Venison Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs in creamy gravy are about as Minnesota as it gets. They show up at church suppers, holiday buffets, and pretty much any gathering with a slow cooker and a stack of paper plates. If there’s venison in your freezer after deer season, this is one of the best ways to use it. The warm spices and rich gravy make it taste like comfort food, not “gamey.”
The one trick is fat. Venison is really lean, so on its own the meatballs can turn out dry and crumbly. Mixing in some ground pork fixes that and keeps them tender and juicy. Serve them over buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes with a spoonful of lingonberry jam on the side.
Why it works
- Ground pork adds the fat venison is missing, so the meatballs stay moist and hold together.
- Breadcrumbs soaked in milk (a panade) keep the texture soft instead of dense.
- Allspice and a little nutmeg are the classic Swedish meatball spices, and they pair really well with venison.
- Browning the meatballs first leaves flavorful bits in the pan that become the base of the gravy.
Venison Swedish Meatballs
Ingredients
- Meatballs: ½ cup plain breadcrumbs (or panko)
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 lb ground venison
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 large egg
- ½ small yellow onion, finely grated (about ¼ cup)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp neutral oil, for browning
- Gravy: 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth (low-sodium is best)
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- To serve: buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam (or cranberry sauce), chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Soak the breadcrumbs. In a large bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs and milk and let them sit 5 minutes until soft.
- Add the venison, pork, egg, grated onion, salt, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg. Mix gently with your hands just until combined. Overmixing makes tough meatballs.
- Roll into 1¼-inch balls (about 30). Wet hands keep the mixture from sticking.
- Brown the meatballs. Heat the 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning, 5 to 7 minutes per batch until browned on all sides. They don’t need to be cooked through yet. Move them to a plate.
- Make the gravy. Pour off all but a thin layer of fat, leaving the browned bits. Add the 3 tbsp butter and melt. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes until light golden.
- Slowly whisk in the beef broth, scraping up the browned bits, until smooth. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes until it starts to thicken. Whisk in the cream, Worcestershire, and Dijon.
- Return the meatballs and any juices to the pan. Cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat 10 to 12 minutes, turning once, until cooked through to 160°F in the center and the gravy coats a spoon. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve over noodles or mashed potatoes, with lingonberry jam on the side.
Notes
- Ground venison, like all ground meat, should be cooked to 160°F. Check a few of the biggest meatballs with an instant-read thermometer.
- If your venison was ground with beef or pork fat already added, you can use 1½ lb of it and skip the pork.
- No lingonberries? Whole-berry cranberry sauce gives you the same sweet-tart contrast.
- Make ahead: roll the meatballs and refrigerate up to a day, or freeze them raw on a sheet pan, then bag them. Brown from thawed.
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently to 165°F, adding a splash of broth if the gravy gets thick.
