Skip to main content

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.

Wild Turkey Meatballs with BBQ and Grape Jelly Sauce Recipe

Throwing a party and want to share your wild game with guests? Serve these homemade wild turkey meatballs with toothpicks for easy eating. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)

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:

  1. 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.

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


    Wild Turkey Meatballs Recipe
    Ground wild turkey mixture for meatballs. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
  2. 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.

    Wild Turkey Meatballs Recipe
    Browned wild turkey meatballs. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)


    Wild Turkey Meatballs Recipe
    Browned wild turkey meatballs. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
  3. 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 Recipe
    Wild turkey meatballs in a barbecue and grape jelly sauce. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)



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

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Bowhunting

Think Differently When Hanging Treestands

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Bowhunting

Hunting the Right Way

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Bowhunting

How to Hunt Small Acreage All Season

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Gear

Do Animals Smell Ozone?

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Bowhunting

Baseball & Bowhunting with Ben McDonald

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Gear

30 Years of TenPoint Crossbows!

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Gear

APX — The Newest Pattern From Realtree

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Gear

Buck Commander Releases New Buk Ops Technology

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Gear

Easton's Sonic 6.0 a Versatile Arrow Shaft

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Gear

Easton Introduces the Match Grade Pro Series Arrow

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Gear

Primos Double Bull Delivers New Raised Hunting Ground Blind

For big game hunters on the move out West, or a whitetail hunter looking to spot and stalk into range with a rifle or cr...
Gear

Primos Delivers Steady Shooting With Edge Tripod System

Bowhunter Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

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

Get the Bowhunter App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

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

Get the top Bowhunter stories delivered right to your inbox.

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

Enjoying What You're Reading?

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

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Bowhunter stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use