Cheesy venison meatballs

As hunters, we have a lot of venison in our freezer, and are always looking for new ways to cook and serve venison and other game meats. We also follow a keto way of eating (is there a better diet for a hunter?).

In this recipe, we’ve paired both of our passions to come up with a keto-friendly recipe that’s big on healthy fats and protein and low in carbohydrates. As always, you could substitute the venison mince for regular beef or lamb mince, or even try it with other minced game like kangaroo, buffalo or pig.

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg venison (or other) mince
• 2 brown onions, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 250g cream cheese, cubed
• 1 jar Persian fetta
• 1 jar of tomato pasata
• 2 cups almond meal
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon each of rosemary, ground coriander, garlic powder, and basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for frying

Method:

1. Preheat over to 180 degrees Celcius.
2. In a large bowl, mix mince, 1 diced onion, 1 clove of crushed garlic, herbs/spices and tomato sauce until combined. Add 1 cup of almond meal, and 2 eggs – mix through thoroughly.
3. Shape mixture into large balls and insert 1 cube of cream cheese into the middle of each, closing the ball to cover. Roll the rissole in remaining almond meal. Repeat until all mixture has been used.
4. Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow fry meatballs until golden brown on both sides. This is best done in batches, but the meatballs don’t need to be cooked inside. Arrange meatballs in a baking tray and set aside.
5. Add the remaining onion and garlic to the pan and stir fry until translucent. Add tomoto pasata and heat through. Pour over meatballs, then crumble Persian feta over the top.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
7. Serve with steamed green vegetables.