Meatballs are a great side dish or starter when having company. They are easy to make, reheat well, and are loaded with flavour. Making special meatballs for the holiday season means using festive ingredients like cranberries and nutmeg.

Meatballs are a fantastic way to utilize ground venison. However, consider adding some ground pork for a smoother texture and better binding.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ lbs ground venison
• ½ lb regular ground pork
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• ½ cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg 
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 25 fresh cranberries (can be frozen)

Cranberry Sauce

• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup molasses
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp smoked paprika

Garnish

• 2 tsp minced chives or green onions (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine all meatball ingredients, except the cranberries, in a large bowl. Do not overwork the meat.
3. Use a spoon to gather enough meat to form into a one-inch ball. Roll the meat into a ball and push a cranberry into the center, pushing the meat back around it to seal it off. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until brown and cooked through to get the cranberry flavour.
4. While the meatballs are baking, combine the cranberry sauce ingredients in a large, deep-frying pan over medium-high heat. Whisk the ingredients to blend and bring to a simmer. The sauce will thicken, and the cranberries will burst open to create more flavour. Stir frequently. Reduce heat to low. Continue cooking, mashing the cranberries until the sauce thickens and darkens, about 7 minutes. Cook longer for a thicker sauce.
5. Remove the cooked meatballs from the oven and place them in the skillet with the sauce. Bring everything back to a simmer. Garnish with chives or green onion and serve.