Any Thai food lovers out there? This one’s for you! There are a lot of great flavors going on here. The meatballs are the star of this dish and can be made to go with anything, so you can ditch the curry if it’s not your thing. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any ground venison you have left before the hunting season starts!
Ingredients
Venison Meatballs
- 2 lbs ground venison
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp Thai red curry paste
- 2 Tbsp sugar (can do less to make it healthier)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp coarse kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 4 pieces of bacon, finely chopped
Curry Sauce
- 3/4 cup onions, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste (can add more to your liking)
- 2 14 oz cans full fat coconut milk or cream
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt (optional)
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves (optional)
- Chili flakes (optional)
Directions
- To make the Thai venison meatballs, mix all meatball ingredients (leave out canola oil) together until fully incorporated. If available use a stand mixer set on medium speed with the flat beater attachment. Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop meatballs out in 2 Tbsp portions. Using your hands, gently roll and place the meatball in the oil. Brown the meatballs in batches of 10 on all sides, but do not cook all the way through. Place meatballs on a plate and set aside.
- To make the red curry sauce, drain off all but 1 Tbsp oil from the pan. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes longer. Add the Thai red curry paste and break it up as much as possible followed by the coconut milk and stir or whisk until paste and cream are fully incorporated and curry sauce is smooth. When your red curry sauce base is smooth, add the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and salt if using. Bring to a boil and add all the meatballs back into the Thai red curry sauce. Turn heat to a simmer, cover the pan with a lid. Simmer meatballs for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through the center. Add fresh basil and stir to combine. (We used basil seasoning as we didn’t have fresh basil on hand.)
- Serve over your choice of rice or roasted veggies (we used cabbage), with cilantro and crushed red pepper flakes for additional heat.
Recipe inspiration courtesy of The Modern Proper.
