Wild Turkey Meatballs with BBQ and Grape Jelly Sauce Recipe

Portable and reheats well, these wild turkey meatballs will become a favorite in your rotation of appetizers.

April 19, 2022 By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley

Print Recipe

Crockpot meatballs are always a hit at parties and get-togethers, but few people ever make them from scratch. If you’re looking for a simple yet flavorful recipe for wild turkey this spring, try these meatballs to share your wild game with others.

The pork belly adds a bit of fat and flavor to this otherwise lean game. Bacon can be used instead, but it will change the flavor of the meatballs and you will have to adjust the addition of salt.

Yield: About 46 wild turkey meatballs
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pounds of ground wild turkey
½ pound ground pork belly (no skin)
½ cup minced shallot
½ cup minced onion
2 eggs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
½ cup milk
Freshly cracked pepper
Cooking oil
1 bottle BBQ sauce, preferably a more tart one
¼ cup water
1 cup grape jelly
1 tablespoon Louisiana Hot Sauce, or taste
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, ground pork belly, shallot, onion, eggs, garlic powder, kosher salt, breadcrumbs, milk, and cracked pepper. Knead the mixture until it's fully incorporated into a smooth paste. Add more breadcrumbs if the meat is too wet.

If the wild turkey mixture feels a little too wet, add in some more breadcrumbs. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)

Ground wild turkey mixture for meatballs. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
Coat the bottom of a non-stick pan with oil and heat over medium-high. Roll meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs and brown in batches. Set browned meatballs aside.

Browned wild turkey meatballs. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)

Browned wild turkey meatballs. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
This step can be done in a slow cooker or in a large pan: Combine water, BBQ sauce, grape jelly, hot sauce and Worcestershire and heat through. Add meatballs, cover and simmer on low until cooked through—internal temperature should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce from scorching.

Meatballs will take longer to cook in a slow cooker. You can cook the meatballs in a pan first and then transfer them to a slow cooker to keep warm for parties.

Wild turkey meatballs in a barbecue and grape jelly sauce. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)

Recent Videos

Gear

APX — The Newest Pattern From Realtree

Gear

APX — The Newest Pattern From Realtree

Jim McGinn, VP of Marketing at Realtree, shows off the latest camouflage pattern from this industry giant. The new APX pattern is an all-purpose pattern that will help you blend into your surroundings whether you're in a treestand hunting whitetails, or bellycrawling your way into range of a mule deer out West. It took years to develop APX, a pattern that met the strict standards of Realtree Founder, Bill Jordan, and it will meet your standards as well.

Gear

Buck Commander Releases New Buk Ops Technology

Gear

Buck Commander Releases New Buk Ops Technology

Ryan Busbice from Buck Commander introduces a brand-new technology they call Buk Ops. This is an optical viewing device that does not use infra-red or thermal technology. It maximizes available light to give the user an enhanced view of their surroundings. It's not a targeting device either, but a tool for scanning fields in low light, or even walking into your stand or blind without a flashlight. This is one-of-a-kind technology that holds many uses for all types of hunters.

Gear

Easton's Sonic 6.0 a Versatile Arrow Shaft

Gear

Easton's Sonic 6.0 a Versatile Arrow Shaft

Bowhunter TV Host, Curt Wells, talks to Easton Marketing Director, Gary Cornum, about the Sonic 6.0, a highly versatile arrow shaft that gives the bowhunter multiple options. Wells explains how he's able to convert his Sonic 6.0 arrows to different weights based on the species of big game he's hunting.

Gear

Easton Introduces the Match Grade Pro Series Arrow

Gear

Easton Introduces the Match Grade Pro Series Arrow

Gary Cornum, Marketing Director at Easton, explains to Bowhunter TV Host, Curt Wells, the virtues of Easton's newly released Match Grade Pro Series Arrows. From front to back, Easton has built their latest technologies into these arrows, which are only available from Easton dealers. Everything from high-end inserts and vanes combine with a five-point straightness standard to make the Pro Series arrows the best a bowhunter can buy. It's no longer necessary to build-your-own to achieve the highest quality arrow you demand.

Gear

Primos Double Bull Delivers New Raised Hunting Ground Blind

Gear

Primos Double Bull Delivers New Raised Hunting Ground Blind

On the surface, it would seem almost impossible to keep improving the Double Bull ground blinds manufactured by Primos. But as Raised Hunting founder and television show host David Holder explained to OSG's Lynn Burkhead, this year's new Raised Hunting Double Bull blind raises the standard of ground blind excellence even higher, whether you're chasing elk, mule deer or pronghorn antelope out west in Montana or big record book whitetails living in the Midwestern whitetail paradise of Iowa.

