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How To: Roasted Chicken Thighs (bone-in)

I’m showing you How To: Roasted Chicken Thighs (bone-in) to simplify a kitchen staple and give you an easy, healthy meal. The juiciest chicken ever!

roasted chicken thigh on a plate with potatoes and broccoli

So, you find some chicken thighs on sale…

You’re meandering through the grocery store, and eventually, you make your way over to the meat aisle. You scan the cases for the hottest deals and $1.99lb chicken comes into your peripheral view. You all but run over to see what you’re going to score for dinner and then you see it “BONE-IN chicken thighs”. Umm…gross. What are you supposed to do, touch bones or something? You don’t know how to butcher a chicken. You pick up a pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for double the price and leave the store feeling defeated.

pouring oil on skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
mixing seasonings in a white bowl with a spoon
sprinkling seasoning onto skin on chicken thighs

Sound like you? That was me, too!! For some reason, whenever we see bone-in anything it automatically triggers anxiety for some of us. I get it! Are you supposed to remove the bone before cooking? Leave it in? When do you take it out? How do you know if it’s cooked?! The questions are honestly endless. Try my Instant Pot Chicken Thighs for another easy way!

Okay everybody – take a deep breath. I’m going to show you. Even if this is your first time cooking with chicken, you can totally do this. The secret to cooking wonderful roasted chicken thighs (or breasts) is to roast them with skin on and bone in.

bone in skin on chicken thighs on a baking sheet, unbaked

Why bone-in, skin on roasted chicken thighs?

Because this literally traps the flavor and the moisture so when you’re through cooking, you have an incredibly flavorful piece of meat that is anything but ordinary. When it’s time to eat the chicken, I simply remove the skin and eat around the bone, or, I wait for it to cool and remove the bone and skin by pulling on each gently.

bone-in roasted chicken thighs on a baking sheet

One more thing before we begin – DO NOT THROW AWAY THE BONES AND THE SKIN (if you choose not to eat the skin, which is delicious). I repeat, do not throw away the bones and the skin. Because if you set them aside, you can literally toss them into your slow cooker with scrap veggies, onions, and garlic, fill to the brim with water, add a dash of ACV, and let it sit on low for 24 hours to make chicken bone broth. Like, is that a LIFE HACK or what, people?! Here’s the bone broth recipe I use by Danielle Walker with Against All Grain. This will make about $15 worth of chicken bone broth.

roasted chicken thigh on a plate with potatoes and broccoli

Want more easy, how-to recipes like this?? Try out my Golden Raisin Skillet Chicken Thigh Dinner or learn How to Roast a Whole Chicken easily!

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Back to the bird…

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bone in skin on chicken thighs on a baking sheet, unbaked

How To Roast Bone-In Chicken Thighs

★★★★★

4.9 from 12 reviews

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Total Time: 29 minute
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Description

I’m showing you How To: Roast Bone-In Chicken Thighs to simplify a kitchen staple and give you an easy, healthy meal. The juiciest chicken ever!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground sage
  • 2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. of olive oil – 1 tsp. for each thigh

Instructions

  1. Thirty minutes prior to baking, grab your chicken thighs out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temp. This allows for more even cooking.
  2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Get out a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper or spray with olive oil.
  4. Measure all of your spices, salt, and pepper into a small ramekin or bowl. Mix the spice rub together.
  5. Remove your chicken from the package and pat dry with a paper towel. Lay the pieces on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
  6. Next, evenly divide the spice mixture between each piece of chicken, and rub the mixture in, making sure to get a good bit of it under the skin. This will lock in moisture from the oil and flavor from the spices.
  7. Place the chicken into the preheated oven for approximately 30-32 minutes or until a cooking thermometer reads 165 degrees. There should be no pink left in the middle. Before cutting or eating the chicken, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE allow it to rest for around 10 minutes to seal in the moisture you so carefully tried to create.
  8. Once you eat or remove the bones and skin, be sure to save them for chicken bone broth!
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 32 +/- minutes
this post was published March 2017 and was updated and republished November 2021.

Images + video clips by Amber Rice

Best Ever Venison Meatballs

These Venison Meatballs are the best ever. They’re tender and meaty, but not gamey at all. You can make a big batch of them to use up that ground deer meat.

venison meatballs in a black bowl with red sauce  

 

I have to confess that ground venison was not always my favorite thing to use when making recipes with ground meat. I grew up eating beef and turkey, like a lot of people. But, these venison meatballs are to DIE for and they are a staple in our house. 

We had friends over for dinner the other week, and I had spent the day testing and photographing recipes.  It’s always a gamble serving wild game when we have company, but these are ALWAYS a hit. These smoked venison meatballs are, too.

