Juicy Homemade Venison Meatball Subs

Venison Meatball Subs are the king of ground meat recipes! They are hearty, tender, juicy and bursting with flavor. It does not matter what kind of ground wild game meat you have in your freezer, you need to make these!!

We love making steak sandwiches with our wild game meat, BUT sometimes a meatball sub is a need! It is a completely different vibe and flavor profile from your typical sandwiches, putting it in a league of its own. These Venison Meatball Subs are everything you could want. Juicy meatballs, smothered in homemade marinara sauce piled onto homemade ciabatta with mozzarella and ricotta cheese.

While there are a lot of components to this sandwich, it is actually very easy to make. Start with the buns of course. You can make my homemade sourdough ciabatta or buy some. Then you will roast some tomatoes with onions and garlic, to blend up with fresh basil for a vibrant marinara sauce. Next, mix together the ground meat with spices, bread crumbs to form the meatballs and sear them until golden and cooked through. Add all of those components together, with some sliced mozzarella and cream ricotta cheese for the ultimate sub sandwich.

Whether you need a fun party food, a delicious weekend lunch, or a family dinner everyone will love these Venison Meatball Subs are it!!

Tips for Making Perfect Venison Meatball Subs

1. If you have the time, make the ciabatta at home! A good sandwich start with great bread, and homemade makes a world of a difference.
2. For the marinara sauce you want to roast the tomatoes long enough so they get blistered and caramelized. This ensures you get a nice sweet sauce with rich flavor and will roast the garlic nicely.
3. When you are cooking the meatballs, you want to start the heat high just for a couple minutes to sear them and get some addition flavor but then turn them down to low to steam in the sauce. This will give you juicy meatballs that are not over cooked.

Venison Meatball Sub Ingredients

Ground Venison– As mentioned above you can use any kind of ground wild game meat you have. I recommend using some with at least 10% pork or beef fat if you can.

Ciabatta Buns– You can use any style artisan buns you like, but my homemade ciabatta is my favorite for these because you get a nice thin crisp outside and super soft centre.

Marinara Sauce– Of course you can use your favorite store bought, but if you want to make these the most delicious way possible, make the homemade one.

Mozzarella Cheese– Soft pizza mozzarella that you slice is the best, but you can also use shredded if you prefer.

Ricotta Cheese– Adding this on top adds an extra creaminess that compliments the tomatoes so well.

Fresh Basil– This is essential for a vibrant and fresh flavor addition.

Bread Crumbs- You can use panko or Italian bread crumbs, Whichever you prefer.

Parmesan Cheese– There is just a touch of parmesan cheese in the meatballs for flavor.

Egg– An essential part of the meatballs that acts as a binder.

Italian Seasoning– You will need this in both the meatballs and marinara sauce if you are making it.

Garlic Butter– This is optional, but adds just one more layer of flavor. I just melt some butter with a bit of minced garlic and fresh parsley.

The Steps

1. Start by preheating your oven to 400F.
2. Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place in the preheated oven and roast for about 30 minutes until blistered and caramelized.
4. While the sauce cooks, make the meatballs by adding all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl and stir until mixed.
5. Then, heat a skillet over medium high heat with a couple tbsp of oil.
6. Take the meat mixture and roll it into whatever sized meatballs you like. I use a large icecream or cookie scoop.
7. Place the meatballs into the pan and cook on one side for 1-2 minutes then flip and cook another 1-2 minutes.
8. Once the tomatoes are cooked, scrape the entire pan into a blender or bowl with a hand blender. Add in the fresh basil, sugar and Italian seasoning and blend until smooth. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper until it is to your liking.
9. Now, turn the pan of meatballs down to low, then pour the sauce over top, to cover the meatballs.
10. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the meatballs to steam and cook through for about 5-7 minutes or until internal temp reaches 160-165F. Then turn off the heat.
11. Finally, take your ciabatta buns and slice them in half. Spread garlic butter on one side, and lay sliced mozzarella on the other. Broil the buns in the oven until toasted and the cheese is melted.
12. Spoon the meatballs along with some of the marinara sauce on top of the melted mozzarella, then add a few dollops of ricotta cheese and some more fresh basil on top.
13. Place the lid on the sandwich, slice in half and enjoy!

If you give this recipe a try, leave a comment or a recipe review below!

Looking for more delicious sandwiches to make with your wild game meat?

https://cmbarndominium.com/cowboy-butter-venison-steak-sandwich/

https://cmbarndominium.com/easy-delicious-maple-venison-sausage-breakfast-sandwich/

https://cmbarndominium.com/easy-delicious-whipped-blue-cheese-steak-sandwich/