Combine Ingredients. Put all meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Gently mix together with your hands to combine.
1 lb ground bison, ½ cup parmesan cheese, ¼ cup yellow onion, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon tabasco sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Form Meatballs
Form Meatballs. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out a small amount of meatball mixture and form 1 inch balls by rolling it around between the palms of your hands. One pound of meat will make approximately 18 1-inch balls.
Cook Meatballs
Brown The Meatballs. Add a little cooking oil to a sauté pan that has been placed over medium-high heat. Once the oil gets hot and you can see the surface begin to ripple, it's time to add the meat.Using kitchen tongs, place meatballs into the hot oil, one at a time. Turn down the heat and continue to cook them over medium heat. Turn them over so that they brown on all sides.
1 tablespoon canola oil
Make Gravy
Mix Slurry. Whisk together cold water and corn starch in a liquid measuring cup until corn starch has dissolved. The corn starch slurry will act as a thickening agent for the gravy.
1 cup water, 1 tablespoon corn starch
Add Slurry. Pour the slurry into the pan with the meatballs and use a spoon to gently lift the bits of meat that are stuck to the bottom of the pan as you stir the liquid into a gravy. This is called deglazing the pan. And those bits will give amazing flavor to the gravy.Let the gravy come up to a gentle boil while you stir it into a smooth sauce. This is an important step, as the corn starch will reach its full thickening potential once it has reached the boiling point.
Simmer. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes until the meat is cooked through and the gravy is thick and delicious. Adjust seasonings as necessary.
Serve. We like to serve them over creamy mashed potatoes, brown rice, or a vegetable side dish.
Notes
Notes On Ingredients
ground bison - may substitute any ground meat like ground beef, ground turkey, or ground pork.
parmesan cheese - flavors and helps the meatball hold its shape. May substitute breadcrumbs, crackers, or almond flour.
onion - minced so that it softens entirely as it cooks.
garlic - or garlic powder
egg - acts as a binder and helps the meatball hold its shape.
tabasco sauce or sriracha - flavor booster.
olive oil or canola oil - for sautéing.
Flavor Boosters
Bison meat has a mild, sweet flavor. Boost that mild flavor by adding flavor boosters like: salt, Italian seasoning, spicy crackers, fresh herbs, garlic, hot sauce, or your favorite dry rub.
Variations
Italian Meatballs - Bison meatballs are great with pasta sauces. Make a quick tomato sauce with fresh basil, red pepper flakes or Italian seasoning. Add cooked meatballs to the sauce and serve over pasta or zucchini noodles (zoodles) with some fresh parmesan cheese.
BBQ Meatballs - Brush on some bbq sauce that has been mixed with a little brown sugar.
Teriyaki Meatballs - Make a simple teriyaki sauce by mixing soy sauce, with a little sake, sugar, and some fresh herbs. Add the sauce to the meatballs, and simmer slowly until the sauce has thickened and the meat is cooked through.
Bison Meatloaf - Form one loaf instead, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake it in a 400°F oven for 45 minutes.
Alternative Cooking Methods
Baked Meatballs - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lay the uncooked meatballs on baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes.
Air Fryer Meatballs - Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Place uncooked meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air Fry them for 8 minutes.
Freezing and Meal Prep
This easy meatball recipe is a really great for meal prep. Freeze portions in restaurant storage containers for that easy weeknight dinner win.