These delicious Sweet and Sour Venison Meatballs turn ground venison into an irresistible Asian-inspired dinner! Perfectly seasoned meatballs simmer in a homemade sweet and tangy sauce that rivals your favorite takeout. Ready in just 30 minutes, they're perfect for busy weeknights but special enough for company!
If you love cooking with venison, try my Pan Seared Venison Backstrap or Smoked Venison Meatballs next!
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Editor's Note: Originally published on September 28, 2021. Updated with new pictures and expanded information on February 1, 2025.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and easy! From prep to table in just 30 minutes - perfect for busy weeknights!
- Versatile! Serve as a main course over rice or as party appetizers - they're always a hit!
- Better than takeout! The homemade sweet and sour sauce takes these meatballs to the next level.
Recipe ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below, and special notes are included in the bulleted list to assist you.
- Ground venison. You can use 100% ground venison or venison mixed with ground pork, beef, or ground turkey. You can even use frozen meatballs.
- Panko breadcrumbs. Use regular breadcrumbs or oatmeal instead.
- Brown sugar. You can also use cane sugar or raw sugar.
- Soy sauce and cornstarch are mixed to use as a thickener for the sauce. You could also use coconut aminos.
See the printable recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make sweet and sour venison meatballs
Quick Overview
- Mix all ingredients for meatballs in a bowl.
- Form into 1.5-inch diameter meatballs.
- Brown meatballs in a saucepan.
- Add brown sugar, water, and vinegar to a saucepan.
- Thicken the sauce with a soy sauce and cornstarch slurry.
- Pour sweet and sour sauce over meatballs in a skillet and serve.
Step-by-step instructions
- Step 1: Combine ground venison, Panko, egg, onion, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl and mix well to combine. I recommend mixing with your hands. Form the meat mixture into 1.5-inch balls or smaller for mini meatballs.
- Step 2: Add olive oil to a large skillet and preheat on medium heat. Next, add meatballs to the skillet and brown them. Flip them over to brown on all sides.
- Step 3: While the meatballs are cooking, add brown sugar, water, and vinegar to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix soy sauce and cornstarch with a spoon or small whisk in a small bowl and add to the saucepan. Heat until the sauce boils and thickens, and pour over meatballs.
- Step 4: Add shredded carrots, if desired, to the skillet for extra veggies and color. Put the lid on and let the meatballs simmer on low heat for 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F. Serve cooked meatballs on a bed of white rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles, and garnish with fresh parsley, green onion, or sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Top tips
- Make the meatballs the same size for even cooking.
- Chop the onion into fine pieces to blend in with the meat well.
- Keep the lid on the skillet when browning meatballs to prevent evaporation. The venison meat is dry and needs all the moisture it can get.
- You can also place meatballs on a baking sheet or baking dish and bake in the oven.
- Add grated carrot for extra nutrients and top with sesame seeds or green onions for garnish.
- Check the internal temp with a meat thermometer - venison should reach 165°F.
Variations
- Extra veggies: Add grated carrots, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, peas, mushrooms, or a can of pineapple chunks to the sauce.
- Adjust the sweetness of the sauce by using more or less sugar.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes or sriracha to the sauce.
- Pineapple twist: Use pineapple juice instead of water in the sauce, or make my Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs.
What to serve with sweet and sour meatballs
I love to serve these deer meatballs on a bed of Pressure Cooked Jasmine Rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles and a side of Smoked Foil Wrapped Corn on the Cob or Air Fryer Broccoli.
They also go great with Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes, Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes, or Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
Storage tips
Make Ahead: You can prep the meatballs a day ahead - shape them, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook. The sauce can also be made ahead and stored separately.
Refrigerator: Store leftover cooked deer meatballs and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. The sauce may thicken when chilled - this is normal.
Freezer: Venison meatballs can be frozen (once cooled) in an airtight container or freezer bag with the sauce for up to two months.
Recipe FAQs
Venison is the term given to the meat of large wild game such as elk, moose, caribou, antelope, and deer. They all come from the family Cervidae.
Venison meat has a flavor all its own; however, it has a much lower fat content and is drier than beef. Many people add a fattier cut of meat, such as pork, to increase the moisture in the meat. The meat may have a sage flavor if the animal has been eating a lot of sage.
Yes! Brown the meatballs first, then cook on low for 3-4 hours with the sauce.
Mix more cornstarch with soy sauce or a little water and stir it into the sauce, heating until it reaches the desired thickness.
Yes! You can make my Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer recipe and add the sauce afterward.
Use gluten-free Panko and tamari instead of soy sauce.
More venison recipes you'll love
- Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Venison Backstrap - A family favorite!
- Best Venison Stew Recipe - Perfect comfort food!
- Instant Pot Venison Stew - Ready in a fraction of the time
- Smoked Venison Meatballs - Amazing smoky flavor
- Smoked Venison Roast - Perfect for special occasions
- Pan Seared Venison Backstrap - Restaurant quality at home
- Ultimate Venison Philly Cheesesteak - A crowd favorite!
- Instant Pot Venison Roast - Easy one-pot meal
Check out these Ground Venison Recipes for more inspiration!
If you made these Best Venison Meatballs With Sweet and Sour Sauce, please leave a star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you! 🙂
Printable Recipe
Sweet and Sour Venison Meatballs
Ingredients
Venison Meatball Ingredients
- 1½ pounds ground venison
- 3 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 1½ cups water
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- 2½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup grated carrot optional
- sesame seeds for garnish optional
Instructions
Venison Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine ground venison, Panko, onion, egg, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix together well. Using your hands to mix works the best.
- Shape meatballs into 1.5" balls. You will get approximately 20 meatballs this size.
- Add olive oil to a large skillet or frying pan and preheat over medium heat. Add meatballs and brown on all sides. Keep a lid on to prevent moisture from escaping and drying the meatballs out.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Combine brown sugar, water, and vinegar in a saucepan. Mix to combine. Make a slurry by combining soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl and add it to the saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens.
- Add sauce to the meatballs and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on until the meatballs are cooked through.
- Add grated carrot to the sweet and sour sauce, if desired, for the last 10 minutes of cooking, and serve.
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Notes
- Make the meatballs the same size for even cooking.
- Chop the onion into fine pieces so it blends in with the meat well.
- Keep the lid on the skillet when browning meatballs to prevent evaporation. The venison meat is dry and needs all the moisture it can get.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
**This recipe was originally published on September 28, 2021. I recently updated it with more information, helpful tips, and new pictures on February 1, 2025, but the recipe remains the same.
Kim says
This recipe has been a hit with everyone I've shared them with. I am making them again today and will be substituting some pineapple juice for some of the water. But it is a great recipe as is.
Jeri Walker says
Thanks so much Kim! I'm so glad everyone loved it! It's always been one of our favorite venison recipes! I love your substitution of pineapple juice! 😀
Francis L Bibbo says
I added 1.5 tablespoon of chili powder and a half tablespoon of cumin: just to be creative. The sauce is great and so are the meatballs.
Jeri Walker says
Thanks for trying this venison meatballs recipe, Francis! I'm so glad you enjoyed them, and I love the addition of chili powder and cumin! Thanks for coming back to comment and rate the recipe! 🙂
Oscar says
This sounds relishes. Can’t wait to make this next time I get some venison. Looks good.