What do you serve with them Chloe? I'm assuming I can find ground lamb here.

Sherry, my family likes them with panzanella salad, rice pilaf and tzatziki for dipping the meatballs. Depending on your location, ground lamb can be found at major markets. I almost always buy it at Sam's Club where it comes in 2-pound packages. Am guessing Costco has it, too. Our major markets here sell ground lamb for about $8/lb. I pay about $11 for the 2-pound package at Sam's.

Yummy! Bet they'd be good w/ beef too.

But why do they need to touch? I do baked meatballs all the time and space them about an inch apart, baking @ 400F for about 25 minutes. I roll mine in breadcrumbs and drizzle w/ a little olive oil before baking. Then they get simmered in sauce for about 20 minutes more - or not; sometimes we like them plain w/o sauce.

I'm going to try with the lamb first (I always like to try a recipe as written) and the maybe with venison this winter.

carol, in the book all their meatball recipes instruct you to pack them tightly in the baking dish. It's partly due to the huge amount they make at the restaurant. They say it helps them hold their shape, it's fast, easy and the most consistent way to cook them. You can certainly bake them with some space between them. I've just used the 'snug' method with each of their recipes I've tried and it works so well. You certainly don't have to have them touch. They have another recipe we like for Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. Great party appetizer. This book is well worth checking out.

Sherry, beef would be good...or half beef/half lamb. I have a recipe from Weber that calls for part beef/part lamb. Below is a link with the recipe...another good one and DH's favorite. I tend to make them in oval-shaped patties for grilling vs meatballs on skewers. I have no explanation for the oval shape, other than I just started doing it. These are also delicious with tzatziki. Ina Garten has the best recipe for tzatziki I've had, and I've had A LOT.

https://erecipe.com/recipe/mount-olympus-meatball-kabobs/

I think Carol is the one using beef. I would use the lamb unless I am trying to use up an over abundance of venison from my over enthusiastic hunter husband, lol.

Sorry, yes Carol mentioned the beef. Do take a look at that recipe from Weber. I've made it many times using all lamb.

I am so going to make these. Have the ingredients on order. I just finished making 75 of Ann Burell’s recipe for meatballs. They look really good. I guess I’m on a meatball kick right now! I’m planning to make these Greek ones with Ina Garten ‘s tzatziki sauce.

Found lamb, haven't found ground lamb yet.

The ground lamb in my grocery store is in the freezer department. Could you grind your own? That would be better I think.

Didn't check the freezer at Publix. Also, didn't check with the butcher, was in a hurry. We don't see much lamb here. I was really surprised to see any. I even had to ask for ground pork once. (Not sausage, just plain ground pork.) They had a leg of lamb and some lamb chops. I will stop and talk to them one morning. They are very good about finding what I want.

Louise, I hope you like them! I forgot to mention along with the Feta, the olives also add some saltiness. I probably add a generous tsp. of salt. Ina's tzatziki is so good. I leave out the oiive oil since I don't think it adds much. I know the sour cream is not traditional in tzatziki, but it's pretty tasty IMO.

Sherry, do ask a butcher. Maybe they'll grind it for you...? It's actually fairly recently that markets here have started selling ground lamb. I'm sure the availability of any cut of lamb is partly just a matter of demand. As I mentioned, I buy it at Sam's for a good price. They also sell boneless leg of lamb that we like to grill. Trader Joe's sells some cuts of lamb but not ground. I often buy one of their lamb leg steaks for just the two of us.

FWIW, This is the package of ground lamb I get at Sam's. Two one-pound segments per package.

No Trader Joe's yet. I think it is a possible. We have a Sam's and Costco, but I haven't had a membership in a few years.

Our Costco doesn’t carry it as of yet. But they do have the best rack of lamb and lamb chops. My fil says he doesn’t like lamb, says it tastes like wool. Like a lot of things, I think that might be a preconceived notion. He also grew up in England in the 30’s and 40’s and I think what they got may have been mutton.

Sherry, I hope a TJ's will open for you. I've been shopping there since the late 70's when all they had was just the one store in the country (in Pasadena).

Louise, you could be right about the mutton. I've had people tell me they don't like lamb but have never even tried it. I do get that it has a flavor some people just don't like. I'm that way with most fish. I can detect that fishy flavor no matter what.

Fantastic recipe and I see a few missing links in my recipes. The feta, mint, olives and lemon. So I'll have another version come mid October when I meat grind for sausages and meatballs.

(knee deep in garden harvest roasting/smoking/ dehydrating this month)

We make a Merguez style based on this one, HERE, and its spice blend. I kick that spice way back for the Moose meatballs.