When I make this recipe, I usually make a double batch so I could freeze half to reheat on a busy day. The tough part is saving them for the freezer because as soon as they come out of the oven, my husband starts snacking on them! I swear, he eats them like candy.

You can serve these over pasta, in a meatball sub, over veggies – however you want! If you need a good sauce recipe, just omit the meat in my weeknight bolognese recipe for an easy sauce!

sautéed onions and garlic with herbs in a pan

How to make venison meatballs juicy & flavorful

You might be wondering…what is the best way to get a really delicious meatball from venison? Traditioanlly meatballs use a blend of beef, pork and veal. 

pork and venison meat mixed with aromatics in a white bowl

Adding pork for fat & flavor

I like to add a bit of ground pork . Not only does this add flavor, but it adds a little bit of fat. Venison is a very lean meat which is wonderful, but when you want a dish to be really succulent (who doesn’t want a succulent meatball?) adding a bit of extra fat is always a good idea. 

Of course, if you don’t want to use extra ground pork, you don’t have to. Especially if deer meat is a regular part of your diet, you may opt to use only venison. The meatballs will be a bit drier, but they will still be SO tasty.  

meatballs rolled on a gold baking sheet

Acid is your best friend

One of my not so closely guarded secrets for working with venison is using acid in my cooking. You know – acid, fat, salt & heat! These 4 principles of great cooking apply absolutely when working with venison. I add it when I’m done sauteing the onions and garlic to add to the meat before baking them.

The acid helps to bring out the wonderful flavor notes of deer meat and tone down the richness. 

Another tip for great meatballs – always always ALWAYS saute your onions and garlic before adding them to things like meatballs and meatloaf. That raw flavor won’t bake out if you ask me.

Once you have your aromatics sauteed and all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix together the meatballs, scoop & roll! SO simple!

baked meatballs on a gold baking sheet

Don’t worry if the fat renders out. Just scoop the meatballs out around it, and let them cool and freeze them for later, or add them right into your favorite sauce before serving.

If you’re looking for more easy & flavorful recipes for venison, go check out my bestselling cookbook, Venison Every Day!

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Best Ever Venison Meatballs

★★★★★

4.9 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
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Description

These Venison Meatballs are the best ever. They’re tender and meaty, but not gamey at all. You can make a big batch of them to use up that ground deer meat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1 lb. ground venison
  • 1/2 lb. ground pork
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup almond meal

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the onion. Saute for about 4 minutes and add the garlic, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook until lightly caramelized.
  3. Add the onion and garlic mixture to a large bowl with the venison, pork, egg and almond meal. Mix well (I like to use my hands).
  4. Scoop the meatball mixture out into even balls, I like to use a large cookie scoop with about 1 + 1/2 tablespoons in each ball.
  5. Place in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes until the meatballs are golden brown and cooked through.
  6. Remove any fat that has rendered off the meatballs.
  7. Add them to your favorite sauce, or freeze them on a flat cookie sheet in the freezer and store in a large bag or container when frozen to use later.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: about 4-5 meatballs
  • Calories: 314
  • Sugar: 1 g
  • Sodium: 481 mg
  • Fat: 21 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 2 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 28 g
  • Cholesterol: 311 mg

this post was originally posted in november 2018 and was updated march 2021.

Smoked Venison Tenderloin

This Smoked Venison Tenderloin is marinated in a fresh, citrus marinade before spending time in the smoker. It’s tender, flavorful, smokey and juicy and totally easy to do.

This Smoked Venison Tenderloin is marinated in a fresh, citrus marinade before spending time in the smoker. It's tender, flavorful, smokey and juicy and totally easy to do. 

We all know that tenderloin is like thaaa best cut of venison. It’s totally cherished in our household, and you don’t get much of it, so this year I decided I wanted to smoke some of ours this year for something really special. My husband J was blessed enough to harvest an Ohio buck this year, so the recipes have been coming at your guys like crazy! For more of my favorites, go buy my cookbook!

Yes, you heard that right, I wrote a cookbook, and it’s actually called Venison Every Day because I dedicated the entire book to making easy, simple ingredients for home cooks (like me) to make every day, all year round. 

If you’re sick of the same old recipes, the unhealthy and dated stuff you find on Pinterest, or you feel like you don’t like venison…you need this book. It’s everything I wish I had 5 years ago!

The marinade here is what makes this so good, it’s a lot like my All-Purpose Marinade. It’s really citrus-forward, which is great for venison because it’s such a rich, gamey meat. I like to let this marinate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. The longer you leave it, obviously, the more flavorful it will be.

lemons, lemon marinade, venison tenderloin on a white marble

Adding plenty of acid to my venison marinades is one of the best tips I can give! Seriously, it will change the way you cook. If you want more cooking tips, grab my free guide for my top 5.

