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Healthy Whole30 Venison Burgers with Special Sauce

These healthy venison burgers are totally Whole30 compliant. They’re loaded with fresh veggies, topped with homemade special sauce and use grilled sweet potato buns.

Healthy Whole30 Venison Burgers burger with whole30 special sauce on a white plate

Y’all I love burger night. We’ve been pretty busy this year, so throwing some patties and veggies on the grill and throwing a plate together has been basically my go to. When I made these Healthy Whole30 Venison Burgers with Special Sauce, J and I scarfed them DOWN.

I mean, juicy venison, plenty of fresh lettuce and tomato, topped with special sauce all piled between grilled sweet potato rounds. Count. Me. In.

I was also thinking about how grateful I am to have learned to work with wild game. Honestly, it’s brought my husband, Jared, and I a lot closer.

Not only am I really proud to be working with the food he brings home, I also have a new appreciation for the outdoor lifestyle.

Hunting takes up a lot of Jared’s time. Especially in the fall. Sometimes he misses events, he wakes up super early, and he’s gone most Saturdays from October to late November. It’s really easy to lose sight on the bigger picture, and quite honestly, get resentful.

a venison burger with whole30 special sauce on a white plate with a hand placing a toothpick with pickles

When I started cooking with his harvests and using the meat, I started saving money on our groceries. Which made me CRAZY happy and it started to change my perspective.

Flash forward like a year and a half and I’m like “uhhm, when can you going hunting again?”. I’m really interested in what he’s doing, and it’s been so fun to get to know his passion at a deeper level. So yeah, you can say I’m pretty grateful!

Anywho…anybody ready to grill?

all of the ingredients for Healthy Whole30 Venison Burgers on a white background

What makes these burgers Wholeo30 compliant?

These burgers are completely free from grains, dairy, legumes, sugar, sweetener, and preservatives.

I actually prefer my burgers without cheese, but if you’re a cheese lover, the special sauce will curb that craving.

How do you get healthy, ground venison burgers to be juicy?

The secret to juicy venison burgers is really just not overcooking them! I add some olive oil (aka fat because they’re lean) a seasoning blend and some apple cider vinegar to enhance the flavor, but otherwise, grill them so that they have a bit of give to the middle when you poke them. No hockey pucks!

a Healthy Whole30 Venison Burger with whole30 special sauce on a white plate

How do you make the homemade “Special Sauce”?

I always keep a jar of Whole30 compliant mayo on hand, or you could make your own! All you need to do is mix in some tomato paste, diced pickles (yep, SO good), ACV, and seasoning! Et voila!

a venison burger with a bite out of it and sweet potato bun on a white small plate

Love venison? Check out my e-cookbook – Field to Table! I’ve got 25 recipes, tips, tricks, a shopping list and my whole story about being an Accidental Hunter’s Wife included!

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a venison burger with a bite out of it and sweet potato bun on a white small plate

Healthy Whole30 Venison Burgers with Special Sauce

  • Author: Miss AK
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 24 minutes
  • Total Time: 34 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

These healthy venison burgers are totally Whole30 compliant. They’re loaded with fresh veggies, topped with homemade special sauce and use grilled sweet potato buns.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
  • 1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. olive oil 
  • 1/4 cup Whole30 compliant mayo (like Primal Kitchen)
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped pickles 
  • 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar, divided
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 3/4 tsp. garlic powder, divided 
  • 3/4 tsp. salt, divided 
  • 1 lb. ground venison 
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper 
  • Toppings of choice – lettuce, tomato, onion, etc. 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, or if you’re using a wood pellet grill like a Traeger, preheat to 450F. 
  2. Coat the sweet potato slices with 1 tablespoon of the oil and place them on the indirect upper rack of your grill if you have one. Let them cook for 10 minutes before adding the burgers to the grill. When you put the burgers on, flip them.
  3. To make the special sauce, in a small bowl mix together the mayo, chopped pickles, 1 teaspoon of the apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, 1/4 teaspoon of the garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Set aside. 
  4. With your hands or a fork, mix together the ground venison, the remaining olive oil, the remaining apple cider vinegar, onion powder, the remaining garlic powder, the remaining salt, and the pepper. Incorporate everything well. 
  5. Divide the ground venison evenly into 4 patties and form into discs. 
  6. Place on the grill for 4-7 minutes a side (you made need to go a bit longer with a wood pellet grill). Remove when the burgers are just at medium, or slightly pink in the middle.
  7. When the burgers have cooked, remove the sweet potato rounds from the grill. They should be soft.
  8. To serve, stack the burgers and sweet potato rounds. Drizzle on the special sauce and add the desired toppings. Close everything with a sweet potato round lid. 
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Grill
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 burger
  • Calories: 435
  • Sugar: 5 g
  • Sodium: 690 mg
  • Fat: 25 g
  • Saturated Fat: 7 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 32 g
  • Cholesterol: 380 mg

Keywords: burger, venison, wild game, Traeger, whole30

Instant Pot Venison Shepherd’s Pie

Classic Shepherd’s Pie made with venison is prepared in the Instant Pot. You won’t believe how easy it is to make mashed potatoes and the filling!

