Ingredients
Ingredient amounts are adjusted. Steps, cooking times, equipment, and the Shopping List use the original recipe for 4 servings.
Check off ingredients as you prep.
- 1.5 lbs Ground elk
- 4 oz Cambazola cheese, chilled and cut into 12 equal cubes
- 1 Large egg
- 1/2 cup Pork rind powder (ground to a fine dust, no coarse pieces)
- 2 tbsp Salted Perfection Perfect Salt
- 1 tbsp Beef tallow or ghee, melted (for brushing)
Allergen check: Milk, Egg recognized in these ingredients. Check package labels and substitutions.
Step by step
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). We need immediate high heat to coagulate the surface proteins and seal the structure.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground elk, pork rind powder, egg, and Salted Perfection Perfect Salt. Mix by hand until the meat becomes tacky. This tackiness indicates myosin extraction, a protein solubilization process that acts as the primary adhesive for the meatball. Do not skip this.
- Divide the meat mixture into 12 equal portions (approximately 2 oz each). Flatten each portion into a disc in your palm.
- Place a cube of cold Cambazola in the center of each disc. Fold the meat over the cheese and roll it into a tight sphere. Ensure the seal is hermetic; any breach in the protein wall will result in cheese leakage during the expansion phase of cooking.
- Brush the exterior of each meatball with the melted tallow. This added fat promotes heat conduction and uniform browning in the dry environment of the air fryer.
- Arrange the meatballs in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring airflow gaps between them. Do not overcrowd, or you will create a steam zone instead of a roast zone.
- Cook for 10–12 minutes. Shake the basket gently at the 6-minute mark to ensure even exposure to the convection fan.
- Remove from the air fryer when the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160°F (71°C). Let them rest for 5 minutes to allow the internal juices to redistribute and the cheese to stabilize. DUNZO!
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A little more about this recipe
Timing
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
Yield & storage
Original yield
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently to avoid separating the emulsion.
From Tony’s kitchen
We are executing a precision strike on game meat today. Elk is naturally lean, meaning it lacks the intramuscular fat required for forgiveness during thermal processing. To counteract this, we are introducing a lipid-rich core of Cambazola—a German hybrid of triple-cream Brie and Gorgonzola—to provide internal basting while the air fryer's convection currents handle the Maillard reaction on the exterior. We utilize a pulverized pork rind matrix for binding to maintain structural integrity without introducing gluten or carbohydrates. This is pure protein engineering.
Ingredient notes
Ingredients & allergen check
Major-allergen signals: Milk, Egg
- Ground elk
- Cambazola cheese, chilled and cut into 12 equal cubes
- egg
- Pork rind powder (ground to a fine dust, no coarse pieces)
- Salted Perfection Perfect Salt
- Beef tallow or ghee
Perfect Salt blend: Kosher flake sea salt, Garlic, Black pepper, Monkfruit, and Five spice
Check every package label. Brands, substitutions, shared equipment, and cross-contact can change allergen exposure.
