15 Venison Recipes
These Venison Recipes cover every cut you are likely to find in your freezer, from backstrap to ground meat. If you have deer meat and are not sure what to do with it, start here. You will find steaks, roasts, chili, sandwiches, and jerky. Venison is lean and can turn dry fast, but with the right method it stays tender and never tastes tough. Pick your cut, pick your method, and get cooking.
15 Venison Recipes: Backstrap, Chili, Jerky, and More
We were lucky enough to be gifted some pretty incredible chunks of backstrap from some family a few years ago, and I knew right away it was something special.
I grew up in northern Minnesota where whitetails are everywhere, but I did not come from a family of hunters. Even with a deer in the bed of every other truck come November, I had only eaten backstrap a handful of times. Since then, venison has become a regular in our house every fall, and we have cooked just about every cut there is.
Below you'll find our collection of our favorite venison recipes, and some tips, tricks, and FAQs. Whether you're new to cooking game or have been doing this for your whole life, you'll find something new and delicious here!
Tips for Cooking Venison
Venison is a different animal than beef, so a few habits make a big difference.
- Do Not Overcook It - Venison is very lean and dries out fast. For backstrap, I pull it at 120°F on a hot grill, then let it rest. If you prefer your meat more done, USDA guidance is 145°F for whole cuts with a 3 minute rest, and 160°F for ground venison.
- Trim The Silverskin - That shiny, silvery membrane does not break down when cooked. Slide a thin knife under it and peel it away before cooking.
- Rest Your Meat - Give steaks and backstrap about 10 minutes, tented loosely with foil, before you slice. Roasts benefit from resting too.
- Slice Against The Grain - This makes even the leaner cuts easier to chew.
- Use Fat And Moisture - Bacon, butter, olive oil, brines, and marinades all help. My Best Steak Marinade works well on venison, and my Beef Rub is a good all-purpose seasoning for steaks and roasts.
- Match The Cut To The Method - Tender cuts like backstrap and loin do best hot and fast. Tougher cuts like shanks and shoulder need low and slow cooking.
Venison Steaks and Backstrap
Backstrap is the prized cut on a deer, and these tender cuts cook quickly on the grill. Watch your temperature closely, because there is not much time between perfect and overdone.
Traeger Grilled Venison Backstrap
This is the one to start with. A whole backstrap goes on a hot Traeger, gets pulled at 120°F, and gets a drizzle of chimichurri. It is done in under an hour.
Get The Recipe: Traeger Grilled Venison Backstrap
Traeger Teriyaki Venison Backstrap
Backstrap gets a sweet and salty teriyaki treatment on the Traeger. It is a good pick when you want something a little different from salt and pepper.
Get The Recipe: Traeger Teriyaki Venison Backstrap
Traeger Grilled Venison Striploin
Striploin is another tender loin cut that does great on the pellet grill. Slice it thin and serve it like you would a good steak.
Get The Recipe: Traeger Grilled Venison Striploin
Traeger Reverse Seared Venison Sirloin Steak
Sirloin is leaner and a little chewier than backstrap, so the reverse sear is a great fit. The steak cooks gently on the Traeger first, then gets a hot sear at the end for a good crust.
Get The Recipe: Traeger Reverse Seared Venison Sirloin Steak
Traeger Grilled Venison Chops
Venison chops cook fast over high heat. Keep an eye on the thermometer, since thinner cuts go from medium rare to dry in a hurry.
Get The Recipe: Traeger Grilled Venison Chops
Traeger Venison Rib Chops
The bone helps these rib chops stay juicy on the grill. They are a fun cut to serve at a dinner party.
Get The Recipe: Traeger Venison Rib Chops
Want more ideas for grilled red meat?
Check out my Pellet Grill Beef Recipes. Most of the methods work well with venison, too.
Venison Roasts and Braises
Shanks, roasts, and stew meat are the tougher cuts, and they are the ones that get overlooked. Low heat and time turn them into the most tender meat on the table.
Smoked Venison Osso Buco
Venison shanks get smoked and then braised until the meat pulls right off the bone. If you have shanks in the freezer and no idea what to do with them, this is the answer.
Get The Recipe: Smoked Venison Osso Buco
Sous Vide Venison Roast
Sous vide cooks a venison roast evenly from edge to edge, which takes the guesswork out of a lean cut. Finish it with a quick sear for a good crust.
Get The Recipe: Sous Vide Venison Roast
Venison Stew
Venison stew meat simmers low and slow with vegetables until it is fork tender. It is a good cold weather dinner, and a great use for the tougher cuts.
Get The Recipe: Venison Stew
Looking for more cozy bowls?
My roundup has all of the hearty homemade stews, soups, and chowders you need all season long!
Ground Venison, Chili, and Sandwiches
Ground venison and shredded roast meat are the easiest way to feed a crowd. These are the recipes I make for game day and weeknights.
Venison Chili
A big pot of chili is one of the best things you can do with ground deer meat. Top it with cheese, sour cream, and whatever else you like. Want more options? See my full list of Incredible Chili Recipes.
Get The Recipe: Venison Chili
Venison Chili Bread Bowls
Serve venison chili in a bread bowl and you get dinner and a spoon in one. It is a fun way to serve a crowd on a cold night.
Get The Recipe: Venison Chili Bread Bowls
Venison Barbacoa
Slow cooked venison shreds easily and soaks up all the barbacoa flavor. Pile it into tacos, burritos, or bowls.
Get The Recipe: Venison Barbacoa
Venison French Dips
Thin sliced venison roast goes on a toasted roll with a cup of jus for dipping. It is a great way to use up leftover roast.
Get The Recipe: Venison French Dips
Venison Sloppy Joes
Ground venison in a sweet and tangy sauce, piled on a bun. Kids like these, and they come together fast on a busy night.
Get The Recipe: Venison Sloppy Joes
Venison Jerky
Jarritos Mandarin Venison Jerky Bites
Jarritos Mandarin soda adds a little sweetness and citrus to the marinade, and the meat is cut into bite-size pieces. If you want a classic version, my Traeger Beef Jerky method works well with venison too.
Get The Recipe: Jarritos Mandarin Venison Jerky Bites
Other Wild Game Recipes
If you hunt, chances are there is more than deer in your freezer. Try my Wild Hog Chili or these Smoked Pulled Wild Hog Sandwiches.
Venison Recipe FAQ
Recipe FAQ
Do not overcook it. Venison is very lean, so it goes from tender to tough quickly. Cook steaks and backstrap hot and fast, and rest them before slicing. Cook tougher cuts like shanks and roasts low and slow with moisture until they break down.
Backstrap is the most prized cut. It is tender, mild, and cooks fast. Tenderloin is just as tender, but much smaller. Both are great on the grill.
I pull my backstrap at 120°F for a rare finish, then rest it for 10 minutes. USDA guidance for whole cuts of game is 145°F with a 3 minute rest, so cook to that number if you want it fully done. Ground venison should reach 160°F.
Most of the gamey flavor comes from fat, silverskin, and how the deer was handled. Trim off all the fat and silverskin, since venison fat does not taste like beef fat. Soaking the meat in buttermilk or a saltwater brine for a few hours also helps, and so does a bold marinade or rub.
Yes, in most cases. Use it in chili, tacos, sloppy joes, stew, and jerky. Since venison is leaner, add a little fat like olive oil or bacon, and watch your cook time so it does not dry out.
Not always. Backstrap and other tender cuts taste great with just salt and pepper. Marinades help with leaner steaks and tougher cuts, and they add moisture. A few hours is plenty. My Best Steak Marinade is a good place to start.