Classic Shepherd's Pie made with venison is prepared in the Instant Pot. You won't believe how easy it is to make mashed potatoes and the filling!

My hubby J LOVES Shepherd’s Pie. We’ve both got some pretty strong Irish roots & when St. Patrick’s day rolls around, I know there’s one thing on his mind.

Beer & potatoes.

The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, so to the kitchen I go. I created this Venison Shepherd’s Pie recipe a few years back, and it remains popular. It’ actually Whole30 approved (no beer) & uses up an influx of stew meat we had laying around. So, give that version a try, too!

BUT, this Shepherd’s Pie is more closely tied to the classic. Ground meat, beer, peas & creamy mashed potatoes. It’s amazing to me how easily everything comes together in the Instant Pot!

I’ll show you how easy it is!

You start by cooking potatoes in the Instant Pot. You keep the skin on so they can steam inside themselves. When they’re soft, you start the ground beef & veggie filling by using the saute function.

You’ll add veggies to the venison mixture. Note that you can also use ground beef or lamb! It’s important to add the tomato paste with the spices and seasoning so it has a chance to open up.

Then, the glorious beer goes in, and you scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pot. Now, I like to dump my cooked filling and mashed potatoes into a casserole dish and broil to get a crispy top, but this is optional. You can certainly just spoon the mashed potatoes over the cooked filling in the Instant Pot and call it a day!

Sláinte, friends!

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25 delicious & fresh venison recipes, cooking tips + a printable grocery staples shopping list

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    A PSA THAT THE INSTANT POT IS PERFECT FOR COOKING TENDER VENISON, YOU HAVE TO TRY MY INSTANT POT RED WINE VENISON POT ROAST and my EASY INSTANT POT VENISON STEW.

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    Instant Pot Venison Shepherd’s Pie

    • Author: Miss AK
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 40 minutes
    • Total Time: 1 hour
    • Yield: 8 1x
    Print Recipe

    Description

    Classic Shepherd’s Pie made with venison is prepared in the Instant Pot. You won’t believe how easy it is to make mashed potatoes and the filling!

    Scale

    Ingredients

    • 3lbs. gold potatoes (about 7–8 medium potatoes)
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 cup warm milk
    • 4 Tbsp. butter, divided
    • 2 tsp. salt, divided
    • 1 and 1/2 tsp. pepper, divided
    • 1 lb. ground venison (or beef, turkey or lamb)
    • 1 large, yellow onion, diced
    • 1 and 1/2 cups diced carrots
    • 1 and 1/2 cups celery
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 (6oz.) can tomato paste
    • 1 tsp. dried thyme
    • 1/2 tsp. ground sage
    • 1 cup dark beer, like Guinness or a stout
    • 1 cup frozen peas

    Instructions

    1. Scrub the potatoes and plate the wire rack in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Add the water and potatoes to the pot.
    2. Place on the lid, make sure the knob is turned to sealing and select Pressure Cook or Manual for 15 minutes on high. Let the cycle run, do a 5-minute natural release, and then carefully perform a manual release. 
    3. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl, and discard the water. If you want peeled potaotes for your mash, you can peel them when they’re cool to the touch, but I like to leave my skins on for texture. 
    4. Add the warm milk and 3 tablespoons of the butter, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and a half teaspoon of the pepper to the potatoes and mash. You can use a ricer or a or an electric mixer if desired, just make sure the milk is warm. This helps with texture. Set the mashed potatoes aside. 
    5. Return the pot to the Instant Pot and add the remaining butter. Set it to Saute for 25 minutes on high. 
    6. After about 3 minutes, and the butter has melted, add the ground venison to the pot. 
    7. Saute until browned, about 5-7 minutes. 
    8. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until they start to soften. 
    9. Add the garlic, tomato paste, remaining salt, remaining pepper, thyme, and sage. Mix well, letting this sweat for 5 minutes. 
    10. Finally, add the beer and let the cycle finish, scraping any bits off of the bottom of the pan for flavor. 
    11. Once the cycle has finished, stir in the peas. The hot filling will cook them just enough so that they’re not mushy. 
    12. Pour the filling into a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Top with the mashed potaotes and spread into an even later. 
    13. Turn the oven to lo broil and place the Shepherd’s Pie on the middle rack of the oven. Broil for 5-7 minutes, checking frequently, until the top is golden and crispy.* Enjoy!

    Notes

    • I like to dump my cooked filling and mashed potatoes into a casserole dish and broil to get a crispy top, but this is optional. You can certainly just spoon the mashed potatoes over the cooked filling in the Instant Pot and call it a day! 
    • Category: Mains
    • Method: Pressure Cooker
    • Cuisine: Irish American

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 scoop
    • Calories: 439
    • Sugar: 16 g
    • Sodium: 639 mg
    • Fat: 11 g
    • Saturated Fat: 6 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
    • Trans Fat: 0
    • Carbohydrates: 70 g
    • Fiber: 12 g
    • Protein: 27 g
    • Cholesterol: 205 mg

    Keywords: venison, instant pot, dinner

    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

      ★★★★★

      5 from 1 reviews

      • Author: Miss AK
      • Prep Time: 10 minutes
      • Cook Time: 80 minutes
      • 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.

