Venison is one of the healthiest meats you can eat. Prepared well, it can also be one of the most delicious! Over more than a decade, I’ve developed scores of venison recipes to prepare the deer meat that fills our freezer. These are all Harris family tested (which means kid approved), and I’ve included only the best venison recipes in my blog.
I’ve grouped the recipes by cuts of meat so that you can find the perfect dish quickly. Click a link below to jump to that category.
Also be sure to check out my 10 best tips for How to Cook Venison. For hunters, the process starts with a plan to dress that whitetail deer as quickly as possible and then age it. For others, the best dishes begin with learning how enhance the flavor of venison.
Ground Venison Recipes
For recipes that call for ground meat, I often use a mixture of venison, pork or lamb, and ground beef. Pork is especially good for adding moistness to lean venison in burgers and homemade sausage.
I wanted to post this on New Year’s Day in that we always start the New Year with Venison Sausage…
Backstrap Loin Venison Recipes
Backstrap cuts of venison are a lean, flavorful strip along each side of the deer’s spine, comparable to beef strip loin. This is an excellent cut for venison steaks, and with the right cooking method, it can be wonderfully tender.
Venison Scaloppine was the first dish that I “loved” when I began my month’s cooking stint using only wild game…
Tenderloin Venison Recipes
Venison tenderloin consists of the small, extra tender pieces beneath the deer’s spine. Tenderloin is the most delicate, perfect meat. You will want to eat it rare or medium rare and lightly seasoned. It doesn’t need much preparation to be spectacular. You can change up the flavor profile with sauces, but I always say simple is best. You can use it for your pounded venison dishes like Scaloppine, Venison Parmesan, and Bruschetta. For a special occasion, Chili Cocoa Crusted Venison is out of this world.
Chili Cocoa Crusted Venison with Berry Reduction is by far one of my favorite ways to cook the venison tenderloin…
Hindquarter or Shoulder Recipes
The hindquarters and shoulder meat have more connective tissues and muscle fiber than the loins. Since they take longer to break down, they are perfect for stew meat and anything slow braised. With the hindquarter, you can also slice it crosswise and cook over high heat a few minutes, browning all sides and serve it rare or medium rare by slicing it across the grain. This way you will have max flavor and tenderness.
