• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Subscribe
Subscribe by email Connect on Facebook Connect on Pinterest Follow Me on Instagram

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

Finding the Forgotten Feast

  • Shop
  • Video Course
  • Stories
  • About
    • Public Events
    • Privacy Policy
  • Wild Game
    • Venison Recipes
    • Duck Recipes and Goose Recipes
    • Rabbits, Hares and Squirrels
    • Pheasants, Turkey, Quail
    • Dove Recipes
    • Wild Pig and Bear Recipes
    • My Best Taco Recipes
    • Wild Game Sauces
  • Charcuterie
    • Homemade Sausage Recipes
    • Smoker Recipes
    • Bacon, Jerky, Hams, etc
    • Salami Recipes
    • Confit, Pate, Terrines
  • Fish
    • General Fish Recipes
    • Salmon Recipes
    • Snapper Recipes
    • Crabs, Shellfish and Squid
    • Little Fish and Oddballs
  • Gathering
    • Preservation Recipes
    • Mushrooms
    • Sweet Things
    • Wild Greens and Herbs
    • Acorns, Nuts, Starches
  • Podcast
Home » American Recipes » Maple Glazed Ground Turkey Meatballs

Maple Glazed Ground Turkey Meatballs

By Hank Shaw on April 29, 2019, Updated March 20, 2021 - 11 Comments

Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
5 from 6 votes
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Anyone familiar with this space knows how much I love meatballs, and while normally ground turkey meatballs are dry and boring, these… well, these are not that.

Rich meatballs, glazed with a tangy maple sauce, are one of the best party appetizers I know. I made them many times while on tour for my cookbook Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail, and every time they were eaten up as fast as we could put them out.

A platter of ground turkey meatballs
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

I make my ground turkey meatballs more or less like I’d make a meatloaf, which is to say with fat, some sort of bready thing and eggs. You should know that all-meat meatballs might sound nice, but they cook up hard and dry. You need fat to keep things nice, and the addition of a bread-like thing makes them even lighter.

I know a lot of you are trying to eat less bread products, so if you want to skip the breadcrumbs, my preferred alternative would be to use 2 or 3 slices of gluten-free bread, crusts removed and torn up, soaked in the milk and mashed to a paste. you can also buy gluten-free breadcrumbs.

For milk haters, use white wine or hell, apple juice. Even water.

As for seasoning, I kept things simple, but I do use a not-so-secret spice mix: Bell’s Poultry Seasoning, which you can get in most supermarkets, or online. It’s what makes a Thanksgiving turkey taste like tradition…

The glaze is the star here. You can make these meatballs from any meat you feel like, but the glaze ought to be made as close to my recipe as possible. It’s sweet, tangy, a little salty and a little spicy. Oh, and you need not use expensive maple syrup here; cheap stuff is fine.

You’re going to want to make more of these ground turkey meatballs than you think you need; they’re addictive, especially if you make them small enough to eat in one bite. Holly and I ate this entire recipe at one sitting, albeit for dinner, but still. They’re that good.

A platter of ground turkey meatballs
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Maple Glazed Turkey Meatballs

If you have ground turkey or any ground meat, great. If not, grind about 1 pound of meat to ¼ pound of pork fat or bacon. If you use bacon, you won’t need to salt the meatballs.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 281kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 ¼ pounds ground turkey (see above)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon Bell’s poultry seasoning (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt, smoked salt if you have it
  • ¼ cup milk
  • Oil for frying

Glaze

  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • Tabasco or other hot sauce to taste

Instructions

  • Make the meatballs by combining all the meatball ingredients except the oil. Mix well, but don’t overwork the meat, or you’ll have tough meatballs. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon at a time, and roll them into balls. Set aside on a baking sheet. You can set these in the fridge for a few hours if you need to. 
  • Pour enough oil into a pan to come about halfway up the side of the meatballs. Heat the oil to somewhere between 325°F and 350°F. Brown the meatballs well. You’ll probably need to do this in two batches. 
  • When the meatballs are all nicely browned, drain the oil; you can reuse it later. Leave about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Mix all the glaze ingredients in a bowl to combine, then put the mixture into the pan and turn the heat to high. When it boils, add back all the meatballs. Roll the meatballs around to coat, and cook, shaking the pan constantly, until the sauce cooks down into a glaze. Remove from the heat and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 750mg | Potassium: 540mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @HuntGatherCook or tag #HankShaw!

