Ingredients:

2 large shallots or 1 medium onion, minced
1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 TB fresh chives, finely chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tbsp grass-fed gelatin (or 2 eggs)
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
2 lb ground turkey, beef, chicken, or pork
High heat cooking fat such as avocado oil or ghee (not AIP)
Water (about 1 cup)
Lemon wedges (to squeeze at the end)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine all ingredients except for cooking fat, water, and lemon in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands to combine.
3. Form into approximately 28-30 meatballs.
4. In an oven safe skillet (I used a cast iron skillet), heat 1 tbsp cooking fat on medium-high heat (if using pork or higher-fat beef, use less cooking fat since the meat will release its own fat). Sear the meatballs for 2 minutes per side (a total of approximately 4 sides to get a good sear across the entire meatball).
   • Notes:
     • Be sure not to overcrowd the pan. The caramelization that occurs during this process is key and adds so much flavor. Overcrowding the pan will prevent caramelization. I seared my meatballs in 3 batches (of 8-10 meatballs per batch) in a 12-inch cast iron skillet.
     • After you’ve finished a batch, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
     • Be sure to quickly wipe down or scrape the skillet between batches to prevent burning.
     • After each batch, add ~1 more tbsp cooking fat for the new batch.
5. When all the meatballs have been seared, carefully transfer all meatballs back into the skillet in a single layer (they will crowd the skillet but that is OKAY for this part). Add 1 cup of water to the pan, then place into the oven for 15 minutes.
6. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and discard the water.
7. Serve the meatballs with a squeeze of fresh lemon for a burst of citrusy flavor, and devour!

Additional Notes:
-These will last for about 5-6 days in the refrigerator and 4-6 months in the freezer.
-Feel free to make these into patties, or form them into larger burger patties (OMG ranch burgers…I can’t). Follow your heart!