This baked ziti with meatballs is cheesy, full of flavor and also really easy to prepare. The meatballs can easily be made in advance, or just use leftover meatballs if you have some on hand. Extra meatballs can be frozen or used for meal prep, so making a big batch definitely has its perks. I chose to combine elk and wild boar. Wild boar has a higher fat content to balance the lean elk meat, making a tender and juicy meatball with amazing flavor when the two combine. There’s nothing like gooey, cheesy baked ziti with meatballs straight out of the oven when it comes to comfort food.

Also Read: Feijoada (Brazilian Black Bean Stew) With Wild Boar & Bison

Elk That’s Raised The Way Nature Intended

Our elk live completely free range, roaming huge expanses of land on family owned ranches. We source from two locations, one being the Rocky Mountains of the United States. The other source that fit our strict quality standards was an elk ranch in the pristine mountain valleys of New Zealand. They wander as they please, grazing and foraging as they engage in all of their natural instinctive behaviors. As with all of our meat, these animals are never administered hormones, antibiotics or steroids of any kind. Elk is some of the most delicious and healthy meat you can eat, considered by many to be the most heart healthy meat in existence. Chefs love using our elk meat for its delicate flavor and tender texture.

The Best Tasting Wild Boar You’ve Ever Had

People are always asking us about the best ways to eat wild boar. If you’re used to eating pork, the nutty and delicious flavor of wild boar meat will blow your mind. It’s so much more flavorful and satisfying than conventional pork. Customers tell us all the time that they find themselves unable to go back to eating conventional pork after trying out this meat.

Also Read: Lunch Recipe: Greek Souvlaki With Wild Boar Tenderloin

In addition to the unbeatable flavor, wild boar meat offers a multitude of health benefits that really outshine conventional pork. It’s lower in total fat and calories while offering more omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. We are big believers in the advantages of eating wild meat and the nutritional profile of wild boar is a perfect example of this. Our wild boar meat is unparalleled in flavor because we work with small-scale, species specific master butchers who know how to properly process this meat.

Ingredients:

For the meatballs (this will make extra):

• 1 lb ground wild boar meat
• 1 lb ground elk meat
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup milk
• ½ medium onion, finely diced
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Also Read: Homemade Pot Stickers With Chinese Five Spice Ground Elk

For the sauce:

• 1 can diced tomatoes and liquid
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon basil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups water

For the ziti:

• ½ lb ziti pasta, uncooked
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• Chopped fresh basil for garnish

Instructions:

Note: This will make lots of extra meatballs to freeze or enjoy later. The meatballs can be made in advance if desired, or reduce the recipe. Only ½ lb meatballs total are needed for the baked ziti.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. In a large cast iron skillet, sauté the onion over medium heat until translucent, golden brown and flavorful. Set aside to cool slightly. If making the ziti directly following the meatballs, sauté all of the onion for that portion of the recipe as well.
3. Mix all the ingredients for the meatballs, including the onions, together in a large mixing bowl. Using your hands, mix just until combined.
4. Form into meatballs, about 1 ½ inches in diameter.
5. Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven, in batches if necessary. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Wild boar should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Also Read: Incredibly Delicious Bison & Elk Sloppy Joes Recipe

To make the ziti:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish.
2. Sauté the onions in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until golden brown and translucent (if this step hasn’t already been completed with the meatballs). Set aside.
3. Combine the tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings in a saucepan with the 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked onions and remove from heat.
4. Add one cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish, spreading to make an even layer. Add half of the uncooked ziti pasta in a layer on top, followed by another cup of sauce.
5. Add meatballs on top, followed by half of the mozzarella cheese. Spread another cup of sauce over the cheese, followed by the rest of the pasta, followed by the rest of the sauce.
6. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and add the remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 minutes to finish.
7. Remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh basil. Enjoy!

