Seed Oil Free Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison brings a rich, slightly earthy depth that pairs beautifully with grated apple, warm spices, and fresh herbs — the result is a meatball that feels both rustic and genuinely special. The apple does double duty here, adding a subtle sweetness and keeping the texture tender without any fillers or mystery binders. Cassava flour holds everything together cleanly, and coconut oil handles the searing, so there's no canola, soybean, or vegetable oil anywhere in the process. That matters a lot when you're trying to avoid industrially processed fats, since they have a way of sneaking into even the most straightforward recipes. The pan sauce — built from unsweetened apple cider, bone broth, and a touch of apple cider vinegar — comes together in the same skillet, picking up all those caramelized bits for a glossy, savory-sweet finish thickened with arrowroot. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like you put in serious effort, even though the steps are completely approachable. Serve them straight from the pan with a scatter of fresh parsley and watch them disappear.
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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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