What kind of smoker can you use

I use a wood pellet smoker by Traeger Grills and I LOVE it! They were kind enough to send me a grill this fall and we’ve been having so much fun playing around with it. I recently made this Smoked Venison Brisket with a spicy rub and it’s also amazing to make on the Traeger. sliced venison tenderloin on a wood board

Love smoked venison? Check out my Venison Brisket with Spicy Coffee Rub!

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Smoked Venison Tenderloin

★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Total Time: 19 minute
  • Yield: 4 1x
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Description

This Smoked Venison Tenderloin is marinated in a fresh, citrus marinade before spending time in the smoker. It’s tender, flavorful, smokey and juicy and totally easy to do. I make this in my Traeger Wood Pellet Smoker, but you could do this in any smoker.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. venison tenderloin or backstrap
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper, plus more for serving

Instructions

  1. Put the venison tenderloin, whole, into a zip-style bag or large bowl.
  2. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper into a blender or small food processor. Process until it’s all incorporated and the garlic is broken to small pieces.
  3. Pour the marinade over the venison and massage it in. Refrigerate and marinate for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
  4. When you’re ready to cook, remove the venison from the marinade, and rinse it off. Pat dry and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking while you preheat the smoker.
  5. Set and preheat your smoker to about 225 F degrees.
  6. Smoke the tenderloin for 1+1/2-2 hours, depending on the thickness of your meat. The internal temperature should be at 130 F for rare, and 140 F for medium rare. Don’t cook it to medium, you want it nice and juicy!
  7. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and topping with extra cracked black pepper.
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes + 4 hours- overnight
  • Cook Time: 2 hours

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 oz.
  • Calories: 300
  • Sugar: 2 g
  • Sodium: 646 mg
  • Fat: 17 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 33 g
  • Cholesterol: 75 mg

This recipe was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2020.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

 

A step by step tutorial on How to Make the Best Pie Dough with photos, troubleshooting and more. 

Here’s a video so you can see how I do it!

For me, living a little means diving into a piece of flaky, buttery and sweet pie. Probably with a fair obscene amount of homemade whipped cream piled on top.

You just can’t have good pie without good crust. Miss AK rule. I’ll be sharing numerous pie recipes in the future, and this will always be the standard vessel that I’ll link back to. I think it deserves its own post because making perfect pie dough is very simple, but there is some science to it that needs to be explained.

A step by step tutorial on How to Make the Best Pie Dough with photos, troubleshooting and more. 

This pie crust is sweeter and thicker than some, but still incredibly flaky. If you haven’t heard yet, the secret to flaky pie dough is freezing cold fat and liquid. You’ll also want to heed my advice when I tell you to place the raw dough in the fridge before you roll it out, and once again after it has been pressed into the pie dish. The changes in temperature are what cause the crust to have that delicate texture.

What you’ll do:

To start, place your refrigerated butter in the freezer for about 15 min. Pour water into a glass or bowl filled with ice. In the meantime, measure out your flour, sugar, and salt. Give these a quick mix to distribute.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

When I have a food processor on hand (I have this one – Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless Steel), I like to use that to make my dough.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

If not, a good, old-fashioned pastry cutter or fork will work fine. Cut your freezing butter into small cubes. Begin to work the butter into the dough, or pulse your food processor until the mixture looks like pea-sized crumbs. Start adding your water tablespoon by tablespoon, until the dough pulls together into a ball.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

This should not be sticky, but it should hold together well without crumbling. Divide the dough in half, form into a ball, and flatten with your hand to make a disc. Wrap this tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 20 mins. This can be refrigerated for 24 hours, or at this stage, you can place the wrapped dough into freezer bags and freeze them for a rainy day. This recipe makes two crusts, so if you aren’t making a covered pie, you can freeze one disc and use the other right away.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

When you want to bake, pull your dough out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temp. Flour a work surface, your dough, and a rolling pin lightly.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

 

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

 

Roll your dough out to about 1/4 inch thick.  You should place your pie plate in the center of the rolled dough to make sure you have at least 2-3 inches of extra dough around the plate to form your rolled edge.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

 

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

Fold the dough in half once and once more (like you are making a pizza slice). Place the tip of your dough into the center of the pie plate. Unfold. Trim the overhanging edges so they are even, and tuck them under.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

Pinch your dough between your thumb and pointer finger, pressing with your opposite pointer finger to make a crimped edge. Or, you can always press your dough with a fork! Place the pie back in the fridge for at least 20-30 mins before adding your filling and baking.

