Bison Meatballs Recipes

FABIENNE'S BISON MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Mix bison, mustard, oregano, cumin, onion powder, paprika, sage, and celery salt together in a bowl. Form meatballs approximately 1 1/2-inch diameter in size.
• Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat, swirling to cover bottom of the skillet. Add meatballs and cook undisturbed, about 4 minutes. Continue to cook, turning meatballs until browned evenly on all sides, about 6 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

MIDDLE EASTERN BISON MEATBALLS WITH CILANTRO-YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• For cilantro-yogurt sauce:
• Toast all seeds in small skillet over medium heat until aromatic and slightly darker in color, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Cool. Finely grind seeds in spice mill or coffee grinder. Place cilantro and all remaining ingredients in blender. Add 1 teaspoon ground seeds and process until smooth sauce forms, scraping down sides frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover sauce and chill. Reserve remaining ground seeds for meatballs. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Store remaining ground seeds in airtight container at room temperature.
• For meatballs:
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes (do not brown). Cool. Toss breadcrumbs with milk in small bowl to moisten. Place cooled onion mixture, breadcrumb mixture, reserved ground seeds from cilantro-yogurt sauce, jalapeño, and yogurt in processor. Using on/off turns, process until coarse puree forms. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Add bison, egg, cilantro, sage, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, pepper, and allspice. Using hands or fork, mix until just blended. Using damp hands, form bison mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, cook meatballs until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer meatballs to rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven to keep warm up to 15 minutes.
• Serve meatballs with cilantro-yogurt sauce for dipping.
• *A thick yogurt; sold at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores (such as Trader Joe's and Whole Foods), and Greek markets. If unavailable, place plain whole-milk yogurt in cheesecloth-lined strainer set over large bowl. Cover and chill 4 hours to drain.

BISON MEATBALLS WITH TOMATOES AND HERBS

Steps:

• Prepare meatballs: Lightly beat egg in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in panko, garlic, fresh parsley, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and ground black pepper until combined. Add bison and mix with your hands until ingredients are evenly distributed.
• Form 24 meatballs, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, brown 12 meatballs on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining meatballs.
• Prepare tomatoes: Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon fresh olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add chopped onion; cook and stir until onion starts to become translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, oregano, fennel seeds, and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Return the browned meatballs to the skillet. Cover and simmer until meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).