Ingredients
- 1 pound ground wild boar
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- Olive oil
Directions
- In a large bowl, mix together ground meat, Italian seasoning, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, and egg, using only your fingertips. This helps avoid overworking the meat, which often results in drier meatballs.
- Roll the mixture into balls about the size of golf balls.
- Place a skillet over medium heat, and add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the meatballs, in batches if needed, and cook until they reach an internal temperature of 165 F, gently rolling to brown them on all sides. Alternatively, heat oven to 375 F. Place meatballs on parchment paper on a sheet pan, and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Serve with homemade marinara sauce on a sub sandwich, with pasta, or over a bed of mashed potatoes and gravy.
Wild boar lends itself well to recipes requiring ground meat. However, because the meat is significantly leaner than commercial ground meats, the addition of a bit of fat is often necessary to avoid dryness. This can be accomplished by adding a couple tablespoons of olive oil when mixing the meat, or you can have your butcher add a little pork fat to the meat during processing. If you want to grind your own boar meat, simply slice pieces of other cuts into small sections, freeze until firm but not solid, and then pulse in a food processor until the meat resembles a ground texture.
Yields about 24 meatballs.
For additional recipes and information, see Cooking with Wild Hog.
Kristi Cook and her family have been building their homestead for many years. Kristi shares their vast experiences through her articles, workshops, and her blog.
