These delicious Sweet and Sour Venison Meatballs are made with perfectly seasoned ground venison smothered in a tangy and flavorful homemade sauce. This easy-to-make 30-minute recipe is a family favorite.
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Why These Are The Best Ever Venison Meatballs
- An easy recipe that is ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
- Homemade meatballs can be made for a main course or as an appetizer.
- Includes carrots that are hidden for extra nutrition.
- The meatballs are tender and juicy.
- This is the best sauce for venison meatballs.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Only a few basic pantry staples are needed to make this simple venison meatballs recipe.
- 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 bread crumbs or oatmeal instead.
- Onion, chopped
- 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 meat, 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.
Serving suggestions
I love to serve these deer meatballs on a bed of Pressure Cooked Jasmine Rice with a side of Smoked Foil Wrapped Corn on the Cob.
It also goes great served with Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes, Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes, or Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries.
Expert Tips
- 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.
- You can also place meatballs on a baking sheet or baking dish and bake in the oven.
- Add a grated carrot for extra nutrients, and top with sesame seeds or green onions for garnish.
Additions & Variations
- Add green bell pepper, red bell pepper, onions, or peas to the sauce.
- Adjust the sweetness of the sauce by using more or less sugar, or use your favorite sauce instead.
- Use pineapple juice instead of water for extra flavor or add a can of pineapple chunks.
- Add some Italian seasoning to the meatball mixture, or use your favorite seasonings or some Parmesan cheese.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Store leftover cooked deer meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
Freezer: Venison meatballs can be frozen (once cooled) in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to two months.
Recipe FAQ's
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. If the animal has been eating a lot of sage, the meat may have a sage flavor.
Absolutely. You can prepare the meatballs and sauce in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator, and then cook or reheat when needed.
Yes, you can place the browned meatballs and sauce in a slow cooker and cook on low for 3-4 hours.
Mix more cornstarch with soy sauce or a little water and stir it into the sauce, heating until it reaches the desired thickness.
More Venison Recipes You'll Love
Related Recipes
- Low-Carb Meatballs
- Teriyaki Pineapple Meatballs
- Frozen Meatballs in Air Fryer
- Smoked Venison Meatballs On Pellet Grill
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! 🙂
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 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2½ tablespoon 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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Recipe 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 INFORMATION
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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.