Venison porcupine meatballs bring rich flavors and tender bites that’ll have the whole family asking for seconds! These juicy, melt-in-your-mouth meatballs are packed with flavorful goodness, with rice giving them their signature "quill" look. Unlike traditional venison meatballs, this is a great gluten-free option!
Recipe Highlights
Easy to Make: These venison meatballs are super easy to make and are make-ahead-friendly! You can prep them the day before or in the morning and pop them in the oven before dinner time.
Perfectly Tender: The rice and simmering tomato sauce make these meatballs so tender, flavorful, and moist.
Hearty & Satisfying: The combination of ground venison and rice simmered in a rich tomato sauce makes this a great stick-to-your-ribs meal! For more family-friendly comfort food, try this classic elk meatloaf or Swedish elk meatballs.
What are porcupine meatballs?
Porcupine meatballs are a classic comfort food dish typically made with ground beef mixed with uncooked rice. They originated during the Great Depression as a way to stretch meat a little further and are now a nostalgic comfort food. Despite the name, they are not made from porcupine meat, much to the disappointment of my kids. 🙃
As the meatballs cook, the rice expands and pokes out from the meat, resembling porcupine quills. Porcupine meatballs are simmered in a tomato-based sauce, allowing the rice and meat to absorb the flavors. They're the perfect use for ground venison because the meat stays moist and tender during the simmering process.
Ingredients
- Ground Venison: Ground venison can be replaced with any ground meat of your choosing. A lot of venison meatball recipes call for ground pork but these meatballs are so tender and flavorful, you don't need the extra moisture from pork fat! For another unique meatball option, try Mediterranean venison meatballs with tzatziki sauce!
- Rice: Long-grain white rice is an essential ingredient for porcupine meatballs. Rice acts as the starch that helps hold the meatballs together, like bread crumbs in regular venison meatballs. You can use other types of rice but you will likely need to adjust the cooking time depending on the type of rice used.
- Tomato Puree: Most porcupine meatball recipes call for tomato sauce which is essentially tomato puree with a few seasonings. I like to start with a clean slate with pure tomato puree and add my own seasonings. If you choose to use tomato sauce, you may need to adjust the seasonings to your liking.
See recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
Recommended:
Cookie Scoop
A cookie scoop is a handy tool to make evenly sized meatballs!
How to Make Venison Porcupine Meatballs
With just a few simple steps, you'll have a deliciously hearty comfort food meal that the whole family will love!
- Step 1: Thaw ground venison in a paper towel-lined bowl in the fridge to remove excess moisture. This will help the meatballs stick together.
- Step 2: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter.
- Step 3: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet. Add rice. Stir to coat and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the rice is golden brown and fragrant, stirring frequently. Transfer the rice to a medium bowl to cool while you prep the remaining ingredients.
- Step 4: To the medium bowl with the rice, add the remaining meatball ingredients.
- Step 5: Gently combine the meatball ingredients with your hands.
- Step 6: Using a cookie scoop, portion the meatball mixture into 18 even balls.
- Step 7: Gently roll each meatball with your hands until it is a more uniform ball.
- Step 8: Place the meatballs in the greased pan, evenly spaced.
- Step 9: Combine all sauce ingredients (except fresh parsley) in a medium bowl. Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the pan.
- Step 10: Tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F and the sauce is bubbly and fragrant.
Pro Tip
Don’t overmix the meat mixture. Gently combine the ingredients to avoid making the meatballs too dense. This keeps them light, tender, and juicy while allowing the rice to puff up and create that classic “porcupine” texture!
Storage
Porcupine meatballs are great for leftovers. They absorb even more flavor as they sit! To store porcupine meatballs, let them cool completely and then place them in an airtight container. They can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
They also freeze well. You can freeze single servings or family-size meals in vacuum bags or freezer zippered bags. I'd recommend vacuum sealing them if you can to make sure all the air is removed for a longer storage life! They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When reheating, simmer them in sauce on the stovetop or microwave until heated through to maintain their moisture and texture.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve these delicious venison meatballs:
- Pasta or rice: Egg noodles or steamed rice are a perfect base for serving porcupine meatballs.
- Mashed potatoes: The creamy texture pairs perfectly with the hearty meatballs and sauce.
- Roasted veggies: Add some roasted cauliflower or broccoli on the side.
- Crusty bread: Dutch oven sourdough bread is perfect for mopping up any leftover sauce.
- Fresh salad: Lighten the meal with a crisp, refreshing side salad and homemade honey mustard dressing.
These sides will balance and complement the rich flavors of the dish! Enjoy!
FAQ
Yes! Porcupine meatballs freeze great. Once they are cooked, let them cool completely. Then, freeze them in vacuum bags or freezer zippered bags for up to 3 months.
Yes! Follow the same instructions but cook them on low for 4-5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
This recipe is written for white rice. You can use other types of rice, but will likely need to adjust the cooking time to make sure the rice is cooked through.
Looking for more venison meatball recipes?
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with porcupine meatballs:
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Thank you!
Annie
📖 Recipe
Venison Porcupine Meatballs
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground venison
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ½ cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ yellow onion, grated
- 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce:
- 1 can tomato puree (28 oz)
- ½ cup stock (wild game, beef, etc.)
- 3 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Thaw ground venison in a paper towel-lined bowl in the fridge to remove excess moisture. This will help the meatballs stick together.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium skillet. Add rice. Stir to coat and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the rice is golden brown and fragrant, stirring frequently. Transfer the rice to a medium bowl to cool while you prep the remaining ingredients.
- To the medium bowl with the rice, add the remaining meatball ingredients.
- Gently combine the meatball ingredients with your hands.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion the meatball mixture into 18 even balls.
- Gently roll each meatball with your hands until it is a more uniform ball. Place the meatballs in the greased pan, evenly spaced.
- Combine all sauce ingredients (except fresh parsley) in a medium bowl. Pour the sauce over the meatballs in the pan.
- Tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F and the sauce is bubbly and fragrant.
- Serve meatballs on their own or over rice or mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ground venison can be replaced with any ground meat of your choosing. A lot of venison meatball recipes call for ground pork but these meatballs are so tender and flavorful, you don't need the extra moisture from pork fat!
- Long-grain white rice is an essential ingredient for porcupine meatballs. Rice acts as the starch that helps hold the meatballs together, like bread crumbs in regular venison meatballs. You can use other types of rice but you will likely need to adjust the cooking time depending on the type of rice used.
- Most porcupine meatball recipes call for tomato sauce which is essentially tomato puree with a few seasonings. I like to start with a clean slate with pure tomato puree and add my own seasonings. If you choose to use tomato sauce, you may need to adjust the seasonings to your liking.
- Don’t overmix the meat mixture. Gently combine the ingredients to avoid making the meatballs too dense. This keeps them light, tender, and juicy while allowing the rice to puff up and create that classic “porcupine” texture!
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