Tender, flavorful elk meatballs are easy to make and can be served with your favorite sauce or gravy. Whip up this wild game recipe for a lean, protein-packed dinner the whole family will love.
If you love wild game recipes try bison steak next time.
Why Elk Meat?
Elk meat offers a nutrient-dense, environmentally friendly red meat option. With its mild, slightly sweet, and gamey flavor, elk is a tasty alternative to traditional beef, chicken, or pork. Ground elk is high in protein and low in cholesterol, making it an excellent part of a well-balanced diet and perfect for meal prep.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
- Ground Elk: I use ground elk or ground venison for this recipe, but you can also make meatballs from ground pork, beef, veal, turkey, or chicken.
- Onion: Half of a white onion will do, but finely dice them so they combine with the meatballs rather than causing them to break apart.
- Garlic: I use four garlic cloves for additional flavor.
- Eggs: Bind the meatball ingredients with one egg.
- Mayonnaise: Wild game meat is lean, so keeping the meatballs tender and moist can be tricky without any fat content. I combine the ground elk with mayonnaise but use duck or bacon fat.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Add moisture and a ton of flavor to the meatballs with umami-rich Worcestershire sauce.
- Spices: Flavor the elk meatballs recipe with kosher salt, coarse ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried parsley.
- Olive Oil: Oil your hands before rolling the meatballs to prevent the meatball mixture from sticking to your hands.
How to Make Elk Meatballs
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Then, combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl, careful not to over-mix. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 350℉ (176℃). Then, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and roll it into 1-inch balls. Line them onto the baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake for 25-30 minutes (depending on the strength of your oven), flipping the meatballs halfway through.
Step 4: Broil on high for 2 minutes. Flip and broil for another 2 minutes. Let the finished meatballs rest for 10 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Increase the moisture in the meatballs by incorporating onions, garlic, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce. However, I recommend fine-dicing the vegetables so they don’t cause the meatballs to come apart.
- Eggs act as a natural binder, but you can include 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs if you prefer firmer meatballs.
- When combining the ingredients, avoid over-mixing, as this can result in tough meatballs.
- When baking meatballs in the oven, avoid overcrowding the baking sheet. Placing them too close together causes them to release moisture, resulting in steamed meatballs instead of the golden-baked texture we are going for and a sloppy wet mess in the bottom of the baking dish.
- If you prefer a more golden and crispy exterior, broil the meatballs for 1-2 minutes after they have baked, but keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.
- Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute and firm slightly.
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Serving Suggestions
Use this recipe for elk meatballs to replace beef, pork, or chicken meatballs in your favorite recipes.
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Meatball Curry
- Korean Meatballs
- Meatball Subs with Sugo al Pomodoro
- Swedish Ikea Meatballs
- Meatball Skewers on a wooden skewer with Skhug, Chimichurri or your favorite barbecue sauce.
- Moroccan Meatballs
- Albondigas Soup
- Italian Meatball Dip
- Homemade Beef Gravy
What to Do With the Leftovers
- Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
- Can I freeze the meatballs? Let the meatballs cool, then portion them into freezer-safe containers or bags. Elk meatballs freeze for 2-3 months.
- Thaw – Thaw frozen meatballs in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat – Microwave individual leftovers or warm them in the oven for 20 minutes at 350°F (165°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
How long to cook elk meatballs?
Elk meatballs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) to ensure they are fully cooked and safe to eat. To accurately measure the internal temperature, use a food thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball. For more tips and tricks for cooking meatballs at this temperature, check out my article describing how long to cook meatballs at 350°F.
Why are my meatballs coming out crumbly?
If your meatballs are falling apart, there are a few potential causes to consider.
1. Firstly, too little moisture will result in dry, crumbly meatballs, so include onions, garlic, eggs, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce in the ground elk meat mixture. I like to use one egg for every pound of ground meat.
2. Over-mixing can also lead to denser, crumbly meatballs, so combine the ingredients until they are evenly incorporated, and not a bit more.
3. The size and shape of the meatballs can affect their texture. If you roll them too large or they have an uneven shape, it can result in uneven.
Do meatballs need to be browned before baking?
Browning the meatballs in a skillet with oil before baking them is not necessary, but it will enhance their flavor and shape.
Can I cook the meatballs on the stovetop?
Absolutely! Heat a large skillet over medium and cook the meatballs until done, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of your meatballs. Make sure to rotate often to ensure an even cook.
Where can I buy elk meat?
I grew up in the Southwest, the daughter of an avid hunter, so I always had an abundance of elk meat. Even when we moved to Colorado, I could easily visit a friend’s house and raid their deep freezer. The local butcher shops carried plenty of wild game like bison, antelope, deer, and elk. Then, we moved to North Carolina, and I quickly realized that elk meat is not readily available in some parts of the United States.
There are a number of online retailers that sell elk meat and ship it fresh or frozen nationally. Examples include Fossil Farms, North Star Bison, Mossy Oak Butchery, SayersBrook Bison Ranch, Broken Arrow Ranch, and North Fork Elk Company. They offer cuts like ground elk, sirloin tips, tenderloins, roasts, and more.
More Meatball Recipes:
Elk Meatballs
- 1 pound ground elk
- ½ medium white onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Then, combine the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl, careful not to over-mix. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (176℃). Then, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and roll it into 1-inch balls. Line them onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes (depending on the strength of your oven), flipping the meatballs halfway through.
- Broil on high for 2 minutes. Flip and broil for another 2 minutes. Let the finished meatballs rest for 10 minutes before serving, and enjoy!
- Increase the moisture in the meatballs by incorporating onions, garlic, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce. However, I recommend fine-dicing the vegetables so they don’t cause the meatballs to come apart.
- Eggs act as a natural binder, but you can include 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs if you prefer firmer meatballs.
- When combining the ingredients, avoid over-mixing, as this can result in tough meatballs.
- When baking meatballs in the oven, avoid overcrowding the baking sheet. Placing them too close together causes them to release moisture, resulting in steamed meatballs instead of the golden-baked texture we are going for and a sloppy wet mess in the bottom of the baking dish.
- If you prefer a more golden and crispy exterior, broil the meatballs for 1-2 minutes after they have baked, but keep a close eye on them to prevent burning.
- Let the meatballs rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute and firm slightly.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.