How to Make the Best Pie Dough

Remove the crust from the fridge, pour in the desired filling and bake following the instructions listed in the recipe you’re using. If you need a baked shell, pierce the dough with a fork so that air is not trapped between the plate and dough; trapped air causes your crust to bubble and shrink. You’ll also need to weigh it down in the center to prevent the bubbling. When I’m baking a shell, I always weigh it down with pie weights. You can find these: here. If you don’t want to invest, line your pie with parchment paper and weigh it by pouring beans or rice onto the parchment.

For a first-time pie baker, I know this can seem daunting. After your first few pies, you’ll see they are actually pretty easy to assemble, and I promise you’ll fall in love with them as much as I have.

As always, I love to help you troubleshoot-please feel free to send me a message in the Contact Me section above!

Check out all of the pie recipes on Miss AK HERE!

 

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How to Make the Best Pie Dough

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 2 crusts 1x
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Description

A step by step tutorial on How to Make the Best Pie Dough with photos, troubleshooting and more.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups of all purpose flour
  • 1 cup of cold, unsalted butter*
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 tsp of salt
  • 6–8 tbsp of ice cold water*

Instructions

  1. Place the butter in the freezer 15-30 mins before making the crust. Then, get out a glass or bowl and fill with ice water while you get out the remaining ingredients for your crust to make sure the water is nice and cold.
  2. If you’re using a food processor, add the dry ingredients to the food processor and pulse to combine. If you’re using a fork or pastry cutter or fork, add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together.
  3. Cube the cold butter and add it to the dry mixture. Incorporate the butter with a food processor, pastry cutter, or fork until pea-sized crumbs form. If you’re using a food processor, just pulse a few times. 
  4. Add the water, 1 tbsp at a time, until dough pulls together.
  5. Next, divide the dough in half wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap. Each half will give you one pie crust. If you need both crusts right away, refrigerate for 20 mins (but up to 2 days) before rolling them out. If you only need one, place one half of the dough into a zip-top, freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
  6. When you’re ready to roll the dough out, let the dough come to room temperature for a few minutes on the counter and roll it out. For a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan, you’ll need a circle that’s about 12-14 inches in diameter.
  7. Lay crust into pie plate. Refrigerate again for about 15-20 minutes before adding the filling.
  8. For recipes that call for a cooked pie shell ONLY: bake for 20-25 mins at 375 degrees, with pie weights, rice or beans inside so it doesn’t puff up.

Notes

  • can sub ghee or coconut oil for the butter. measure it first, and then place in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes to harden.
  • can also sub buttermilk for the water.
  • You need at least a 7 cup food processor for this to work in a food processor.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes

 
Video production and editing by Michelle Ferrand of Cup of Zest 
This post contains affiliate links. This post was originally written on May 27th, 2016 and was updated on December 1, 2017. 

 

 

Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Sweet and Spicy Wing Sauce

Air fryer chicken wings are perfect every time. Toss them in a sweet and spicy wing sauce just before they finish cooking for mega flavor.

air fryer chicken wings with sweet and spicy wing sauce on a light blue plate with a ramekin of wing sauce and a striped napkin

I love going out for wings. It’s really odd, when I was younger, I wouldn’t look twice at a chicken wing on a menu, but now I truly do love them. These Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Sweet and Spicy Wing Sauce are my new favorite way to take on wing night at home.

post may contain affiliate links. your price remains the same but I may receive a small commission.

The idea of having wing night at home on a Friday is reeaaaaal appealing if you ask me. Cozy up in your favorite sweats and blanket in front of a pile of steaming hot wings. The problem is, wings don’t travel well so they don’t cut it for takeout, and frying makes a HUGE mess.

Insert air fryer. This appliance is magic. Honestly, when I first got the air fryer, I didn’t think I’d like it much because I don’t like fried foods. But, I love it for so many things…the most being chicken wings.

  • raw chicken wings in an air fryer
  • wings in an air fryer cooked

How do you make air fryer chicken wings?

It is SO easy. All you do is lay wings in the bottom of the air fryer. The only important thing is to make sure they’re not touching so they get crispy on all side.

Cook them for a bit, toss them in sauce, and then finish in the air fryer again to get that crispy & sticky texture I love so much.

chicken wings tossed sauce

What’s in the sweet and spicy wing sauce?

The wing sauce is chili paste, sriracha, soy sauce or coconut aminos, and a bit of agave or honey! That’s IT! I like to reserve a little for extra dipping.

Pro tip – buy a big package of chicken wings, and freeze them into portions of 10-12 wings. Defrost when you need them and BOOM – easy & inexpensive wing night in a flash!

air fryer chicken wings on a cream plate with a lime

Need another Friday night friendly recipe? Try my Rose Pasta!

