Here’s what to make if you have an abundance of deer meat (or elk, antelope, moose) in your freezer. You’ll love these ground venison recipes!
Ah, ground venison recipes. If there’s one thing every hunter has after a harvest its ground venison, or “deer hamburger” as my husband would say. I’m curious, do you call ground meat “ground (whatever meat it is)” or “hamburger”? Anyway.
So, you have a bunch of ground deer meat (or elk, antelope, moose) on hand. And I’m here to give you some inspiration for what to do with it! The same old recipes your grandmother made can feel tired and dowdy and I know I even need to check this list to refresh my meal rotation. And as much as well all love venison stew, fresh ideas are always needed! This a list of my tried and true (and healthy) ground venison recipe dish ideas and resources!
But what about the gamey taste? How do you get the gamey taste out of ground venison?
The thing I want you to know is that if you follow any of these recipes, you won’t have any of that “gamey” flavor some people complain about. Yes, venison tastes differently than beef. And especially if the meat your eating is from a large, trophy buck in rut, the meat will have a stronger flavor if you’re used to commercially purchased meats. But, if you prepare venison correctly it is delicious.
How do you make venison ground meat taste good?
The thing to do with venison is to prepare it properly. That means proper seasoning, adding some sort of acidic component AND if you’re making a burger, don’t cook it so that resembles a hockey puck. Stick to the recipes and you’ll learn a few tips and tricks that will have you clearing out that freezer in NO time!
Can I substitute ground venison for ground beef?
Here’s why I don’t recommend directly subbing venison for ground beef: you’re wanting it to taste like beef! If you use a recipe you’re familiar with and sub venison, you will notice a difference. Venison and beef aren’t the same, deer are different animals than cows. Som folks are OK with this, but when someone tells me they don’t like deer meat, it’s probably because they’re using dated or beef specific recipes.
What should I mix with ground venison? Adding fat:
People always ask me – “Allie, do you cut your deer meat with fat or anything else?”. My answer: yes! I usually cut my deer meat with about 10% beef or pork fat. It really depends on your animal. If you have a particularly plump deer you’re processing, use all deer and see what you think. But I’m not ashamed to admit that I do use other animal fats in my meat.
Want more recipe ideas, tips and tricks? Go grab a copy of my cookbook Venison Every Day! There are SO many recipes that use ground venison, like sausage gravy, Asian chop salad, and pasta fagioli.
Ground Venison Recipes From Other Creators I Love
I’m not the only venison recipe creator in the game, check out these fantastic ideas from friends of mine!
Oklahoma Onion Burgers by Hank Shaw
Crockpot Pinto Beans (with Venison) from The Cagle Diaries
Mexican Albondigas En Chipotle by Hank Shaw
Venison Meatballs with Sweet & Sour Sauce from Winding Creek Ranch
British Venison Meatballs by Hank Shaw
Venison Breakfast Sausage from A Ranch Mom
Venison Meat Pies by Hank Shaw
Dirty Cauliflower Rice (with Venison) from Joy Filled Eats
Venison Potsticker Dumplings by Hank Shaw
How is venison best served? Try one of these amazing ground venison recipes and see for yourself!
It is such a gift to be able to share these ground venison recipes with all of you! I hope you’ll find a favorite and the next time you ask yourself “What is best to add to ground venison?”…you know where to go!
Want more recipe ideas, tips and tricks? Go grab a copy of my cookbook Venison Every Day! There are SO many recipes that use ground venison, like sausage gravy, Asian chop salad, and pasta fagioli.
This post was published in January 2021 was updated in September 2024.