All my meatballs get a minced shallot and a cup of minced dried mushrooms soaked in a couple Tbsp of greek yogurt and a slice of shredded boule bread from the freezer set aside to re-hydrate.

I agree to try oven roasting touching in a lasagna style pan. Cooking close together they stay moist.

I freeze in food saver small packets of 6. Great quick additions to soups and noodle bowls all winter.

Thanks for the recipe! I have so much mint and parsley needing harvest and uses. The lemon especially is what I'm missing.

For a two pound recipe I do often add a small boneless pork chop to the grind mix. Not really for a filler but pork is pretty neutral and softens any strong flavors like venison.

Ah Chloebud, that recipe reads beautifully, and looks so good. I hope someday I can find ground lamb to try it. Thank you so much for sharing and the photos!

For those who enjoy lamb, give the Weber recipe in the link I posted a try, too. Really good!

Since we're talking lamb, these are two marinades that are especially great for grilled, butterflied leg of lamb or other lamb cuts. Been using these for many years. They come from "The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook" and "California Sizzles"...with a few tweaks.

Red Wine Lamb Marinade

1 cup red wine

3/4 cup soy sauce

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped mint

2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped (or 2 tsp. dried)

1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Butterflied leg of lamb (4-5 lbs.)

Dijon Mustard Marinade
Note - Also good with chicken and pork

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. soy sauce
2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. dried rosemary or thyme (also good with Herbs de Provence)
1/4 cup olive oil

Hi Chloe - the preserved lemon quantity - quarter of the lemon from the quick preserved recipe?

FOAS, yes....a quarter of the lemon chopped pretty finely. I like it but it's somewhat intense, so you might use a little less to see what you think...just to be safe.

Chloebud, thanks for that recipe. I'm one of those people who don't care for lamb, although my husband loves it, but I have a LOT of ground venison in the freezer that needs some strong flavors to stand up to it.

I'm definitely going to have to try these, with the tzatziki. I always think meatballs need some kind of sauce, and that would be nice.

The dijon marinade would be good with venison too, I think, so I'm saving this thread!

Annie

I just printed that recipe. I've started a 'hard copy' plastic sleeve book of recipes.

Good recipe. I make Moose meatballs and add dried chopped mushrooms soaked and rinsed in hot water saving the broth through a strainer... then add a big scoop of greek yogurt. Just another flavor/moisture element.

Annie, I'd be interested in how the meatballs are with venison. The Dijon marinade is pretty tasty.

sleevendog, mushrooms and Greek yogurt...sounds nice!

So I can never do anything simply. After reading a dozen variations of quick preserved lemon, and more about real preserved lemon, I ended up deciding I needed Meyer lemons. Which had me heading out of the way to Whole Foods. But then things really did get easy when I found a jar of preserved lemons. I just tried a bite and - yum - think this is going to become a favorite ingredient. Can’t wait for tonight’s dinner. Still undecided what I’m going to serve them with.

Chloebud, I have found that pretty much anything that can be made with lamb or beef, can be made with venison as long as you keep in account that venison is so lean that it need extra fat.

FOAS, great about finding the preserved lemons. Easy and maybe better!

Sherry, that makes sense regarding venison needing more fat. Good thing to factor in.

I like butter, olive oil, and pork fat for venison. Chicken fat is also good. You don't need much, a little goes a long way. Oddly, I don't like beef fat with venison, even though I like beef recipes for venison. It also helps to not overcook, especially the steaks. Unfortunately, my husband won't eat anything with a hint of pink.

I don't think I've ever had venison, but I do remember it being lower in fat than comparable cuts of beef.

My husband is a hunter, so I have always had lots of venison. My freezer died this year and we weren't home, so I lost all of last year. It is very good if you can get some that has been handled correctly. (not drove around for three or four days on top of the hood) (Hey billy bob look what i shot!) LOL! We eat nose to tail and he never takes more than we want for a year. I am just sick about the freezer.

"Hey billy bob look what i shot!"

Pretty funny! Ohhh, so sorry about the freezer...UGH! :-(

Yeah, the freezer sucked. But the saying "Life is what happens when you are making other plans" applies. I'm sure I will remember to check more often for at least a few more years.....

It was really good, Chloe, thanks!!! Served it with tzatziki and an orzo salad. It had really nice flavors, if anything I’d bump up the ratio of all the ingredients to lamb for even more punch. These will definitely be made again!

Good to hear FOAS! Now you need to try the recipe in the link I posted from Weber for the Mt Olympus balls. :-)