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air fryer chicken wings on a cream plate with a lime

Air Fryer Chicken Wings with Sweet and Spicy Wing Sauce

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Total Time: 27 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
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Description

Air fryer chicken wings are perfect every time. Toss them in a sweet and spicy wing sauce just before they finish cooking for mega flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8–10 chicken wing pieces (or 4 full wings, cut in half, with the tips removed)
  • 2 Tbsp. chili paste (I like this one, also called sambal oelek)
  • 2 Tbsp. sriracha
  • 1 tsp. soy sauce or coconut aminos 
  • 2 tsp. honey or agave 
  • Optional – green onion and sesame seeds for serving

Instructions

  1. If your wings aren’t already cut into pieces, simply slice through each knuckle with a sharp knife. Discard the wing tips and any hanging skin.* 
  2. Lay the wings down in the tray of the air fryer. Make sure none of the wings are touching so the air can flow and reach all sides of the wings to get them crispy. 
  3. Cook the wings at 360F for 18 minutes. 
  4. While the wings cook, whisk together the chili paste, sriracha, soy sauce or coconut aminos, and agave.
  5. Remove the wings from the air fryer, toss them in 3/4 of the sauce (reserve the rest for dipping), and lay the wings back in the air fryer and cook for 5 more minutes. 
  6. Remove, top with green onion and sesame, if desired. Serve hot and fresh! 

Notes

  • Set aside the wing tips, and save them to make stock or bone broth at another time. I keep mine in a freezer bag. 
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 22 minutes
  • Category: Sides
  • Method: Air Fryer
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 5-6 wings
  • Calories: 270
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 891 mg
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 7 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 23 g
  • Cholesterol: 108 mg

Keywords: wings, air fryer

How to Make The Juiciest Elk Burgers

Learn how to make the juiciest elk burgers so you can use up the ground elk meat you have. Really simple tips and tricks will make these the best burgers ever.

juicy elk burgers with lettuce, tomato and cheese cut in half on a wood and slate board with a white background

Working with the wild game meat you have on hand is actually really fun. Learning how to make the juiciest elk burgers is a great place to start because they’re so simple and easy to throw together for burger night. All you need to do is add a bit of extra fat and the right seasonings.

This post has been sponsored by The Honest Bison. All thoughts and opinions remain my own, and I’m proud to partner with brands I know and love.

burgers with lettuce, tomato and cheese made from on a wood and slate board with a white background

People tell me all of the time that they have NO earthly idea what to with all of the wild game meat they have in the freezer. Whether you’re a hunter, know a hunter, or you’re trying to eat higher quality protein, it can be daunting to cook with something other than beef or chicken. These elk burgers and my trusty venison burger recipe are the best ever.

I promise you wild game tastes so much better than storebought meat. That’s why I created the 4 Best Wild Game Burger Recipes. Grab the FREE download and try them! There are recipes for elk, venison and bison included.

But back to this elk burger, how do you make them so the meat isn’t gamey and dry as a hockey puck? I’ve got you, friend!

Use elk that’s been processed properly.

burger ingredients on a white board

It’s important to use elk meat that has been processed properly. A big reason meats like venison and elk can taste gamey is because they aren’t handled properly in the field.

That’s why I love getting my elk from The Honest Bison. They ethically source bison, elk and venison. Since they holistically raise the animals with their ranch partners they’re able to sell the meat all over the USA. You know you’re getting a piece of meat that was handled properly, which is why my meat never tastes overpoweringly gamey when I use theirs.

If you’d like to learn more about properly dressing animals in the field, this is a great resource.

Add fat to get a juicy burger.

  • raw elk burger on a white plate with butter in the middle on a white plate
  • raw elk burger on a white plate

This tip may surprise some people. I actually fold cold, grated butter into my ground elk meat.

Before you freak out – it’s less than a tablespoon per patty. And I always use grass fed butter, or you could use ghee for a dairy free version.

What this trick does is distribute fat all over the meat making each bite succulent and juicy. TRUST ME ON THIS.

an elk cheeseburger with a bite out of it on a board.

You can’t overcook elk burgers!

You can’t overcook elk because it doesn’t have enough fat in it. Make sure to pull your burgers when they reach an internal temperature of 140F-145F – that’s medium. It will keep cooking a bit. If you like your meat more rare, go for it, just make sure you’re being safe!

Don’t forget to get my Venison Burger Recipe or pre-order my new cookbook, Venison Every Day!

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juicy elk burgers with lettuce, tomato and cheese

How to Make The Juiciest Elk Burgers

★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Total Time: 18 minutes
  • Yield: 4 burgers 1x
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Description

Learn how to make the juiciest elk burgers so you can use up the ground elk meat you have. Some really simple tips and tricks will make these the best ever. 

