Venison is much more than just meat on the table for the avid hunter. It represents hard work, hours put in, and most of all, embodies a lifestyle of self-reliance and connection with nature. Packed with 26 grams of protein per three-ounce serving, venison is a naturally lean, low fat and protein-rich meat. So why wouldn’t you want to make a tasty meal out of it?
Considering that whitetail season provides many of us with meat in our freezer, it’s time we start expanding our horizons in the kitchen.
Here are four favorite ways we prepare venison at HuntWise.
Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin With Garlic Sauce
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
6 thick slices bacon
2 venison tenderloin roasts (each roast being ¾ of a pound)
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 eight-ounce package sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped green onion, or more for taste
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, or more for taste
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour 25 minutes
Ingredients
6 thick slices bacon
2 venison tenderloin roasts (each roast being ¾ of a pound)
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 eight-ounce package sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped green onion, or more for taste
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, or more for taste
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place the bacon onto a baking pan and then directly into the preheated oven. Let the bacon sit in the oven until it is partially cooked, a little chewy, and still able to bend. This usually takes anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the oven.
3. Prepare the venison tenderloins. Brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with the onion powder, salt, and pepper. Wrap the partially cooked bacon around the tenderloins and place into a roasting pan.
4. Roast the tenderloins until the bacon is crisp and the tenderloins are ready: about 1 hour, depending on the oven.
5. In the final 20 minutes of roasting time, prepare the garlic sauce. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until soft: about 8 to 10 minutes. Add green onions. Stir in heavy cream. Stir often until combined and slightly thick.
6. Pour sauce over the tenderloins, and voilà, let’s eat!
Fried Venison Tenderloin Bites
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 40 minutes
Ingredients ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
1 ½ cups Italian seasoning bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound venison tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 lemon, quartered
Salt and pepper to taste, and any other seasonings of your choice
Directions 1. Preheat oven on broil setting. Set the oven rack about 6 inches from the bottom of the oven, where the heat source is located. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 2. Cut venison into 1-inch cubes. 3. Heat up olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes. 4. Place bread crumbs into a mixing bowl and add olive oil/garlic mixture. Stir in parsley and Parmesan cheese until ingredients are evenly mixed. 5. Press cubed venison into the mixture to coat and place on a baking sheet. You don’t want any pieces touching so make sure you have enough room. 6. Broil cubes until golden, and the venison is your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes, turning cubes occasionally as they cook. 7. Plate up venison and serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 40 minutes
Ingredients ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
1 ½ cups Italian seasoning bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound venison tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 lemon, quartered
Salt and pepper to taste, and any other seasonings of your choice
Directions 1. Preheat oven on broil setting. Set the oven rack about 6 inches from the bottom of the oven, where the heat source is located. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. 2. Cut venison into 1-inch cubes. 3. Heat up olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat for about 5 minutes. 4. Place bread crumbs into a mixing bowl and add olive oil/garlic mixture. Stir in parsley and Parmesan cheese until ingredients are evenly mixed. 5. Press cubed venison into the mixture to coat and place on a baking sheet. You don’t want any pieces touching so make sure you have enough room. 6. Broil cubes until golden, and the venison is your desired degree of doneness, about 6 minutes, turning cubes occasionally as they cook. 7. Plate up venison and serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy!
Venison Stew
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours 30 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour 50 minutes - 2 hours 50 minutes
Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or any oil of your choice)
2 pounds venison meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 chopped onions
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups water
7 small peeled and quartered potatoes
1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch wide pieces
¼ cup flour
¼ cup water
Directions 1. Heat oil in a skillet, then sear all sides of meat until deep brown. 2. Add chopped onions, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt, and water. Cover and simmer mixture for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, until meat is tender. 3. Add potatoes and carrots. Cook until they are tender, or to your desired doneness. 4. Combine flour with ¼ cup of water and stir into stew. Enjoy!
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours 30 minutes
Ready In: 1 hour 50 minutes - 2 hours 50 minutes
Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or any oil of your choice)
2 pounds venison meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 chopped onions
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
3 cups water
7 small peeled and quartered potatoes
1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch wide pieces
¼ cup flour
¼ cup water
Directions 1. Heat oil in a skillet, then sear all sides of meat until deep brown. 2. Add chopped onions, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt, and water. Cover and simmer mixture for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, until meat is tender. 3. Add potatoes and carrots. Cook until they are tender, or to your desired doneness. 4. Combine flour with ¼ cup of water and stir into stew. Enjoy!
Venison Stroganoff
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ready In: 45 minutes
Ingredients 1 pound venison, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
1 finely chopped onion
Two 10.75-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
One 16-oz. package egg noodles
One 8-oz. container sour cream
Directions 1. Season cubed venison with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 2. Saute onion in a large skillet. Once onion is soft, add seasoned venison and brown on all sides. 3. Add cream of mushroom soup and simmer on low. 4. Boil water in large pot and cook noodles until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. While noodles are boiling, stir sour cream into meat mixture. Drain noodles, then pour meat mixture on top. You now have homemade venison stroganoff!
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ready In: 45 minutes
Ingredients 1 pound venison, cut into cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
1 finely chopped onion
Two 10.75-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
One 16-oz. package egg noodles
One 8-oz. container sour cream
Directions 1. Season cubed venison with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 2. Saute onion in a large skillet. Once onion is soft, add seasoned venison and brown on all sides. 3. Add cream of mushroom soup and simmer on low. 4. Boil water in large pot and cook noodles until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. While noodles are boiling, stir sour cream into meat mixture. Drain noodles, then pour meat mixture on top. You now have homemade venison stroganoff!
We hope you find these venison recipes as satisfying as we do at HuntWise. It’s always a great feeling having a good meal that you worked hard for. If you try any of these recipes and find them tasty, share them in a log on the HuntWise app. We love to see our fellow hunters have success afield, bring it back home, and serve it up in a delicious way.