If you’re looking for a low-fat alternative to beef, look no further than venison. Not only is it an excellent source of protein, but it also has a deep, rich flavor that is irresistibly delicious. However, when making recipes that require ground venison, additional fat does need to be added to prevent the meat from drying out.
But don’t worry, this round-up of delicious, hearty recipes tells you everything you need to know about how to cook venison, and how to add a twist to favorites like lasagna, tacos, and pot pies. Let’s get to it!
Grilled Venison Backstrap
When writing about venison, you have to include a recipe that involves cooking the backstrap, considered the best cut of deer meat. This recipe couldn’t be easier and takes you through cooking tender and succulent backstrap step by step.
To make a delicious venison meal all you need is garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, and seasoned salt. Venison has a pretty strong flavor, so too many spices and seasonings will overwhelm it. Serve this classic, tasty dish with grilled vegetables and potatoes.
Venison and Blue Cheese Burger
You wouldn’t think lean meat like venison could be used to make a juicy burger, but this recipe proves that theory wrong! It uses bacon to, uh, ‘beef’ up the fat content, and the twists on a traditional burger don’t stop there. Blue cheese is added to compliment the venison’s distinctively strong flavor, and seared peaches also make an appearance!
Venison Bolognese
If you’re a fan of Italian food, you’re going to love this venison Bolognese recipe. This twist on a classic recipe becomes even more flavorful when dried mushrooms are added, and you can substitute the venison in this recipe for a more traditional beef, another lean meat option like turkey, or even ground veal. Just make sure to pile up the pasta and enjoy it with a glass of red wine.
Venison Stew
A hearty venison stew is just what the doctor ordered to cure the winter blues. This comforting stew is filled to the brim with vegetables and potatoes. Like any meat stew, the key is to let the meat simmer until it melts in your mouth.
Venison Pot Pie With Mushrooms and Red Wine
Another perfect comfort food recipe, the venison in this recipe should also be melt-in-your-mouth tender. Let the venison simmer alongside mushrooms in a red wine gravy filled with herbs before baking the mixture into pot pies.
The venison is of course the star of the show in this recipe, but the gravy could give it a run for its money. It has a rich depth of flavor thanks to the reduced red wine and porcine powder. You can switch out the venison in this dish for another diced meat like lamb or beef, and you can customize the pie top to your liking too. Pie crust is a denser and crumblier option, but puff crust is a lighter alternative that’s rich with butter.
Ground Venison Tacos
These ground venison tacos are sure to turn heads at the next taco night! Making tacos is not fun to make. Plus, they’re super easy and can be customized to be healthier. For example, you can swap out tortillas for lettuce wraps, and swap out ground beef for a leaner venison option. It may not seem like it, but venison and taco seasoning is a match made in heaven. All that’s left to do then is load up your tortilla or lettuce wrap with the filling and add your favorite toppings.
Southern Fried Venison
Yes, you read that right. Southern fried venison! It’s a thing. This recipe is described as chicken fried venison, but there actually isn’t any chicken in sight, it’s just a twist on the southern fried chicken we all know and love. But to make southern fried venison, the same rules apply. You just pound the venison with a mallet to tenderize it, then bread it and fry the meat until it’s perfectly crisp. However, venison isn’t as tender as chicken, so you’ll really need to pound it flat, and make sure it’s thin enough to fry properly. Serve with mashed potatoes and a generous helping of gravy.
Spicy Venison Rice Bowl
Combining Asian flavors with venison may not seem like an obvious choice, but if you love Asian flavors, you’re going to love this dish. Just sear tender venison meat, coat it with the rich, spicy sauce, and serve with a generous helping of Jasmine rice. This dish is also great for a quick evening meal, especially if you have leftover venison from the other recipes you’ve tried, as it only takes 20 minutes to prepare and cook!