These elk & wild boar meatballs are served with a sweet and spicy cranberry sauce on top that’s delicious and festive. These make a festive appetizer or potluck item for fall or winter - they’re great for Thanksgiving, too! I love combining our ground meats for meatballs, burgers, meatloaf, you name it. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but this time I chose our ground elk combined with ground wild boar for a robust flavor that compliments the sweet and spicy cranberry sauce perfectly.

Also Read: Melt In Your Mouth Elk Short Ribs In the Instant Pot

Ethically Raised, Delicious Elk Meat

Our elk live completely free range, roaming on 20,000 to 100,000 acre ranches. We source from two locations, one being the Rocky Mountains of the United States. The other source that fit our strict quality standards was an elk ranch in the pristine mountain valleys of New Zealand. They wander as they please, grazing and foraging as they engage in all of their natural instinctive behaviors. As with all of our meat, these animals are never administered hormones, antibiotics or steroids of any kind. Elk is some of the most delicious and healthy meat you can eat, considered by many to be the most heart healthy meat in existence. Chefs love using our elk for its delicate flavor and outstanding tenderness.

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Wild Boar Is One Of The Most Sustainable Meats Available

Our Southwestern wild boar roam the forests, foraging their natural diet. They love to eat berries, nuts, roots and tubers which give their meat its unique and delectable flavor profile. They’re trapped under the supervision of specialized veterinarians and butchered by a small scale, species specific facility. Just like all of our products, we care about where this meat comes from. Wild boar are actually an invasive species to North America, and their population continues to grow. They ruin crops and disrupt the growth of endangered plants in forests by digging in the soil. When we eat humanely trapped wild boar meat it helps to protect our food supply and forest ecosystems.

Also Read: Ultimate Elk & Bison Meatloaf Wrapped In Duck Bacon

Expertly Butchered By Hand, Outstanding In Flavor

People are always asking us about the best ways to eat wild boar. If you’re used to eating pork, the nutty and delicious flavor of wild boar meat will blow your mind. It’s so much more flavorful and satisfying than conventional pork. Customers tell us all the time that they find themselves unable to go back to eating conventional pork after trying out this meat. In addition to the unbeatable flavor, wild boar meat offers a multitude of health benefits that blow pork out of the water. It’s lower in total fat and calories while offering more omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. We are big believers in the advantages of eating wild meat and the nutritional profile of wild boar is a perfect example of this.

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Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup Japanese panko bread crumbs
• ⅓ cup minced fresh parsley
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground elk
• 1 pound ground wild boar

Also Read: Flavorful & Fast Wild Boar Meatballs With Teriyaki Sauce

For the cranberry sauce:

• 1 can cranberry sauce with whole berries
• 1 12 oz bottle chili sauce of choice
• ½ tablespoon coconut sugar
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Combine the lightly beaten eggs, bread crumbs, parsley, ketchup. Onion, coconut aminos and minced garlic in a large bowl. Add in the ground elk and ground wild boar meat. Combine just until mixed together, using your hands. Shape into 1 inch meatballs.
3. Arrange the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until cooked all the way through. Take care not to overcook (check them after 10 minutes). Transfer the meatballs to a pot or serving dish.
4. While the meatballs are cooking, combine all of the cranberry sauce ingredients in a large pan over medium heat. Simmer the sauce for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Serve and enjoy immediately.

Also Read: Pulled Wild Boar Sandwiches With Caramelized Pineapple

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Don’t Hesitate To Reach Out To Our Helpful Team

At Beck & Bulow, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. We’re always here to help if you have any questions regarding your meat, want help making selections, or are just looking for some cooking tips. Every time you call our office, you’ll be directly connected with one of our team members right here in Santa Fe, New Mexico where we’re based.

Every cut of meat is pressure sealed and flash frozen immediately after butchering at the peak of freshness. We work exclusively with master butchers who make every cut with care and precision. All orders are hand packed at our Santa Fe warehouse, shipped in a reusable cooler with dry ice and delivered straight to your doorstep. Check out our selections of humanely raised chicken, elk, bison, beef, lamb, wild boar and seafood.

