Artificial Food Coloring Free Bison and Apple Meatballs
These meatballs bring together ground bison and freshly grated apple in a combination that sounds unexpected but tastes completely natural ā subtly sweet, warmly spiced, and deeply satisfying. The aromatics here do real work: garlic, fresh thyme, parsley, ground ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon layer into every bite without leaning on any packaged seasoning blends that might sneak in unwanted dyes or additives. Cassava flour binds everything together cleanly, and the trick of squeezing the grated apple dry before mixing keeps the texture tight and tender rather than soggy. The pan sauce is where things get genuinely exciting ā unsweetened apple cider and bone broth deglaze all those caramelized bits from the skillet, then reduce into something glossy and complex, finished with a quick arrowroot slurry for body. Every ingredient in this recipe is whole and straightforward, which means no label-reading anxiety and no mystery colorants hiding in a store-bought sauce or spice packet. It's the kind of meal that feels special enough for a dinner party but is grounded enough to become a weeknight regular.
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Learn more āIngredients
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
- Ā½ tsp ground ginger
- Ā¼ tsp ground turmeric
- Ā¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the pan sauce
- 1 cup apple cider (unsweetened, no additives)
- Ā½ 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 400Ā°F (205Ā°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 ā 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 ā do not overwork the mixture.
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