gamey venison taste. Also experimenting with different fresh herbs and spices will help improve the venison flavor.
To keep your meatballs from falling apart, use an egg and crushed up saltine crackers to help hold them together. Pack the meatballs together in the palm of your hands as you roll them into balls.
Venison Meatball Recipe
For the full recipe and nutrition serving, click below.
Venison Meatballs
My creamy Venison Meatballs are fork tender and incredibly delicious. Slow cooked in a cream sauce, this venison meatball recipe will become your family’s favorite.
Ingredients
- Venison, ground 1 lb 6 oz (633 g)
- Onion, small diced 1/2 cup (2.2 oz) (63 g)
- Egg 1 each (1.65 oz) (47 g)
- Saltine Cracker 10 squares (1.1 oz) (31 g)
- Ketchup 2 Tablespoons (1.6 oz) (45 g)
- Salt, divided 1 teaspoon (0.25 oz) (7 g)
- Pepper, divided 1/2 teaspoon (0.1 oz) (2 g)
- Cream of Mushroom 2 - 10 1/2 oz cans (596 g)
- Water 1 1/4 cup (10.8 oz) (305 g)
Instructions
- How to Make Venison Meatballs
Gather all of your ingredients. - In a large bowl, combine the venison burger, diced onion, egg, crushed saltine crackers, ketchup and half of the salt & pepper.
- With your hands, mix everything together until just combined. Overmixing will create tough meatballs.
- Form into 1 ½ inch balls. Use a scooper to get even balls.
- Brown your deer meatballs.
Do You Brown Meatballs Before Cooking?
Yes, Yes and Yes!!!! Browning the meatballs gives them FLAVOR!! Flavor is what makes this deer venison recipes stand out about the rest. - Chef Sherry’s tip for browning your meatballs, use a George Forman Grill! So easy and quick, just place your rolled meatballs onto the griddle and close the lid. After about 5 minutes, check for a browned color. When done, just transfer the venison meatballs into your cooking pan.
- If you don’t have a George Forman Grill, you can sauté them in a non-stick pan on the stove over medium heat. I don’t use any butter or oil. Cook about 1 – 2 minutes on each side until you get a golden-brown color. Chef Sherry’s tip: do not crowd the meatballs in the pan when browning.
- Time to cook your venison Swedish meatballs. In a medium bowl add the cream of mushroom soup, the water and the rest of the salt and pepper. With a whip, incorporate all of the ingredients until smooth.
- Slow Cooked Venison Meatballs
Use a Crockpot, Slow Cooker or Instant Pot to cook your meatballs. I love, love, love my West Bend Slow Cooker to cook the venison meatballs. My West Bend Slow Cooker has been a staple appliance in our home for 25 years. This Slow Cooker has helped this working mother get many, many homecooked meals on the table for my family. - In the slow cooker pan, pour about 1/3rd of the cream of mushroom mixture into the bottom.
- Place all of the browned meatballs on-top of the cream of mushroom mixture.
- Chef Sherry’s Tip: add a jar of garden beans or a couple of cans of green beans to the top of your meatballs. Or a bag of baby carrots or baby potatoes or both. I like to make a complete meal and not have to fuss with a side for the meatballs.
- Top all ingredients with the rest of the cream of mushroom mixture.
- How Long to Cook Venison Meatballs
Cover and cook on medium/high for at least 4 hours or on medium for 8-10 hours. Stir about every hour if possible.
Notes
What is the Secret to Tender Meatballs?
The secret to tender meatballs is to not over mix your meatball mixture. Using crushed up saltine crackers helps bind the meatballs together and also adds flavor. Make sure not to over cook the venison meatballs because they will start to get tough.
How Do You Keep Meatballs from Falling Apart?
To keep the meatballs from falling apart make sure to follow this recipe properly. Adding to much or not enough of any of the venison meatball ingredients will create an unstable meatball. You will have a softer meatball if you do not brown it.
Instant Pot Venison Meatballs
Gather all of your ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the venison burger, diced onion, egg, crushed saltine crackers, ketchup and half of the salt & pepper. With your hands, mix everything together until just combined. Overmixing will create tough meatballs. Form into 1 ½ inch balls. Use a scooper to get even balls. Brown your deer meatballs. Sauté the rolled balls in a non-stick pan on the stove over medium heat. I don’t use any butter or oil. Cook about 1 – 2 minutes on each side until you get a golden-brown color. I do not recommend sauteing the meatballs in the Instant Pot. It will get to hot before you can get them all browned. In a medium bowl add the cream of mushroom soup, the water and the rest of the salt and pepper. With a whip, incorporate all of the ingredients until smooth. In the Instant Pot pan, pour about 1/3rd of the cream of mushroom mixture into the bottom. Place all of the browned meatballs on-top of the cream of mushroom mixture. Top with the rest of the cream of mushroom mixture. Add the lid on to the Instant Pot and lock into place. Set the Instant Pot to Slow Cook on the Normal setting for 4 hours.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page contains affiliate links. Click on the highlighted text in a post to explore a product. If you purchase through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I ONLY EVER ENDORSE PRODUCTS THAT I HAVE PERSONALLY USED. Thank you for your support!
-
Cookie Scoop Set - #60/1 Tbsp, 40/2 Tbsp, 20/ 3Tbsp -
Instant Pot DUO80 8 Qt 7-in-1 -
West Bend 87905 Large Capacity Non-stick Versatility Slow Cooker with 5 Different Temperature Control Settings Dishwasher Safe Includes a Travel Lid, 5-Quart, Silver -
George Foreman 9-Serving Basic Plate Electric Grill and Panini Press, 144-Square-Inch, Platinum, GR2144P
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 168Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 53mgSodium 582mgCarbohydrates 14gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 12g
Note: For exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information is simply a guideline.
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If you enjoy this recipe, you may enjoy the following: Venison Tips and Noodles & Venison Chili
