Smoky Chipotle Bison Meatballs

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

If you’ve been wanting to experiment cooking with bison meat, these Bison Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce is a very fun way to start.

This recipe features Southwestern seasoned ground bison, which once rolled into meatballs, are pan fried then simmered in a rich smoky flavored Chipotle tomato salsa style sauce. Adding chipotle pepper in adobo sauce adds a rich, robust and smoky flavor which works well with the hearty meatballs.

Using ground bison to make meatballs results in a healthier option than beef.

Because ground bison is leaner than ground beef, this recipe has been slightly modified to ensure the meatballs remain juicy and flavorful.

Why Choose Bison? Flavor and Texture

•  If you’ve never eaten bison, it’s very similar to grass fed beef. Makes sense since bison are raised and roam in open pastures.
• What does bison taste like? Bison is slightly sweeter and richer than beef, which pairs well with this smoky chipotle sauce. Bison has a more dense texture due to being lower in fat.
• Ground Bison is lean, and offers a less fatty richer alternative to ground beef and brings with it a robust flavor.

Bison Nutritional Profile

• Is Bison healthy to eat? Bison meat is an excellent alternative to beef. It’s lower in fat and cholesterol. And learning how to cook bison is easy because it’s virtually just like cooking beef. Bison is high in protein and iron and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Source: National Bison Association.
• The most important thing you need to keep in mind is that with bison’s lower fat content, it will require less cooking time. When pan frying these meatballs watch them closely as overcooking will rob them of their juicy qualities.

Where To Look For Bison Meat

Here in Colorado, ground bison is readily available at large supermarkets. I prefer to purchase the brand offered at Whole Foods. There are also on-line options like North Star Bison who will ship ground bison to your doorstep.

About Chipotle Peppers In Adobo

What Are Chipotle Peppers?

Chipotle peppers are smoked and dried jalapeno peppers. They’re sold as a popular canned condiment packed in an adobo sauce which basically consists of tomatoes, garlic, vinegar and spices. Chipotle Peppers in Adobo adds heat, smokiness and depth of flavor to this Bison Meatballs recipe.

I personally find rolling meatballs to be therapeutic and I make many versions often. I’ll show you below how to make a perfect little meatball. Let’s take a look at how to make Bison Meatballs in Smoky Chipotle Salsa.

Ingredients You’ll Need For Chipotle Salsa

• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: I like Embasa brand simply because there’s an ample amount of adobo sauce in the can. Other varieties can bring a less saucy-er experience.
• Tomato Paste and Vinegar are VIP’s in the kitchen when it comes to tomato based sauces. The long cooking time used to make tomato paste gives it a concentrated sweet rich flavor. Just a dollop can add a subtle burst of robust flavor and body into just about any soup or tomato based sauce. Vinegar is as important as salt to brighten flavor, They’re both brilliant little culinary tricks.

Ingredients To Make Bison Meatballs

• Ground Bison can readily be found at most supermarkets. I like to purchase mine at Whole Foods.
• Chopped Cilantro will add Southwestern flair. Omit if you’re not a fan of the flavor. I will make no difference in the texture of the meatballs
• Panko Bread Crumbs and Eggs will be used as the binder. There are many binders used to make meatballs, I find Panko to be very reliable for texture and easy to use right out of the box.

Making Bison Meatballs

1. Step 1: Make The Chipotle Salsa Sauce: Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, tomato paste, Mexican oregano and salt in a food processor or blender. Give it a few pulse whirls just enough to blend, but still leaving it with a chunky texture. This will give this dish a rustic feel.

2. Step 2: Make The Bison Meatballs: Add ground bison, Panko bread crumbs, onion, cilantro, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, Mexican Oregano, black pepper, cumin, salt and egg to a large bowl. Tip: Just like making meatloaf, use your hands to combine the mixture. If you use a spoon you will compress the mixture too much which will compromise the texture of the meatballs.

3. Step 3: Roll The Meatballs: Use the palms of your hands to roll the bison meat into meatballs that are about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Tip for rolling meatballs: As I roll them I like to count to twenty rolls. That amount of rolls seems to secure a well formed meatball that won’t fall apart.

4. Step 4: Cook The Meatballs: Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. A 12″ skillet should be large enough to fit all of the meatballs, but place them so they don’t touch each other. They’ll brown better that way. Cook on one side until golden, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until browned.

5. Step 5: Simmer The Meatballs: Remove the meatballs to a plate. Add the sauce to the skillet and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestions and Variations

• Serve bison meatballs alongside Mexican Yellow Rice or even Gulf Coast Style Oven Baked Rice. To make quick yellow rice, cook white rice according to package instructions. Once cooked, add a teaspoon of turmeric and a cup of unthawed carrots and peas.
• Serve with a side of beans, like these Slow Cooker Frijoles Rancheros.
• Serve bison meatballs on a warm toasted corn tortilla with a couple slices of avocado.
• Add a little honey to the Chipotle Salsa Sauce. It will tame the tartness of the tomato and add a sweet tone to spicy chipotle.
• Turn these saucy meatballs into a Bison Meatball Sub Sandwich.

Storage and Reheating

• Store any leftover bison meatballs, in the sauce, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The meatballs in sauce can also be frozen. I like to use a freezer safe zip-lock style bag. Just squeeze the air out and lay flat for optimum storage space.
• To reheat, let frozen meatballs thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The 50% power feature on your microwave is your best friend when reheating dishes like this. Place individual servings on a microwave safe plate and heat in 30 second increments.