Pork Free Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison is a naturally lean, rich-tasting protein that brings serious depth to these warmly spiced meatballs ā no pork products anywhere in the recipe, from the meat itself to the binding and the sauce. Grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple works double duty here, adding a subtle sweetness and keeping the texture tender without any filler you'd need to second-guess. Cassava flour holds everything together, while ground ginger, turmeric, and Ceylon cinnamon give each bite a fragrant, slightly exotic warmth that makes these feel genuinely special. The pan sauce is where things get really good ā unsweetened apple cider and bone broth deglaze all those caramelized bits from the skillet, then reduce into a glossy, rosemary-kissed glaze thickened with arrowroot. Searing the meatballs first and finishing them in the oven means you get a beautifully browned exterior and a juicy, fully cooked center every time. This is the kind of dish that looks and tastes like you spent hours on it, but the technique is completely approachable for a weeknight dinner.
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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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