This is the time of year when the bottom half of our chest freezer is like a mystery box. A quick inventory found packages of freezer-burnt yellow beans, pale green leeks, bits and pieces of bones, chunks of rhubarb, gallon bags of whole tomatoes, quarts of stock, and ground meat. Lots of ground meat: pork, rabbit, wild turkey, lamb and venison.
While the garden is producing large amounts of fresh vegetables, the peaches and apples ripening, and the fall hunting and butchering season looming, it’s time to “clean out” the freezer.
For generations, frugal Maine households have used the occasion to “clean out” the refrigerator or freezer as an opportunity to create casseroles, soups, condiments and new and tasty meals. I recall my Grandmother Nonie’s version of mincemeat tasted different every year, as she cleaned out all the partial jars of jam and jelly lining the door of the refrigerator. My friend Deb likes to make Potato Leek Soup, Aunt Sharon cooked batches of vegetable and chicken stock, Cousin Nancy prepares tomato sauce, my late mother enjoyed mystery casseroles, and my family is particularly fond of meatloaf and meatballs.
I have several delicious recipes for meatballs and meatloaf, many based upon Julia Child’s advice in her book, “The Way to Cook” where she writes that “Happily, what to do with tag ends and rejects has given rise over the centuries to some of our most lofty creations. You can make a great meatloaf (or meatballs) out of raw meat, cooked meat or a combination….Your main concern is that it be carefully flavored, reasonably moist, and hold together.”
Deer in my garden have been an issue this season, eating over 800 tulip bulbs this spring, chowing on apple trees, and destroying beans, peas and squash crops. Fortunately, my husband and I both received an antlerless deer permit this year, which means we can each harvest two deer, (one doe and one buck, or two bucks per hunter). I’ll have plenty of opportunities for delicious and creative cooking with venison.
For easy and tasty recipes with wild game, Hank Shaw is my go-to cookbook author. The recipe for Venison Teriyaki Meatballs is adapted from his book, “Buck, Buck, Moose.” Hank writes that this is a traditional Japanese style of meatball called niku dango, normally made with pork. The preparation is simple, and the star of the show is the sauce. Perfect as a party appetizer, hearty over rice for supper, Venison Teriyaki Meatballs are a winner.
Although venison is our meat of choice, pork, beef, turkey or rabbit would also work. These meatballs freeze beautifully for a quick and easy meal, or for cocktail fare when friends stop by. I’ll certainly enjoy every bite of these savory meatballs knowing that there is one less deer destroying my garden.
Cheryl’s note: While culling the herd is our main intent, four deer are more than our family can consume. For folks with excess game, check out the Maine hunters for the hungry program at https://www.maine.gov/dacf/ard/food-assistance/hunters-for-hungry.shtml
Venison Teriyaki Meatballs
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
- 2 pounds finely ground venison beef, pork, lamb, turkey
- 3 tablespoons finely minced scallions or green onion
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 2 eggs
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons sake
- ½ cup Mirin Japanese cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- Toasted sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
- Assemble ingredients and tools.
- Finely chop the scallions and add them to the bowl of your electric mixer. Add the remaining meatloaf ingredients.
- Mix with the paddle (or by hand) until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Using a 1-ounce scoop, portion the mixture onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
- Using your hands, roll each scoop into a nice round ball. You should have 40 meatballs.
- For best results, chill the meatballs in the refrigerator for about an hour to firm up. Then preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes.
- While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk in the corn starch so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the bowl.
- Pour the sauce ingredients into large sauté pan. Bring it to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the cooked meatballs. Roll them around in the hot sauce to glaze them.
- Spoon them out to a serving platter or on a bed of rice. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Makes 40 meatballs.
