# (Wild Hog) Fried Meatballs



## goatchze (Aug 1, 2006)

When we shoot wild pigs, we always make Italian sausage. It and breakfast sausage are incredibly easy to make, and the light, fine texture you get from ground hog really does well with them. If you don't make your own sausage, don't worry, store bought works well too! The end product is a meatball that is crispy on the outside, but moist and tender on the inside.

*Ingredients:*

Filling
1/2c milk
1/2c breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 lbs Italian sausage

Breading
~1-2c flour
3 eggs
~2 c bread crumbs

Oil for deep frying

In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk and 1/2c breadcrumbs. Let sit 5 minutes, then add beaten egg and mix well. Add sausage and mix thoroughly (hands work best, ditch the spoon).

Using a 1oz scoop or a heaping table spoon , portion the meat out into individual balls. They should be about 1.5-2" in diameter. Roll around in the flour, then in the eggs, then finally in the bread crumbs. Set them on a cooling rack to firm up before frying.

Fry in 325-350F oil until golden brown. I like to use enough oil so that the balls are completely submerged.

TIPS:
These things freeze and keep really well. Just put the entire cooling rack in the freezer until they're hard, then remove them to a freezer bag. We usually make a 5lb batch, cooking some and freezing the rest. Then, in a pinch for dinner, it's just grab these guys and get to frying!

Serve with spaghetti and red sauce for an entree, or serve with marinara dip as an appetizer.

Enjoy!


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## DCAVA (Aug 5, 2013)

Looks dang good, we had spaghetti and venison/groung beef mix last night for dinner.

I need to try the wild hog also, thanks for sharing.


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## goatchze (Aug 1, 2006)

Yep, it's good and super easy. I should have slice a meatball in half for the photo to show the inside.

Just realized that I might should post the Italian sausage recipe I use (modified from stuffers.com, free for use):

Wild Hog Italian Sausage
8 lbs wild hog (loins, hams, etc.)
2 lbs bacon-ends or pork fat*
5 tbsp salt
1 tbsp fennel seed
1 tbsp coriander
1 tsp carawy
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp red pepper
1 tsp black pepper
2 c water

Crush the spices in a mortar and pestle, or otherwise lightly grind them in a blender/food processor. Put them in the water, along with the salt and sugar, and stir until the salt/sugar are (mostly) dissolved. Place in refrigerator.

Run the meat and fat through you largest grinder. Mix, then run through again on a 3/8" die. Using a meat mixer or (in my case) a stand mixer with a bread hook, mix the ground meat with the water/spice mixture until thoroughly combined. Fry up a small piece to test. And salt or pepper as needed.

Place back in fridge to cool.

We normally put the meat in 1 lb vacuum sealed packages as patty sausage. Occasionally we'll stuff into hog casing.

*I prefer the pork fat, but using bacon ends in pieces will give you a smokier flavor that renders differently in the pan. The choice is yours.


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## goatchze (Aug 1, 2006)

Finally remembered to get a pic of the inside.


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