Low Sugar Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison is a naturally lean, rich protein, and pairing it with grated apple and warm spices like ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon gives these meatballs a depth of flavor that feels anything but plain. The apple does double duty here — it adds a subtle natural sweetness and keeps the texture tender without a single gram of added sugar anywhere in the recipe. Squeezing out the excess apple moisture before mixing is a small but smart step that makes the difference between a tight, well-formed meatball and one that falls apart in the pan. The pan sauce is where things get really special: unsweetened apple cider and bone broth reduce down into something glossy and savory, finished with a touch of arrowroot for body and apple cider vinegar for brightness. Every component — from the cassava flour binder to the AIP-compliant broth — is chosen with intention, so you're not left guessing about hidden sweeteners sneaking in through a store-bought shortcut. These are the kind of meatballs that work just as well over roasted vegetables as they do straight from the skillet, sauce and all.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground bison
- 1 medium apple (such as honeycrisp or fuji), peeled and grated
- 2 tbsp cassava flour
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the pan sauce
- 1 cup apple cider (unsweetened, no additives)
- ½ cup bone broth (homemade or aip-compliant brand)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp cold water
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Grate the apple on the large holes of a box grater, then squeeze the grated apple firmly in your hands over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible — this keeps the meatballs from becoming dense and wet.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground bison, squeezed grated apple, cassava flour, garlic, parsley, thyme, ginger, turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, and salt. Mix with your hands until just combined and uniform — do not overwork the mixture.
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