These BBQ Venison Sandwiches are so easy to make. You need a venison roast, some barbecue sauce, a few pantry ingredients and your slow cooker!
There’s nothing this SEC girl’s heart loves more than a good barbecue sandwich. And when it comes to a gold standard to make at home, this BBQ Venison Sandwich will leave no one disappointed.
There’s nothing like BBQ on game day. I would know. Seriously.
Sure, I may live in central Pennsylvania where currency at parties is pirogies & buffalo chicken dip but my heart and tastebuds lie much deeper south. I’m a proud Auburn University alumna, and you can bet your britches I’ve eaten my fair share of BBQ in my life.
When it comes to barbecue, it’s all about the meat in my book. It MUST be tender, it MUST be juicy and it MUST be falling apart. Of course, good sauce is key, but really, it’s how you do your meat.
How do you make good BBQ with venison?
The tricky part when working with venison is the lack of fat. Pork shoulder and beef brisket (typically used in barbecue) have a good amount of fat in their meat. A lot of venison roasts (what I use when making venison BBQ sandwich) don’t have a lot of fat.
So, we can do a few things.
#1 – choose a roast with a good amount of sinew or connective tissue. A neck roast is expecially nice. It may not be fat, but the tissue will eventually break down if you cook the meat low and long enough and make for a nice, rich tender result.
#2 – use the slow cooker on low for a low and slow game. If your meat isn’t falling apart, it needs more time. And serioudly, start this in the morning or the day before and let it go on low. Resist the urge to turn it to high.
#3 – a nice sear on the meat prior to braising it in the slow cooker ensures great flavor!
Follow the recipe below for a seriously crave-worthy and easy to make Venison BBQ Sandwich!
While you’re at it, try my Venison Burgers!
BBQ Venison Sandwich | Slow Cooker Venison Barbecue
These BBQ Venison Sandwiches are so easy to make. You need a venison roast, some barbecue sauce, a few pantry ingredients, and your slow cooker!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hour & 20 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 (2-4lb) venison roast
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup beer or beef/venison stock
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- buns of choice, for serving
- pickles, for serving
Instructions
- Start by letting the roast come to room temperature for 30 minutes before you sear it (if you can). This helps create a nice crust on the sear you’ll perform by ensuring the meat heats evenly. Then, pat it dry with a paper towel.
- Next, heat a skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. Once hot, sear the roast on all sides until a nice, brown crust has formed. Take your time – this could take 15-20 minutes.
- Then, place your seared roast into the bottom of a slow cooker. Cover it with the onions, garlic, barbecue sauce, beer or stock, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Cook for 8 hours on low or until the meat is literally falling apart. If it is too tough to pull apart, it needs more time. Shred the meat with forks.
- To serve, pull some out, place it on a bun, add more barbecue sauce, and top with pickles. Enjoy!
Keywords: venison, BBQ, barbecue, slow cooker, crock pot
Do you think you could freeze the leftovers?!
100% Maybe for up to 3 months!
Thumbs up from North Central PA. Used a hoppy beer and followed the recipe exactly with a shoulder roast. 8 hours later (on low), pulled off the bone easily and then let it marinate for another 2 hours. Everyone approved!
★★★★★
Ah this is so great, Tom! I am excited to hear that this recipe turned out great for you and everyone loved it 🙂
I used venison followed directions but mine turned out sauce was real runny not a fan of this recipe
So sorry to hear this did not turn out for you, Kathy.
Could I use venison steak instead of a roast?