Venison Meatloaf
A good meatloaf should be tender, juicy, and tasty and this venison meatloaf is no exception. It can be oven-cooked, or to bring out even more flavor, cooked in a smoker. When served with mashed potatoes, this is the ultimate comfort food dish.
Not everyone likes the gamey flavor of venison, but caramelized onions, garlic, and a splash of balsamic vinegar can make venison taste less gamey if that’s what you prefer.
Slow Cooker Venison Chili
Another great warming dish to cook over the fall and winter, this venison chili is cooked in a slow cooker and is rich with hearty flavors. This recipe calls for three types of peppers: Anaheim, Jalapeño, and yellow bell pepper. This gives the chili plenty of warmth and a bit of kick.
You can top this chili with cheddar cheese and green onions, and serve it with cornbread. Make a big enough batch, and you’ve got plenty of leftovers you can return to on a cold, winter nights.
Venison Lasagna
There is nothing more irresistible than a cheesy lasagna, and this hefty lasagna filled with 3 lbs of venison meat and 2 lbs of cheese is a definite crowd pleaser. This recipe also calls for some wild hog sausage meat, but this is optional. The sauce in this lasagna is also meatier than most and has a pleasant kick thanks to the garlic, nutmeg, and oregano.
Venison Vindaloo Curry
Considering we started this article off by saying that too many spices can overwhelm venison, seeing a curry recipe on the list may be surprising, but trust us, it works! This Vindaloo features slow-cooked venison meat that’s been marinating in Indian spices for hours, and you can customize the dish to your favored levels of spiciness!
Venison Stroganoff
Stroganoff is a classic comforting recipe and is sure to be your go-to meal for busy weeknights. It also couldn’t be simpler to make.
This recipe uses ground venison, and we do have to issue a word of caution when cooking with this kind of meat. Just like with any meat, it’s important that venison is cooked through, and this is because deer are susceptible to a disease called Chronic Wasting Disease.
When venison is cooked right through at the proper temperature, this eradicates the chances of you contracting this disease from the meat, as all the bacteria will be killed. Of course, getting into the habit of properly cooking your meat all the way through is useful no matter what meat you’re cooking, not just venison!
Venison Steak
Venison meat is best when it’s cooked nice and slow, and these grilled steaks have been marinated for hours. This makes for steaks that are tender and packed with flavor. Different cuts of meat require different cooking times to really make the most of the meat. For a tasty venison steak, aim for rare or medium-rare, and don’t let the steak sit for too long after it’s been removed from the heat.
Venison Swedish Meatballs
Smaller than Italian meatballs but soft and tender, Swedish meatballs are eternally comforting. These tender venison meatballs are perfectly cooked and drenched in a delicious sauce that is hard to resist.
Venison Terrine
This venison terrine is an impressive starter to serve at a dinner party and is flavored with orange zest and sweet prunes that pair well with a tangy chutney. Don’t forget to serve with nice, crusty bread too! For a fishy twist, you can also modify this recipe with smoked salmon.
Venison Casserole
This venison and juniper casserole isn’t just easy to make comfort food, but it’s under 300 calories. What’s better than comfort food we can feel good about?
Slow Cooked BBQ Venison
For tougher cuts of venison like shoulder cuts, moist-heat cooking is the way to go, and slow-cooking venison is another way to tenderize venison alongside braising and boiling in the stew.
Venison with Blackberry Wine Sauce
Blackberries and venison are a classic combination. After all, the darker the meat, the darker the sauce should be. The sweet, sharp blackberries compliment the pan-seared venison steak perfectly. Not only does this sauce look beautiful when combined with venison, but works well with any red meat.
Venison Scallopini
To make this classic Italian dish, coat venison cutlets in bread and brush them with butter before browning them on the stovetop and baking them in the oven.
Final Thoughts
Venison is a healthy alternative to beef, but people often worry that they’ll be limited on recipes, or that they won’t be able to enjoy their favorite beef dishes when the meat is swapped out for venison, but we hope our round-up of the best venison recipes have inspired you to give it a try!
