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

LEDE Boone And Crockett 1
LEDE Boone And Crockett 1

Boone and Crockett Club has First Female President in 138 Years

Mary L. Webster was elected president of the Boone and Crockett Club during the organization’s 137th annual meeting in Phoenix, Ariz., late last year. She is the first woman to serve in this position since the Club’s inception in 1887.

New for 2026: Weatherby .25 RPM

For 2026, Weatherby has extended its cartridge line with the addition of the .25 Rebated Precision Magnum, the third in the series.

Waterfowl Hunting on a Shoestring Budget

Want to get into waterfowl hunting, but on a tight budget? Try these tips to get into the action this year and have something to show for your efforts!

Sierra Bullets 2026 Lineup

Last month, Sierra Bullets announced its 2026 new product lineup. Beginning in early 2026, all new products will be available at stocking dealers, major retail sporting goods stores, their websites and SierraBullets.com.

Franklin Armory Introduces Total Round Control Prevail Bolt Action

Franklin Armory's TRC action is designed to control each round through the entire feeding-chambering-firing-extraction-ejection cycle, so nothing is left to chance, eliminating the Push Feed (PF) versus Controlled Round Feed (CRF) dilemma.

Top 10 Rimfire Loads for Hunters

Phil Massaro loves rimfire rifles of all shapes and sizes, and enjoys the majority of rimfire cartridges available. Here is his top ten of the latter, in no particular order.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.