Italian Wedding Soup With Bison And Wild Boar Meatballs
I always thought that Italian wedding soup was served at weddings. As it turns out, this soup actually gets its name from the “marriage” of the flavorful meat and greens. It’s a poetic culinary concept and a beautiful name fit for such a delicious dish. The meatballs in this soup are small in size for easy eating out of a spoon. Orzo pasta and plenty of vegetables create wonderful texture. A combination of chicken stock and bison bone broth give rich layers of meaty flavor and the perfect amount of Italian herbs make this soup completely irresistible. You might even want to make a double batch.
Also Read: Fall Off The Bone Red Wine Braised Bison Short Ribs
Our Mission Is To Bring Back The American Bison
Our bison live free range on 10,000 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.
Also Read: Oven Baked Spaghetti With Ground Bison & Fresh Mozzarella
Wild Boar Is One Of The Most Sustainable Meats
Our Southwestern wild boar roam the forests, foraging their natural diet. They love to eat berries, nuts, roots and tubers which give their meat its unique and delectable flavor profile. They’re trapped under the supervision of specialized veterinarians and butchered by a small scale, species specific facility. Just like all of our products, we care about where this meat comes from. Wild boar are actually an invasive species to North America, and their population continues to grow. They ruin crops and disrupt the growth of endangered plants in forests by digging in the soil. When we eat humanely trapped wild boar meat it helps to protect our food supply and forest ecosystems.
Ingredients:
For the bison and wild boar meatballs:
- ½ lb ground bison
- ½ lb ground wild boar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ½ cup fresh focaccia bread crumbs
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon bison tallow
Also Read: Zuppa Toscana With Heritage Pork Sausage & Wild Boar Bacon
For the Italian wedding soup:
- 1 tablespoon bison tallow
- 1 ¼ cups diced carrots
- 1 ¼ cups diced onion
- ¾ cup diced celery
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups bison bone broth
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup orzo pasta, uncooked
- ½ lb chopped fresh spinach
- Chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients except for the bison tallow. Use your hands to mix just until combined (don’t overmix).
- Shape into small sized meatballs, no more than 1 inch in diameter. Set aside on a plate.
- Heat the tablespoon of bison tallow in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, working in batches. Only the outside needs to be seared - the meatballs will cook all the way through later in the soup.
- Start making the soup. Heat a tablespoon of bison tallow in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions, carrots and celery until tender. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and bison bone broth to the Dutch oven. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired. Bring the soup to a boil, then add in the meatballs and uncooked orzo pasta.
- Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the pasta and meatballs are cooked all the way through. Add the chopped spinach to the soup just before serving. Stir to combine.
- Serve garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Also Read: Recipe: Thai Moo Ping Skewers With Wild Boar Shoulder
Don’t Hesitate To Reach Out To Our Team
At Beck & Bulow, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. We’re always here to help if you have any questions regarding your meat, want help making selections, or are just looking for some cooking tips. Every time you call our office, you’ll be directly connected with one of our team members right here in Santa Fe, New Mexico where we’re based.
Every cut of meat is pressure sealed and flash frozen immediately after butchering at the peak of freshness. We work exclusively with master butchers who make every cut with care and precision. All orders are hand packed at our Santa Fe warehouse, shipped in a reusable cooler with dry ice and delivered straight to your doorstep. Check out our selections of humanely raised chicken, elk, bison, beef, lamb, wild boar, pork and seafood.
