On the lookout for some tasty and delicious venison recipes? We’ve got some irresistible ones for you today! Give them a try and see how it goes.
Venison Recipes You’ll Need to Try Now
Deers are the most hunted animals in America, making venison as all-American as baseball and apple pie. Venison refers to both deer and elk meat, which produce lean cuts of meat considered to be extremely healthy by nutritionists. Venison is actually lower in calories, cholesterol, and fat than beef, while still maintaining a similar, although more gamey, flavor.
If you’re wondering how to prepare your venison this summer, the question is really, how can you go wrong? Venison is enjoyable as steaks, tenderloins, roasts, sausages, jerky, and minced meat; although it’s a bit too lean to make into a great burger without adding fat to it. Luckily, that can be easily remedied by adding bacon or cheese to your minced meat.
The next time you get your hands on venison, give these recipes a try.
1. Venison Bourguignon
This rich French stew only has about 30 minutes of prep, but to develop all of the flavors, you’ll want to cook it for at least four hours. Don’t forget to brine the meat before getting started; it’s worth the extra hour for really tender venison chunks.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 8 ounces chopped bacon
- 3 pounds deer roast meat chopped into large 2-inch chunks
- 2 pounds carrots chopped into large chunks
- 2 onions roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 pound crimini mushrooms halved
- 1/2 cup brandy
- 750 mL dry red wine
- 2 cups venison stock or beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bouquet garni a small fresh herb bouquet with thyme, rosemary and a bay leaf
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/4 cup flour
- Salt and pepper
- 3 pounds baby golden potatoes
Instructions:
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat until brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Dry the venison chunks with a paper towel and add salt and pepper. Brown the deer meat on all sides. Then remove with a slotted spoon.
- Add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the same pot. Cook and stir for several minutes until the onions are soft, then add the mushrooms and cook another 5-10 minutes.
- Add all meat back to the pot, then follow with brandy, wine, stock, and tomato paste. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and stir well. Then add the bouquet garni and cover.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 3 hours until the venison is very tender.
- In the last hour of simmering, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place the mini potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 2 tbsp oil, salt and pepper.
- Roast for 35-45 minutes until tender, stirring once midway.
- Once the venison is tender, mix half a stick of softened butter with 1/4 cup of flour. Use a fork to create a paste.
- Slowly stir the butter mixture into the stew until the desired thickness is reached.
- Salt and pepper to taste if needed.
- Serve the stew with potatoes on the top or side.
2. Venison Steak with Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms
This recipe is best for larger venison steaks, especially red deer and elk. The caramelized onions take some time but are worth the effort. Simple but delicious, with everything your body needs, prepped in 20 minutes and cooked for 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, divided
- 3 onions, peeled and sliced from root to tip
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
- 1 pound venison backstrap
- Porcini powder (optional)
- 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, ideally hen of the woods a/k/a maitake, sliced
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
- Dandelion leaves (optional, for garnish)
Instructions:
- Start by caramelizing the onions. You can even do this in advance and keep them in your fridge. Heat 2 tbsp of the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and toss to coat. Cover the onions, turn the heat down and cook slowly, stirring once in a while. You are looking for them to slowly soften and brown, not scorch. After about 10 minutes, they’ll start to get soft. Add salt and let them cook more. When they start to brown, add thyme and honey. Cook until fully brown. Remove and set aside.
- While the onions are cooking, take the venison out of the fridge and salt it well. Let it come to room temperature the whole time you are cooking the onions; this is especially important if you are using elk or moose backstrap, which is thick.
- When the onions are done, wipe out the pan and add the remaining butter. Pat the venison dry with a paper towel and sear it over medium-high heat, turning it to make sure all sides are well browned. Rest the meat on a cutting board. If you have porcini powder, roll the venison in it as it rests.
- While the venison is resting, put the mushrooms in the pan and turn the heat to high. Sear the mushrooms until they release their water; this might not happen with hen of the woods. When the water has almost boiled away or when the mushrooms begin to brown, add some more butter and saute hard until the mushrooms are nicely browned. Salt them as they cook.
- Once the mushrooms are ready, add back the caramelized onions and the parsley and toss to combine. Heat through and put some on everyone’s plate. Add the dandelion leaves if you are using them. Slice the venison into medallions and serve.
3. Venison Appetizer Kabobs
Venison makes a great main dish, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it as an appetizer, too. Be sure to prep these the night before so the meat is tender and flavorful.
Ingredients:
- Venison chops or steaks
- Onions, sliced
- Mushrooms, sliced
- Bacon
- Sweet Baby Ray’s barbeque sauce
- Marinade: 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup fajita seasoning
Instructions:
- Mix together the marinade, then pour over venison and refrigerate overnight.
- Cut venison into 2-inch cubes.
- Add a slice of either onion or mushroom, wrap in a slice of bacon and hold together with a toothpick.
- Place the kabobs on a cookie sheet and add a spoonful of Sweet Baby Ray’s barbeque sauce to each.
- Broil on low for about 4 minutes on all sides, making sure bacon is fully cooked.
4. Venison Bacon Burgers
Get out to the grill this summer and change it up from the usual beef burgers – you won’t regret it. You have to put in some time on the front end for these to work, but they’re worth it.
Ingredients:
- 6 slices bacon, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 pounds ground venison
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 6 hamburger buns
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
- 1 egg, beaten to mix
Instructions:
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until browned and crispy. Pour bacon and grease into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool. Heat olive oil in the skillet, then add garlic and shallots. Cook and stir until softened, about 3 minutes; then add to bacon in the bowl.
- Once cool, mix in venison, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, salt, pepper, and egg until evenly combined. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your grill for medium-high heat.
- Shape the mixture into 6 patties and grill to desired doneness. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite toppings.
5. Venison Carne Asada Tacos
How about some venison tacos for a change?
Ingredients:
- 1-2 lbs venison, thinly sliced
- 1 lime
- 1 orange
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- Chef Merito Steak & Meat or Carne Asada seasoning
- 1 white onion, sliced into rings
Instructions:
- Sprinkle the carne asada seasoning and the cumin evenly over both sides of the venison and pat it into the meat.
- Throw all the meat into a large Ziploc bag along with the sliced onion “rings” and squeeze the juice from the lime and orange into the bag. Seal up the bag, removing as much air as possible, and work it around to make sure the juice has had a chance to soak all of the meat.
- Take the venison and onions and place on a hot grill. Cook for 2 minutes or so on each side.
- After you remove the meat from the grill, chop it up with a cleaver into bite-sized pieces.
- Quickly warm the tortillas on the grill and serve with the grilled onions, chopped white onion, cilantro and a hint of lime juice.
There are few things better than enjoying a great dinner with your family that you provided from start to finish. With deer season approaching, now is the time to collect all of the new venison recipes you’d like to try!
Do you have a favorite venison recipe? Do share it with us in the comments section!
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