I believe that short ribs are one of the most underrated cuts of meat out there. When they’re slow cooked, they absolutely melt in your mouth, falling off the bone and bursting with flavor. Our team loves having them for gatherings of all kinds. The best part is that with an Instant Pot or slow cooker, you can put them in anytime and they pretty much prepare themselves. These slow cooked elk short ribs are a huge crowd pleaser, and with the help of an Instant Pot can be ready in only an hour or two. Or, cook them overnight or during the day with a slow cooker. They’re great prepared a night in advance to give the flavors a chance to meld together.

Also Read: Ultimate Elk & Bison Meatloaf Wrapped In Duck Bacon

Ethically Raised, Delicious Elk Meat

Our elk live completely free range, roaming on 20,000 to 100,000 acre ranches. We source from two locations, one being the Rocky Mountains of the United States. The other source that fit our strict quality standards was an elk ranch in the pristine mountain valleys of New Zealand. They wander as they please, grazing and foraging as they engage in all of their natural instinctive behaviors. As with all of our meat, these animals are never administered hormones, antibiotics or steroids of any kind. Elk is some of the most delicious and healthy meat you can eat, considered by many to be the most heart healthy meat in existence. Chefs love using our elk for its delicate flavor and outstanding tenderness.

Our Best Selling Wild Boar Bacon

If you’ve never tried our wild boar bacon before, get ready to be obsessed. Bacon is already known for being one of the most delicious foods in existence. Our wild boars roam the forests of the Southwest, foraging their natural preferred diet of roots, nuts, berries and tubers. This gives our wild boar meat a nutty, complex flavor profile that has so much depth and dimension compared to conventional pork bacon. It’s also slightly less greasy than conventional bacon and contains more vitamins and minerals.

Also Read: Flavorful & Fast Wild Boar Meatballs With Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 slices wild boar bacon, chopped
• 1 teaspoon bison tallow
• 5-6 pounds elk short ribs
• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large shallots, quartered
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 star anise pods
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups bison bone broth

Also Read: Pulled Wild Boar Sandwiches With Caramelized Pineapple

Instructions:

1. Season the ribs on all sides with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
2. Turn the Instant Pot on to the “Sauté” function. When it’s hot, add the chopped wild boar bacon and cook for approximately 4 minutes. Remove the bacon and set aside.
3. Add the teaspoon of bison tallow to the Instant Pot and melt in with the bacon fat.
4. Work in batches, searing the elk ribs on all sides (about 4 minutes on each side). Transfer the seared ribs to a plate.
5. Add the shallots, red pepper flakes and garlic to the Instant Pot. Cook until softened and fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the star anise pod, thyme sprigs and tomato paste to the pot. Stir to combine and cook for approximately 1 minute.
7. Add the apple cider vinegar to the pot. Bring to a simmer and scrape the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to mix in.
8. Turn off the “Sauté” function. Add the Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, coconut sugar, bone broth, short ribs and the cooked wild boar bacon. Season with sea salt. Close the Instant Pot and turn on the “Pressure Cook” function on High for 45 minutes.
9. Use the natural release on the Instant Pot for 15 minutes, then switch to the quick release. When the quick release completes, open the Instant Pot. Discard the sprigs of thyme and star anise pod.
10. Enjoy the ribs immediately, or let the flavors meld overnight and serve the next day. If desired, drizzle some of the cooking liquid over the top for serving.

Also Read: Maple Apple Cider Glazed Wild Boar Tenderloin Recipe

Don’t Hesitate To Reach Out To Our Team For Support

At Beck & Bulow, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. We’re always here to help if you have any questions regarding your meat, want help making selections, or are just looking for some cooking tips. Every time you call our office, you’ll be directly connected with one of our team members right here in Santa Fe, New Mexico where we’re based.

Every cut of meat is pressure sealed and flash frozen immediately after butchering at the peak of freshness. We work exclusively with master butchers who make every cut with care and precision. All orders are hand packed at our Santa Fe warehouse, shipped in a reusable cooler with dry ice and delivered straight to your doorstep. Check out our selections of humanely raised chicken, elk, bison, beef, lamb, wild boar and seafood.