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. ground elk meat
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 3 Tbsp. (very cold) grated butter, divided*
  • 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese (or cheese of choice)
  • 4 hamburger buns (I recommend brioche)
  • For serving – spicy mayo or my Whole30 special sauce, lettuce, tomato

Instructions

  1. Preheat a grill, cast iron skillet or flat top over medium-high heat. 
  2. Add the elk to a bowl with the salt and pepper.
  3. Shape the ground meat into 4 evenly sized patties.
  4. Add a quarter of the grated butter to the center of each burger and fold it in half. Shape into a disc again, making sure all of the butter is now in the inside of the burger. Repeat for each burger. 
  5. Place the burgers on the grill and grill for about 4 minutes per side or until they’re medium temperature (140-145F). During the last 2 minutes on the second side, add a slice of cheese to each burger. 
  6. Serve with any desired toppings on a bun. 

Notes

  • You might want to grate your butter ahead of time and store in the fridge right until you need it so that it stays firm. 
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Category: Burger
  • Method: Grill
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 burger
  • Calories: 385
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Sodium: 839 mg
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Saturated Fat: 9 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 24 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 32 g
  • Cholesterol: 43 mg

Keywords: burger, elk, wild game

Instant Pot Red Wine Venison Roast

Venison roast gets fall-apart tender in the Instant Pot braised with red wine. Get that cooked all day long taste and a full meal quickly and easily.

So, you guys went BONKERS for my Instant Pot Venison Stew which was the inspiration for this Instant Pot Red Wine Venison Roast. And, I mean, for good reason because it’s tah-die-foorhh, honey. It’s the most popular recipe on the site by a landslide now. It even beat out the forever favorite Roasted Bone-In Chicken Thighs this winter.

Anywho, I begged Jared to get us some roasts this November when he harvested his Ohio buck. We just moved into our first home, so up until now, we’ve been relying on butchers to process our deer for us after J quarters them in the field. Processing a deer isn’t really too possible in a second story apartment, lol.

Back to the Instant Pot Red Wine Venison Roast. My stew recipe taught me that the Instant Pot is a one way ticket to tender venison town. It creates fall apart meat like no other.

What I do to make this happen with a roast, is start by searing it as hard as I can on the saute cycle for 10 minutes.

venison seared in the instant pot on a white background with a tan linen

Then I add my braising liquid which is a good bit of red wine (the alcohol cooks out) some balsamic, and herbs d’Provence with a healthy amount of salt and pepper. The braising liquid combined with the pressure cooking powers of the IP are the magic here.

venison seared in the instant pot on a white background with a tan linen with red wine in the pot

The trick is to cook the meat on its own for an hour. You then release the pressure, add the veggies and cook for 10 more minutes. That’s how you get fall-apart meat and not soggy veggies, friends. You’re going to LOVE this Instant Pot Red Wine Venison Roast.

venison seared in the instant pot on a white background with potatoes, parsnips and carrots

Stick with me, kid. I’ll learn ya (J says this to me ALL the time, haha).

If you love this recipe, you’ll LOVE my Instant Pot Venison Shepherd’s Pie, too!

Sick of Dry, Gamey Venison?

Download my FREE Top 5 Venison Cooking Tips + 2 Bonus Recipes to cook meals you love and save on your grocery bill by using the deer meat in your freezer. 

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    Instant Pot Red Wine Venison Roast

    ★★★★★

    4.1 from 18 reviews

    • Author: Miss AK
    • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
    Print Recipe

    Description

    Venison roast gets fall-apart tender in the Instant Pot braised with red wine. Get that cooked all day long taste and a full meal quickly and easily.

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 2.5–3lb. venison roast*
    • 1 and 1/2 cups dry red wine, like Cabernet
    • 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp. herbs d’ Provence*
    • 1 + 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
    • 1 tsp. pepper
    • 1 yellow onion, cut into chunks
    • 4–5 carrots, cut into chunks
    • 3 parsnips, cut into chunks
    • about 5 gold potatoes, cut into chunks
    • 1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder (or cornstarch) 

