Spiced Duck Meatballs

Vicky Mullaney for SPLIT REED

The Lodge at Black Pearl- of the Eastern Shore of Maryland has become as renowned for its extraordinary food as its legendary waterfowl hunting. The chef delighting hunters, family, and friends is Vicky Mullaney, lodge manager and hunter herself, who can also cast a fly rod and butcher a deer. Along with her husband, she embraced the healthful benefits of raising five children in the sporting life in one of the country’s most beautiful and bountiful wilds. Vicky’s recipes offer an array of tips for both fresh game and seafood, along with plentiful essential culinary creations for those who hunt at the grocery store. Be sure to check her cookbook out as we begin to release some of her most sought-after recipes this year. Enjoy! 

Every February I hold a Becoming an Outdoors Woman Field-to-Table Clinic in conjunction with Maryland DNR’s BOW. After a morning of retriever demonstrations, duck identification, and field dressing, these women (mostly newbies to waterfowl hunting and wild game cooking) come into the kitchen for hands-on recipe preparation. This recipe is usually on the list because everyone can roll up their sleeves, don some disposable gloves, and make meatballs together. Most of these women have not eaten or don’t like wild game because it wasn’t properly cooked when they tried it before. They leave with a totally new perspective! While we work together, I discuss the health benefits of eating wild game and they quickly become converts.

This is a great hors d’oeuvres for entertaining, as you can make it up to several days in advance. Reheat the meatballs and sauce in a saucepan over low heat or place them in a crockpot you can serve them in and reheat on the low setting. You can use any combination of ground meats, but this is the favorite recipe at Black Pearl.

NOTE: The meatballs freeze well. Keep chili sauce in the pantry, so you’ll be prepared for surprise guests!

MEATBALL INGREDIENTS:

• ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs

• ½ cup milk

• 1 pound ground duck

• 1 pound ground venison, sika, or beef

• 1 pound ground pork

• ¾ cup grated onion

• 1 tablespoon garlic salt

• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

• 2 bottles Heinz chili sauce

• ½ cup grape jelly

• 2 cloves minced fresh garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Mix the spices and breadcrumbs together in a medium bowl. Add the milk and stir to combine. Add the onion and ground meats and mix thoroughly with your hands. The mixture is fairly sticky.

3. Form into 1-inch balls and place on a lightly greased sheet pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the centers are no longer pink. Makes about 110 meatballs.

4. For Sauce: Mix the three ingredients together in a small saucepan and gently bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to combine. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Pour over meatballs and serve in a chafing dish or crockpot to keep them hot. I place a cup of frilly toothpicks next to the dish for guests to serve themselves.

Click here for more Split Reed Waterfowl Recipes!