When it comes to hearty and flavorful dishes, few things beat these perfectly cooked BBQ Bison Meatballs. If you're looking to elevate your culinary game, why not try something a bit unconventional yet utterly delicious? This recipe combines the lean and rich flavor of bison meat with the irresistible tanginess of barbeque sauce, all cooked to perfection. Let's dive into the details of how to make this mouthwatering dish.
If you're looking for other great appetizer or party food ideas, give my Birria Egg Rolls a try!
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Why You'll Love These Delicious Bison Meatballs
These meatballs are a play on a family favorite meatloaf recipe that my family has been making for years! Besides these meatballs being absolutely incredible, here are a few more reasons you'll love them:
- These meatballs are simple! There are only six ingredients to make these meatballs and it's as simple as mixing them all together, rolling in balls, brushing with BBQ sauce and then throwing them in the oven to cook!
- They are versatile. You can use these meatballs for your next Superbowl party, an appetizer, or for dinner paired with a side. The possibilities are truly endless!
- The sweet flavor from the meatball itself perfectly pairs with the tangy barbeque sauce.
Ingredients
Ground Bison: You can find ground Bison at most grocery stores. If you can't find it or need to substitute, this recipe also works great with ground beef!
Ground Breakfast Sausage: I'm a big fan of using Jimmy Dean's Regular ground breakfast sausage. However, I've also used their maple flavored sausage and that tasted great as well! Feel free to experiment to your liking.
Onion: I typically use a yellow onion. I've also used a sweet onion and it tasted great!
Bread Crumbs: If you don't have bread crumbs, you can also take a slice of bread and rip it into tiny pieces.
Egg: I recommend using an egg in this recipe to help hold the meatballs together. However, I have also made this without egg and it turned out great! If you have an egg allergy, it's easy to make this recipe egg free!
Barbeque Sauce: I typically use Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce but feel free to use whichever BBQ sauce is your favorite!
How to Make the Meatballs
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400℉. Combine the 2 pounds bison, 1 pound sausage, ½ chopped onion, ½ cup bread crumbs, egg and ½ cup barbeque sauce in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. It may be helpful to use your hands to get the ingredients well combined.
Step 2: Roll the mixture into 2 inch balls or to your desired size. Place them on a baking sheet.
Step 3: Brush the tops with BBQ sauce before baking in the oven for 20 minutes or until no pink remains in the center.
Step 4: Optionally garnish the meatballs with parsley. If you are serving as an appetizer, I recommend using these bamboo sticks to make it simple for guests to grab the meatballs!
Why Choose Bison Meat?
Bison meat offers a healthier alternative to traditional beef since it is lower in fat and calories while still being packed with protein and essential nutrients. Bison also has a distinctively rich and slightly sweet flavor that pairs beautifully with the tangy barbeque sauce in this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! If you don't want to use bison, you can substitute ground beef instead. The ratio will be 1:1.
Store the meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 5 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
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📖 Recipe
BBQ Bison Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground bison
- 16 oz ground breakfast sausage
- ½ yellow onion finely chopped
- ½ c bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ c barbeque sauce divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Combine the bison, sausage, chopped onion, bread crumbs, egg and ½ cup barbeque sauce in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. It may be helpful to use your hands to get the ingredients well combined.2 lbs ground bison, 16 oz ground breakfast sausage, ½ yellow onion, ½ c bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1 ½ c barbeque sauce
- Roll the mixture into 2 inch balls or to your desired size. Place them on a baking sheet
- Brush the tops of the meatballs with BBQ sauce. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until no pink remains in the middle.1 ½ c barbeque sauce
- Optionally garnish the meatballs with parsley. If you are serving as an appetizer, I recommend using these bamboo sticks to make it simple for guests to grab the meatballs!
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