    Instructions

    1. Turn the Instant Pot to “Saute” for 10 minutes. 
    2. After about 3 minutes, when it is hot, add the oil and then the venison roast. 
    3. Sear both sides of the meat until browned. 
    4. When the “Saute” cycle has finished, add the red wine, balsamic vinegar, herbs d’ Provence, salt and pepper. 
    5. Place the lid on the Instant Pot. Make sure the knob is set to “Sealing”.
    6. Set the Instant Pot to “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” on “High Pressure” for 60 minutes. 
    7. Allow the course to run and allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 10 minutes then carefully perform a manual release. 
    8. Add the onion, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to the Instant Pot on top of the venison. Toss everything around as best as you can to get some of the liquid on top of the vegetables, but don’t worry if they’re not covered. 
    9. Return the lid to the Instant Pot and turn the knob to “Sealing”. Set it to “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” for 10 minutes on High Pressure. 
    10. Allow the cycle to run and immediately perform a manual release. 
    11. Remove the vegetables and the venison from the pot. Simply shred the roast into chunks to serve. 
    12. To make gravy, strain all of the pot juices into a medium saucepot. Whisk in the arrowroot powder. Cook for 5-10 minutes over medium heat until desired thickness is reached. Taste before serving to test seasoning level and stir in salt and pepper if desired. 

    Notes

    • beef roast would work well, too! 
    • If you want to make this in the slow cooker, saute the venison in a pan and add it to the slow cooker with all of the other ingredients. Let it cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
    • herbs de Provence is a French spice blend. It’s lovely and Wal Mart actually has a great organic variety for under $3. If you have to substitute, use Italian seasoning. 
    • If you don’t want to use red wine, beef stock could be used to substitute, however, I have not tested that method.  
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 80 minutes
    • Category: Dinner
    • Method: Pressure Cooker
    • Cuisine: French American

    Nutrition

    • Calories: 539
    • Sugar: 12 g
    • Sodium: 606 mg
    • Fat: 8 g
    • Saturated Fat: 3 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
    • Trans Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 55 g
    • Fiber: 9 g
    • Protein: 58 g
    • Cholesterol: 233 mg

    Keywords: instant pot, venison, wild game, red wine

    Post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through one of the links, I receive a small commission but your price remains the same.

    Easy Green Apple Smoothie

    A simple and healthy recipe for making an Easy Green Apple Smoothie, with lots of spinach, healthy fats,  fiber, and refreshing green apple.

    two green apple smoothies with a flower arrangements on a wood board with a white background

    post may contain affiliate links

    Can I take a second to rant about a pet peeve of mine? Mall smoothie stands. I LOATHE them. There you are, dead on your feet after scouring the sale racks in Anthropologie, Sephora, Nordstrom, and whatnot and you just want a cool, refreshing and light snack. You forgot to pack a little bite to eat in your purse (HELLO one must travel light to the mall), and you spot a smoothie booth. “Oh, a healthy snack”, you think.

    green apple smoothie glasses on a wood board on a white background with leaves and green apple

    One sip later your scrunching your nose up in disbelief. That sugary thing just can’t be healthy. I love to indulge from time to time, but if I’m spending money on a healthy, produce-filled smoothie, I want it to have some nutritional value without the added sugar. You can’t tell what type of syrups or liquids they’re putting in those mystery cups and gosh knows what’s in the yogurt. That’s why I made a healthy version of my favorite treat – and Orange Julius.

    I guess my pet peeve lies in the imposter. Or the company trying to hoodwink us into thinking they have a rejuvenating product, but then we find that it’s filled with artificial ingredients after purchasing. I’m also saying that I use smoothies as vehicles to add extra nutritional content to my daily routine.

    green apple smoothie glasses on a wood board on a white background with leaves and green apple

    I’ve found that the combination of a frozen, very ripe, banana and nut milk makes for a very creamy and perfectly sweet creation. I now prefer my smoothies without dairy or yogurt. Fresh spinach also has the ability to adapt to its environment. You’re going to FREAK when I tell you how much spinach is in these guys, but I promise that it doesn’t taste like a salad. I’ll give you a few optional add-ins but this template is foolproof on its own.

    Let’s get to it!

    Cheers!

    xoxx,

    Miss AK


    Love smoothies? Check out this Mocha Sweet Potato Smoothie!

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    Easy Green Apple Smoothie

    ★★★★★

    5 from 7 reviews

    • Author: Miss AK
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 1-2 1x
    Print Recipe

    Description

    A simple and healthy recipe for making an Easy Green Apple Smoothie, with lots of spinach, healthy fats,  fiber, and refreshing green apple.

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 ripe, frozen banana
    • 2 cups fresh spinach
    • 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
    • 1 Tbsp. flax seeds
    • 1 green apple, sliced
    • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or nut milk of choice)
    • Optional: protein powder or collagen of choice (THIS is the one I use by Ancient Nutrition)

    Instructions

    1. Add all ingredients into a blender.
    2. Blend on high for 30 seconds to a minute. If you don’t have a very high-powered blender, you may need to stop and start your blender a few times to scrape the sides often and help your blender by mixing the ingredients.*
    3. Serve!

