Jane Thom's E-Z recipe for venison meatballs

Jane got this recipe from a Hasidic butcher down in Sullivan County, The slaughterhouse up by New Berlin had been cheating her, taking some of the choice loin that's used for meatballs. The only change Jane made was to use soy sauce and hot sauce instead of horseradish.

1 pound venison loin
1 or so cups breadcrumbs
2 egg yolks (a little white's okay)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 medium onion, cut into rings and sweated
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon finely ground lemon zest
a 5x9 inch baking ban

Cut the venison into inch wide strips, about 1/4 inch thick. Lay the strips in the baking pan and brush them with the lemon juice, turn the strips over and brush the other side.

In a separate bowl stir the vinegar, hot sauce, soy sauce, and lemon zest. Pour the mixture over the venison. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the loins, then smother the loins with the onion rings. Cover the pan with wax paper and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, better yet overnight.

Put everything in a grinder or food processor or what have you and mince the whole business up. If you use a cheap blender be careful scraping the meat off the blades. Transfer the minced meat to a bowl and mix in the egg yolks. Get that mixed well before adding the breadcrumbs. Keep adding the breadcrumbs until the meat is a little thicker than mashed potatoes. The secret to venison meatballs is not to get them too bready.

Make the meatballs about the size of golf balls so they cook evenly. If you make them too big they won't cook in the middle unless you overcook them on the outside. Then they're no good. Fry in oil for about 2 minutes on high heat. Don't be afaid if the pan sizzles.
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