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Tender venison meatballs with bacon and brown gravy are the ultimate comfort food served over a bed of mashed potatoes! This recipe is easy to make, freezer-friendly, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
I’m always on the hunt for a protein source that is versatile, inexpensive, and easy to make. Meatballs hit the mark, and I’m loving these venison meatballs with bacon and brown gravy!
I love making meatballs. Shaping them can be time-consuming, especially if you’re making a lot. Thankfully, my husband likes to cook too when he has time, and when it comes to venison, he’ll make time!
We have a great time shaping meatballs together, and I usually try to make a double or triple batch to freeze for future meals!
When I decided to make a venison meatball recipe, I referred back to my classic beef stovetop meatballs and my deep fried meatballs and tweaked those recipes to best suit the flavor of the venison.
We’re all craving creamy, American-style comfort food this time of year, so I made these meatballs with brown gravy instead of marinara and served them with Dutch oven mashed potatoes.
My family all agreed these need to be added to the regular meal rotation! They are seriously so good.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy protein: Meatballs are one of my favorite protein sources because they are easy to make, great for meal prep, and you can serve them with nearly anything!
- Tender and flavorful: We are pulling out all the stops to make these the best venison meatballs you’ve ever had! They are juicy, tender, and packed with so much flavor, both in the meatballs and in the brown gravy.
- Comfort dish: Meatballs are always a good idea, but meatballs in gravy bring an extra layer of richness, savoriness, and comfort. This is such a cozy recipe for fall and winter!
Ingredients
- Ground venison: Venison makes such tasty meatballs! You can also use a similar wild game, like ground elk or moose (I also make cranberry moose meatballs that are so good).
- Bacon: Crispy, chopped bacon mixed into the meatballs adds some fat to the lean venison and so much delicious flavor!
- Eggs: Don’t skip the eggs — they help bind the meat together so the meatballs don’t crumble as easily.
- Breadcrumbs: These also help bind the meatballs together, and they absorb extra moisture, keeping the meat juicy and tender. You can use store-bought or homemade.
Find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the page!
How to Make Venison Meatballs with Bacon and Brown Gravy
Step 1. Cook bacon in a 12″ skillet until just crispy. Remove from heat and set aside. Drain off grease.
Step 2. In the same skillet, finely dice and sauté the onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon of avocado oil.
Step 3. In a large mixing bowl, add the sautéed onions and garlic, ground venison, chopped bacon, breadcrumbs, eggs, heavy cream, and the rest of the seasonings. Mix well, being careful not to overmix.
Step 4. Use an ice cream scoop or similar to scoop even portions and shape them into balls.
Step 5. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, and cook the meatballs for about 3 minutes per side until browned all over. I used tongs to flip them so they wouldn’t fall apart. Work in two batches if your skillet is crowded, then move them to a plate.
Step 6. In the same skillet, reduce heat to low and add the butter and let it melt, then sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1 minute until it turns light golden brown.
Step 7. Pour in the beef broth a little at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Continue whisking until it comes to a simmer.
Step 8. Return the meatballs to the skillet along with any juices from the plate. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, spooning the gravy over them a few times, until the gravy thickens and the meatballs are cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
Tips + Notes
- I don’t add any ground pork to my venison, which I know is common. If you did add ground pork, you can still follow this recipe; you may just have a bit more fat in the meat, which is totally fine.
- I really like the dark gravy with this, and the key to that is letting the flour get golden brown before adding the broth. Feel free to add more salt and pepper if you so choose.
- I really suggest using tongs to flip the meatballs. For one, it’s just easier, but it also helps them to not fall apart, which can be a problem if you flip them too soon.
- These should cook in the skillet for a total of about 12 minutes before you pull them off the heat to start your gravy.
- Use an instant thermometer to check the internal temp before serving. You’ll want the center to hit 165°F.
Recipe FAQs
They sure do! You can freeze these meatballs with or without the gravy for 3-6 months. Keep them in a freezer-safe container and allow them to thaw before reheating on the stove or in the oven.
Yes, you absolutely could. Just skip the brown gravy, and swap out the suggested dried herbs for an equal amount of Italian seasoning. You might also like my venison pasta or venison lasagna!
Yes, you can substitute ground oats or gluten-free breadcrumbs for the regular breadcrumbs to make the meatballs without any gluten. You’ll also need to swap out the flour in the gravy for a gluten-free all purpose flour.
Related Recipes
- Venison Meatloaf Recipe
- Venison Casserole
- Ground Venison Stroganoff
- Venison Salisbury Steak
- Venison Cube Steak
If you tried these Venison Meatballs with Bacon and Brown Gravy or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Venison Meatballs with Bacon and Brown Gravy
Equipment
- 12-inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ¼ small yellow onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil divided
- 2 lbs ground venison
- 6 slices of bacon finely chopped
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs beaten
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
Brown Gravy
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3-4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet until just crispy. Remove from heat and set aside. Drain off grease.
- In the same skillet, finely dice and saute the onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon of avocado oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sautéed onions and garlic, ground venison, chopped bacon, breadcrumbs, eggs, heavy cream, and the rest of the seasonings. Mix well, being careful not to overmix.
- Use an ice cream scoop or similar to scoop even portions and shape them into balls.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and cook the meatballs for about 3 minutes per side until browned all over. I used tongs to flip them so they wouldn't fall apart. Work in two batches if your skillet is crowded, then move them to a plate.
- In the same skillet, reduce heat to low and add the butter and let it melt, then sprinkle in the flour and whisk for 1 minute until it turns light golden brown.
- Pour in the beef broth a little at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Continue whisking until it comes to a simmer.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet along with any juices from the plate. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, spooning the gravy over them a few times, until the gravy thickens and the meatballs are cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
- Serve by themselves or on a bed of mashed potatoes.
Notes
- I don’t add any ground pork to my venison, which I know is common. If you did add ground pork, you can still follow this recipe; you may just have a bit more fat in the meat, which is totally fine.
- I really like the dark gravy with this, and the key to that is letting the flour get golden brown before adding the broth. Feel free to add more salt and pepper if you so choose.
- I really suggest using tongs to flip the meatballs. For one, it’s just easier, but it also helps them to not fall apart, which can be a problem if you flip them too soon.
- These should cook in the skillet for a total of about 12 minutes before you pull them off the heat to start your gravy.
- Use an instant thermometer to check the internal temp before serving. You’ll want the center to hit 165°F.
