Recipe: Venison Hawaiian Meatballs

by
posted on February 13, 2021
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
recipe-venison-hawaiian-meatballs_lead.jpg

Sweet and tangy sauce with pineapple chunks conjures up images of a Hawaiian dinner. Add meatballs, and you have the perfect accompaniment for a plate of rice. If you want to get creative, use a cocktail skewer to serve a meatball and pineapple chunk, dripping in sauce, as an appetizer.

Any venison will work for this recipe with the breadcrumbs, egg and milk. Many hunters add ground pork for moisture, so meatballs do not crumble. The breadcrumbs will help hold the milk's moisture, binding the meat together with the egg as it cooks.

If you have a favorite barbecue sauce, add a cup to the sauce for a unique flavor. If you want a thick sauce, use cornstarch and chicken broth to add to the sauce while simmering. A loose sauce works well with rice, as it is absorbed with every forkful.

Sauce Ingredients
• two 14 oz. cans tomato sauce
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• one 14 oz. can pineapple chunks with juice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbsp ginger, crushed
• 2 Tbsp hot sauce
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dry mustard

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients, bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat to simmer until the meatballs are browning in the pan.

Venison Hawaiian Meatball Sauce


Meatball Ingredients

• 1½ lbs. ground venison
• 4 pieces of bacon, diced fine
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 green bell pepper, cubed
• 1 medium onion, cubed
• rice for serving

Directions
1. Combine the ground venison, bacon, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, onion, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper, and blend well. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs, rolled firmly in the palm of your hand.

2. Heat oil to medium-high in a large Camp Chef Dutch oven. Add venison meatballs and brown on all sides. Cook the meatballs for 4 to 6 minutes and add the onion and green pepper.

3. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bring to a simmer. Cook with the lid off for 30 minutes, and the sauce will thicken on its own.

4. Serve over rice or eat meatballs and pineapple chunks as an appetizer.

For more delicious wild-game recipes, click here.

Latest

W H2026 04 F Hog Texas Graves 425888
W H2026 04 F Hog Texas Graves 425888

Texas, Hogs and Thermals

Follow along as Brian McCombie indulges in his favorite trio: Texas, hogs and thermals.

New for 2026: Real Avid AR-15/AR-10 Master Collections

Real Avid has taken its AR-15 and AR-10 tooling and maintenance products and bundled them into anew Master Collections series, providing AR-platform fans with one-stop solutions to meet their specific AR needs.

Turkey Decoys All Season Long

Opening day of turkey season was rainy and cold. However, thanks to scouting and trail cameras, Scott Haugen had a plan. Matter of fact, from the first day to the last, Scott has a way to set the decoys to bring the birds in. Curious? Read on for some great strategies.

New for 2026: Hornady .223 WSSM and .243 WSSM Superformance Varmint

Hornady has announced the availability of .223 WSSM 55-grain V-Max and .243 WSSM 75-grain V-Max loads in the Superformance Varmint line.

#SundayGunday: Benelli M4 EXT

On this week's #SundayGunday, we’re checking out a true stalwart of the firearms world, the Benelli M4. Long held in high regard by concerned citizens looking for a pedigreed self-defense shotgun, quite a few have been plugged to reduce capacity, and used in the turkey woods over the years, as a true multi-purpose scattergun. Why? Well, as it turns out, there is very little that separates a good defensive shotgun from a good turkey gun. Learn more about it in this exclusive video.

Roundup: Turkey Guns & Gear

Check out our roundup of the best new turkey guns and gear in 2026.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.