Spicy Venison Cocktail Meatballs

Spicy Venison Cocktail Meatballs

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil

Meatballs:

• 2 pounds ground venison
• 1 cup onion, minced
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 1 ½ tsp. chili powder
• 1 ½ tsp. paprika
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ¾ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Sauce:

• 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) Heinz chili sauce
• 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) grape jelly
• Pinch of baking soda

Directions:

1. Pre-heat deep fryer with vegetable oil to 375°F. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium sized bowl, mix all meatball ingredients by hand. Make sure all spices are evenly incorporated.
3. Roll meat into 1.5 inch sized meatballs.
4. Carefully place meatballs into fryer for one minute to brown the outside. Remove and place the meatballs on an ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Cut the thickest meatball in half to make sure they are done.
6. While meatballs are baking, add chili sauce to a saucepan over medium heat.
7. Slowly add grape jelly in increments, tasting sauce as you go. The more jelly you add, the sweeter the sauce will be. You can also add crushed red pepper or Franks Red Hot® for even more heat.
8. Once the sauce has reached a desired taste, add a pinch of baking soda to reduce the acidity.
9. Gently place meatballs in a crockpot, then cover in sauce. Keep crockpot on low heat to ensure meatballs stay warm.