Thanks for Sharing This!

600 shares

Filed Under: American Recipes, Featured, Recipe, Wild Game

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Avatar for KatharineKatharine says

    June 28, 2022 at 11:42 am

    My family LOVES these. I have doubled and tripled the recipe.
    I also have baked the meatballs. I lightly grease a baking dish with olive oil and then I brush some oil on top of the meatballs. I bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. Then I made the sauce in a separate pan and tossed the meatballs in it. I think this is easier than frying and sooo good and tender.
    Serve with rice and green beans!

    Reply
  2. Avatar for S8320rS8320r says

    November 21, 2020 at 3:35 pm

    I used sugar free maple syrup and was so impressed! I never would have though to add hot sauce (I used Valentina) but it’s a solid touch! This sauce would be good on any type of meatballs! 10/10 would recommend and plan on cooking again

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Troy BurnsTroy Burns says

    April 30, 2019 at 3:26 pm

    Made these tonight, and didn’t tell anyone at the table what they were. Of course, they loved them. Everyone thought it was some kind of Chinese meatball recipe. Which, I guess if you upped the ginger a bit, and maybe added some garlic, they probably would be.

    Thanks for the great recipe, Hank.

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Rich NapolitanoRich Napolitano says

    April 29, 2019 at 2:43 pm

    Hank I have really enjoyed your recipes for wild game. I’m 70 and still aggressively hunt and fish. I enjoy living of the land. Your non-traditional recipes add a lot of “spice” to my rather mundane culinary endeavors. Keep up the good work.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      April 29, 2019 at 3:54 pm

      Rich: Thanks a heap. I hope I am still hunting and fishing when I am 70!

      Reply
  5. Avatar for MikrMikr says

    April 29, 2019 at 11:51 am

    Hank, can I use wild turkey leg meat?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      April 29, 2019 at 3:53 pm

      Mikr: Of course, so long as you can grind it.

      Reply
  6. Avatar for Kurt SnyderKurt Snyder says

    April 29, 2019 at 6:45 am

    This looks good. Think I’ll try it with wild goose.

    Reply
  7. Avatar for LynnLynn says

    April 29, 2019 at 5:28 am

    Thanks so much for the idea. That’s supper sorted but I will have to use ground pork. Can’t wait

    Reply
  8. Avatar for AnnAnn says

    April 29, 2019 at 5:10 am

    When you say “use the cheap stuff “, are you referring to Mrs Butterworth pancake syrup?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      April 29, 2019 at 7:35 am

      Ann: Not really, although I won’t hate you if you do use it. There are grades of maple syrup, some more expensive than others.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

More about Hank...

Featured Recipes

Closeup of sliced, smoked venison backstrap on a platter
Venison 101: How to Cook Venison
pickled pike recipe
Pickled Pike
Slices of smoked venison roast on a cutting board.
Smoked Venison Roast
Conejo en adobo on a plate
Conejo en Adobo
A platter of fried walleye with lemon.
Fried Walleye
A plate of pine nut cookies.
Pine Nut Cookies

As Seen In

As seen on CNN, New York Times, Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart, Food and Wine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, and The Splendid Table

Never Miss a Recipe

Receive recipes direct to your inbox.

 

 

Back to Top
  • Home
  • Shop
  • Video Course
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Stories
  • Wild Game
  • Charcuterie
  • Fish
  • Gathering
Subscribe by email Connect on Facebook Connect on Pinterest Follow Me on Instagram

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

© 2023 Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, All Rights Reserved.

Site built by: Site by Status Forward

600 shares
  • Print
  • Pinterest
  • 278Facebook
  • WhatsApp
  • Save
  • Email
600 shares
  • 278