Gear

Primos Delivers Steady Shooting With Edge Tripod System

Gear

Primos Delivers Steady Shooting With Edge Tripod System

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or crossbow, keeping the scope's crosshairs steady can be a challenge. But not anymore according to Primos Hunting's Jason Harris, who recently showed OSG's Lynn Burkhead all of the versatility of the new Primos Edge Tripod, a carbon-fiber, magnetic head support system that provides a quick, rock solid shooting platform when a pressure packed hunt's moment of truth arrives.

Gear

The QAD Ultrarest Gets Better

Gear

The QAD Ultrarest Gets Better

Kevin Fry, Vice President at Quality Archery Design, lays out the improvements made to the newest Ultrarest Integrate MX arrow rest. The new MX2 is stronger, lighter, more compact, and includes a refined capture bar. The machined launcher is now fitted with a damper system to reduce noise and it can be color matched to your other accessories. The MX2 still features the “precision click micro adjust” to help you fine tune your setup.

Gear

A QAD Ultrarest For Everyone

Gear

A QAD Ultrarest For Everyone

No matter your budget or standard, QAD has an arrow rest for you. Kevin Fry, VP at QAD, goes through their line of arrow rests that range from the high-end $300 MX2 to their economy model that retails for just $75. Every model of arrow rest is made entirely in the U.S.A. and comes with a lifetime warranty.

Gear

Primos Legacy Grows With Icon Call Series

Gear

Primos Legacy Grows With Icon Call Series

Primos Game Calls is one of America's most iconic call makers, and according to Eric Hughes, that's the whole idea behind a brand new call lineup. In an ongoing introduction through a variety of game call styles, including deer calls, elk calls, predator calls, and of course, turkey calls. With that call-making DNA, Hughes spent some time telling OSG's Lynn Burkhead about the new Icon call line-up being unveiled by Will Primos and his Mississippi call making company and how it will take call making to the next level.

Gear

Going Light With Dryshod Boots

Gear

Going Light With Dryshod Boots

Steven Fuller, Marketing Director at Dryshod boots, goes through their line, from hunting boots to chore boots to knock-around shoes, they have it all, and the focus is on ultralight construction. The hunting line of knee-high boots have neoprene that is treated to be extra waterproof, and the outsole material is noticeably lighter than most boots of this type, making them good for hiking and packing when weight is a concern.

Gear

Tactical Bowhunting from T.R.U. Ball and Axcel

Gear

Tactical Bowhunting from T.R.U. Ball and Axcel

T.R.U. Ball/Axcel has taken some of its most popular release aids and bow sights and created the new-for-2024 Tactical Bowhunting Series, a collection of products optimized for the field where stealth and performance under pressure are keys to success.

Gear

Trophyline Venatic Specter

Gear

Trophyline Venatic Specter

Trophyline is following up on the success of its Venatic tree saddle with a new-for-2024 model featuring First Lite Specter camouflage, available this summer.

See All Videos

Buy Digital Single Issues

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Bowhunter App

Other Magazines

Guns & Ammo

Hunting

North American Whitetail

Bowhunting

Special Interest Magazines

2023 Backcountry Hunter Fall

Buy A Copy

2023 Backcountry Hunter Fall

Buy A Copy

2023 Hound

Buy A Copy

2023 Hound

Buy A Copy

2023 Crossbow Revolution #2

Buy A Copy

2023 Crossbow Revolution #2

Buy A Copy

2023 Tree Saddle Hunter

Buy A Copy

2023 Tree Saddle Hunter

Buy A Copy

2023 Hunting Gear Guide

Buy A Copy

2023 Hunting Gear Guide

Buy A Copy

2023 Public Land Hunter

Buy A Copy

2023 Public Land Hunter

Buy A Copy

See All Special Interest Magazines

More You May Be Interested In

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Bowhunter subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe & Save.

Wild Turkey Meatballs with BBQ and Grape Jelly Sauce Recipe

Portable and reheats well, these wild turkey meatballs will become a favorite in your rotation of appetizers.

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Buy Digital Single Issues

Don't miss an issue.Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Other Magazines

Guns & Ammo

Guns & Ammo

Hunting

Hunting

North American Whitetail

North American Whitetail

Bowhunting

Bowhunting

Special Interest Magazines

2023 Backcountry Hunter Fall

2023 Backcountry Hunter Fall

2023 Hound

2023 Hound

2023 Crossbow Revolution #2

2023 Crossbow Revolution #2

2023 Tree Saddle Hunter

2023 Tree Saddle Hunter

2023 Hunting Gear Guide

2023 Hunting Gear Guide

2023 Public Land Hunter

2023 Public Land Hunter

More You May Be Interested In

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get Digital Access.

Not a Subscriber?

Get a Full Yearof Guns & Ammo& Digital Access.

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.