Sometimes I’m just in the mood for something meaty, cheesy and spicy. These Mexican style bison meatballs fit the bill perfectly. Chopped jalapenos and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add some heat - easily adjustable for your personal preferences! These meatballs are packed with flavor and make an incredibly satisfying meal. They also only require one bowl and one skillet, making for an easy clean up - something that is always welcome.

Also Read: Ultimate Elk & Bison Meatloaf Wrapped In Duck Bacon

If You Like Beef, You’re Going To Love Bison

If you’ve never eaten bison before, you’re probably curious what it tastes like. The simple answer is that if you like the flavor of beef, you’re going to absolutely love bison. It’s very similar, but with a slightly sweeter taste. It’s naturally leaner and more tender. It has no “gamey” flavor whatsoever.

The key to preparing delicious bison is not to overcook it. It always needs to be cooked less than you would typically cook the same cut of beef. When cooked too much, bison will become tough - we always recommend cooking to medium rare for the ultimate flavor and texture. From premium steaks to fajita meat to burgers, any dish you’re used to cooking with beef will be amazing when prepared with bison. You could absolutely make these meatballs with our regular ground bison, keto burger blend, or primal burger blend. I went with the primal burger blend for its amazing health benefits.

Also Read: Oven Baked Bison Short Rib Pot Pie For Chilly Evenings

Our Bison Primal Burger Blend

This unique product is a specially formulated blend of ground bison, heart, liver and kidney. The organs are the most nutrient-rich part of the animal, and in ancient cultures this meat was prized and reserved for royalty. However, a lot of people in modern times have an aversion to eating organ meat. This is typically because they’ve never had it prepared correctly, and haven’t tried well-sourced offal. The Primal Blend is designed to take the intimidation factor out of consuming organ meat. It tastes just like our ground bison, but with all of the added benefits of these nutritional treasure troves.

Free Range Bison, Raised The Way Nature Intended

Our bison live free range on 20,000 beautiful acres here in New Mexico, or roam freely on our carefully selected partner ranches. They are pasture raised and never administered any amount of hormones, steroids or antibiotics. These are powerful, strong animals that live essentially wild with minimal handling. There were once 60 million bison roaming North America, and we hope to see their numbers increase back to even 1 million during our lifetime. By increasing the demand for ethically sourced bison meat, we can help to bolster their population. The more people that want to purchase this nourishing and nutrient dense meat, the more farmers will be encouraged to raise bison. This directly helps to increase the number of herds which assists in providing genetic diversity for the population.

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Also Read: Korean BBQ Style Slow Braised Bison Short Ribs

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

• 1 ½ pounds ground Bison Primal Blend
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
• ½ cup Japanese panko bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley + extra for garnish
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon bison tallow
• ½ large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo

Also Read: Puerto Rican Spiced Ground Bison & Plantain Lasagna Recipe

Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the Bison Primal Blend, half of the shredded Mexican cheese, panko bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, minced garlic, chopped jalapeno, egg and cumin. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix together just until combined, then shape into meatballs using your hands.
2. Heat bison tallow in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the meatballs to the skillet, working in batches if necessary to ensure they are in a single layer. Sear for a total of approximately 3-4 minutes, moving the meatballs around to get an even sear on all sides. Transfer the seared meatballs to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the chopped onion to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender. Add the an of crushed tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of chipotle pepper in adobo sauce to the skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the meatballs to the skillet. Cover and simmer for approximately 8 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Keep in mind that bison cooks more quickly than beef.
6. Add the remaining cup of shredded Mexican cheese to the skillet on top of the meatballs. Cover to melt the cheese for a minute or two.
7. Garnish with the extra chopped parsley. Serve and enjoy immediately.