Venison, Pork, and Cherry Cocktail Meatballs with Cherry Gastrique

This was a fun little hors d’oeuvres to make and very tasty! The Cherry Gastrique pulled the whole appetizer together and made a humble meatball quite special.

I just happened to have a package of Venison, Pork and Cherry sausage in the freezer so that’s what gave me the inspiration. I bought these sausages online from D’Artagnan,

https://www.dartagnan.com/venison-pork-and-cherry-sausage/product/PSAVE002-1.html

which are known for their high-quality products.

I love their homemade sausages and with a little hint of chili pepper it was the perfect balance to the cherries and subtly sweet/sour Gastrique.

Remove the skins from the sausages. To make 1 lb. of ground meat, I used 3 of the Venison, Pork and Cherry sausages and about 1/2 lb. of ground pork. Mix the two meats together very gently using your hands.

If you mix too aggressively the meatballs can get tough and rubbery. Treat them with love. Add all other ingredients to the bowl:

1/4 cup finely minced onion; 2 cloves garlic-minced; 1 Tbsp. fresh sage; 1 lge. egg; 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper.

Mix, again using your fingers, until well combined, but continue to use a delicate touch.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Once all ingredients are mixed, form into 1 inch or bite-sized balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Wetting your hands slightly can make forming the balls easier and cleaner. A thin layer of water creates a non-stick shield between your skin and the proteins/fats in the meat.

This made 28 little meatballs with two larger balls for another meal. You can either fry these meatballs or bake. I decided to bake. Less mess and I knew with the Cherry Gastrique they would not be at all dry.

While the meatballs are baking, make the Cherry Gastrique.

But First, What is a Gastrique?

A gastrique is a classic French sweet and sour sauce made by caramelizing either brown or white sugar, or honey and deglazing it with an acidic liquid, like red or white wine vinegar, apple cider or balsamic.

Start by melting 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until caramelized. Stir until the sugar melts (it will still be clear), then stop stirring and swirl the pan occasionally. Keep cooking until it turns a deep amber or golden brown. It can burn quickly so watch carefully to make sure it does not catch. Because you’re making such a small amount, this only takes a few minutes. Sorry I don’t have photos, but I was too busy making sure the caramel did not burn! :-)

Once you have the desired color, immediately remove from the heat and add 1/4 cup red wine vinegar. Use care when adding the vinegar as the mixture will steam, spit, and bubble up. It also initially seizes up the sugar forming little crystals.

Return the pan to low heat and whisk constantly. The hardened caramel well melt again within a couple of minutes.

Add 1/2 cup cherry preserves and 1/4 cup chicken stock. Cook, whisking constantly for another 6 to 8 minutes until the desired consistency is reached.

It should be thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon, but not so thick that is becomes like a sticky paste. If it does get too thick, add a little more chicken stock, a couple tablespoons at a time until you have the desired consistency.

Finish by adding 1 tablespoon butter cut into small pieces and stir until glossy. Adjust for salt/pepper.

It should not take longer than 15 minutes to make this gastrique, but be aware the meatballs are in the oven. Meatballs are done when they are bubbling and golden brown. You can take their temp, which should be about 160 degree F, but it’s pretty easy to tell when they are done.

Toss the warm meatballs into the warm Cherry Gastrique to coat them thoroughly. You may top with a sprig of rosemary or toasted pin nuts, but I opted to keep them simple and delicious!

Once plated, top with a few more spoons of Cherry Gastrique. Insert a toothpick or cocktail pick into each meatball for easy, mess-free munching!

We had many little meatballs left over, even though I shared these with my Wednesday canasta group, so I reheated and topped some Udon noodles using the Cherry Gastrique as the sauce.

Magifique!

Print Pin

5 from 1 vote

Venison, Pork and Cherry Meatballs with Cherry Gastrique

Very lovely subtle mix of sweet and sour. The meatballs are tender, juicy and delicious and make an impressive presentation.

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 1/2 lb. Ground pork
• 1/2 lb. Venison, pork and cherry sausage; casings removed
• 1/4 cup Onions, finely minced I would've preferred shallots, but was out. Either/or works fine.
• 2 lge. Garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp. Fresh sage, chopped
• 1 lge. Egg
• 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper

For the Cherry Gastrique

• 1/4 cup White sugar
• 1/4 cup Red Wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup Cherry preserves
• 1/4 cup Chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp. Butter, cut into little pieces
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions

To make the meatballs

• Using your hands, gently mix the ground pork and sausages together. Add all other ingredients and mix again until just combined.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Form into 1" sized meatballs and place on a sheet-pan lined with parchment.
• Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

To make the Cherry Gastrique

• Melt 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is melted, then stop stirring, but continue heating and occasionally swirling the pan until the sugar turns a golden, deep amber color. This can burn very quickly so watch to make sure it doesn't get too dark.
• Remove from the heat and carefully add 1/4 cup vinegar. The mixture will spit and foam up so use care.
• Add 1/2 cup cherry preserves and 1/4 cup chicken stock. Whisk continuously over medium heat until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Finish the gastrique by whisking in 1 Tbsp. cold butter cut into small pieces. Whisk until the surface looks glossy. Adjust for salt/pepper.

To serve

• Toss the warm meatballs into the warm cherry gastrique to coat them thoroughly. Top each meatball with a toothpick or cocktail pick. Spoon a little more gastrique over the top to ensure that each meatball is a juicy bite!