Xanthan Gum Free Bison and Apple Meatballs
Ground bison brings a rich, slightly sweet depth that pairs beautifully with grated Honeycrisp or Fuji apple, warm Ceylon cinnamon, and a whisper of ginger — making these meatballs feel genuinely special without a lot of fuss. The trick of squeezing excess moisture from the grated apple before mixing is a small step that makes a big difference, keeping every meatball tender and well-structured rather than dense. Cassava flour and arrowroot starch do all the binding and thickening work here, so there's no need for any gum-based additives that can sneak into store-bought blends or pre-made sauces. The pan sauce — built from unsweetened apple cider, bone broth, apple cider vinegar, and fresh rosemary — gets glossy and lightly thickened from that arrowroot slurry, and it tastes like something you'd find at a cozy autumn dinner table. Searing the meatballs first in coconut oil before finishing them in the oven gives you that gorgeous browned crust with a juicy, fully cooked center. Everything comes together in a single oven-safe skillet, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy the result. Finish with a scatter of fresh parsley and serve straight from the pan.
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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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