    Notes

    *My blender is NOT high powered (think a $30 blender from Costco), and this does the trick for a thick smoothie likes this one.

    • Prep Time: 5 minutes

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: abput 1 + 1/2 cups
    • Calories: 187
    • Sugar: 17g
    • Sodium: 115 mg
    • Fat: 6g
    • Saturated Fat: 0g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 4g
    • Trans Fat: 0g
    • Carbohydrates: 32g
    • Fiber: 9g
    • Protein: 5g
    • Cholesterol: 0mg

    This recipe was published in March 2017 and updated in June 2018.

    Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew (slow cooker friendly)

    Rich and tender Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew comes together quickly for the perfect rustic, comforting dinner to use up your harvest in the freezer.

    Rich and tender Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew comes together quickly for the perfect rustic, comforting dinner to use up your harvest in the freezer. 

    I honestly don’t know how to fully describe how impressed I was with this instant pot venison stew the first time I made it. J was away for the weekend and I wanted to test something in the Instant Pot for the blog. I happened to have some beef broth laying around, and there was venison defrosted in the fridge. So, to the kitchen, I went. 

    Sometimes, I like to make venison stew on the stovetop. But when I’m in a pinch and don’t have 2 hours to wait for the meat to get tender, this is the trick. 

    I quickly diced up a mirepoix, or onions celery and carrots. That’s the base of any good French soup or stew. I kept the rest of the ingredients simple because I didn’t want anything fancy. I added a French spice blend called herbs de Provence. It’s lovely and Wal Mart actually has a great organic variety for under $3. So sorry, no substitutions there. So, get you some herbs de Provence, friends.

    I sauteed in the IP, added my liquid ingredients and went along on my merry way. When I made this soup the first time, we were packing to move into our first home, so time was scarce.

    venison sauteed in an instant pot with a wooden spoon

    vegetables and venison in an instant pot all diced up

    I let the cycle finish, waited 10 minutes and I did a manual release because I wanted the stew to stop cooking. Then I casually scooped myself a bowl. I sat down on the couch to take a packing break and BAM.

    The most tender piece of venison I’ve ever had in maaahhhh life, friends, because of the Instant Pot. I KID YOU NOT. This stew is honestly beautiful. It’s rustic, simple and even the most staunch venison opposer would probably fall in love with it. Instant Pot:1 Allie: 1 (I call this a win win situation).

    I’ve found that the Instant Pot is perfect for cooking tender venison, you have to try my Instant Pot Red Wine Venison Pot Roast and my Instant Pot Venison Shepherd’s Pie.

     

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    Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew (slow cooker friendly)

    ★★★★★

    5 from 24 reviews

    • Author: Miss AK
    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: 6 1x
    Print Recipe

    Description

    Rich and tender Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew comes together quickly for the perfect rustic, comforting dinner to use up your harvest in the freezer.

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 lb. venison, diced with all sinew removed – I used leg meat*
    • 2 tsp. herbs de Provence
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 3/4 tsp. black pepper
    • 4 cups diced potatoes, I left the skin on
    • 2 cups diced carrots
    • 1 cup diced celery
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 15 0z. can diced tomatoes
    • 4 cups unsalted beef stock or venison stock
    • 3–4 dashes Worcestershire sauce

    Instructions

    1. Dice the potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Mince the garlic. Set aside in a bowl.
    2. Dice the venison into bite-sized chunks, being sure to remove any of the silvery sinew tissue. Leaving this on makes the meat tough.
    3. Add the olive oil to the base of the Instant Pot and add the cubed venison. Add the spices and seasoning.
    4. Turn the Instant Pot to “Saute” for 10 minutes.
    5. Allow the venison to saute for 5 minutes and add the bowl of vegetables. Saute until the cycle ends with the lid off.
    6. Add the tomatoes, broth and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and secure the lid.
    7. Select “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on high pressure and adjust the time to 30 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to do its thang. Go pour some wine, do your nails, whatever.
    8. When the cycle finishes, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes before turning the knob to venting according to manufacturer’s instructions.
    9. Allow the Instant Pot to vent fully, remove the lid and serve!

    Notes

    • beef would work well, too! You can use any cut of venison, backstrap would be lovely. Leg meat is tough, so this recipe helps it to be tender and delish!
    • If you want to make this in the slow cooker, saute the venison in a pan and add it to the slow cooker with all of the other ingredients. Let it cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
    • herbs de Provence is a French spice blend. It’s lovely and Wal Mart actually has a great organic variety for under $3. If you have to substitute, use Italian seasoning.
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 35 minutes + heating and release time

    Post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase from one of the links, your price remains the same but I receive a small commission.

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