      Scale

      Ingredients

      • 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.  
      • 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.

      Venison Taco Dip

      Easy venison taco dip is layers of Greek yogurt cream, chili lime spiced ground venison with Pepper Jack cheese and fresh veggies.

      Easy venison taco dip is layers of Greek yogurt cream, chili lime spiced ground venison with Pepper Jack cheese and fresh veggies.

      Guys. This. Dip.

      That is all. Post over.

      I’m KIDDING! But really, you have to make this bad boy if you’ve got some venison in the freezer. I added a little bit of citrus to the ground venison meat to combat the heavier flavor and it’s divine. I love how the extra lean meat crumbles perfectly over the Greek yogurt cream cheese mixture.

      All you have to do is add a little bit of cheese and veggies of choice over the top of everything. I choose some lettuce, tomato and jalapeno – classic and I like it.

      Dip, dip hooray!

      Chips non negotiable.

      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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        Venison Taco Dip

        • Author: Miss AK
        • Prep Time: 15 minutes
        • Cook Time: 15 minutes
        • Total Time: 30 minutes
        • Yield: 10 1x
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        Description

        Easy venison taco dip is layers of Greek yogurt cream, chili lime spiced ground venison with Pepper Jack cheese and fresh veggies.

        Scale

        Ingredients

        • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
        • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
        • 1 lb. ground venison
        • 1 tsp. chili powder
        • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
        • 1 tsp. salt, divided
        • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
        • juice of 1 lime, divided
        • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
        • 8 oz. softened cream cheese (it mixes easier when soft)
        • 1/2 cup salsa
        • 2 cups shredded or finely chopped lettuce
        • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced 
        • 1 and 1/2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese
        • optional – 1 sliced jalapeno 
        • chips or veggies for serving

        Instructions

        1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
        2. Add the onion and saute for 3-5 minutes until golden. 
        3. Add the venison and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. 
        4. Add the chili powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, pepper and the juice of 1/2 of the lime. 
        5. Cook for 2 more minutes and remove from the heat. 
        6. Mix together the Greek yogurt, cream cheese, salsa, the remaining lime juice, and the remaining salt. 
        7. Spread the yogurt cream mixture into the bottom of a 9×13″ pan. 
        8. Sprinkle the venison taco meat over the yogurt cream. 
        9. Top with lettuce and tomato. 
        10. Add on the cheese and jalapeno if using. 
        11. Serve right away or refrigerate for a few hours before serving. 
        • Category: Appetizer
        • Method: Stovetop
        • Cuisine: Mexican/American

        Nutrition

        • Calories: 205
        • Sugar: 3 g
        • Sodium: 143 mg
        • Fat: 6 g
        • Saturated Fat: 2 g
        • Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
        • Trans Fat: 0 g
        • Carbohydrates: 18 g
        • Fiber: 3 g
        • Protein: 20 g
        • Cholesterol: 156 mg

        Keywords: dip, taco, venison, salsa

        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, grab my free e-book!

        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

        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 3 reviews

        • Author: Miss AK
        • Prep Time: 5 minutes + 4 hours- overnight
        • Cook Time: 2 hours
        • Total Time: -25976735.083333 minute
        • Yield: 4 1x
        Print Recipe

        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.

        Scale

        Ingredients

        • 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.

        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

        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.

        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.

        I have to confess that ground venison is sometimes not my favorite thing. I really don’t love that iron like flavor it can sometimes add. I was raised always having turkey or ground beef, so it’s normally my goal to kind of try to hide the flavor a little bit.

        My husband J just harvested a beautiful buck this year, and we believe in respecting your harvest. So, to the kitchen I go!

        We had friends over for dinner the other week, and I spent the day testing recipes & hoped these meatballs would be a big hit. I made a double batch of the below so I could freeze half to reheat on a busy day. Just omit the meat in my weeknight bolognese recipe for an easy sauce!

        Well, it’s safe to say that I’m not sure how many meatballs actually MADE it to the freezer, as soon as these came out of the oven J and I were munching on them all day like they were candy! I kid you not – these are amazing.

        We are going to use a little bit of ground pork to add flavor and fat here. But, I think the big secret is the bit of red wine vinegar. I add it when I’m done sauteing the onions and garlic to add to the meat before baking them.

        sautéed onions and garlic with herbs in a pan

        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.

        pork and venison meat mixed with aromatics in a white bowl

        Then you roll them up.

        meatballs rolled on a gold baking sheet

        And bake them off.

        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.

        Want more venison recipes? Get my latest e-book FO FREE!

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        meatballs in sauce in a white pot

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        Best Ever Venison Meatballs

        • Author: Miss AK
        • Prep Time: 15 minutes
        • Cook Time: 25 minutes
        • Total Time: 40 minutes
        • Yield: 6 1x
        Print Recipe

        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.

        Scale

        Ingredients

        • 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.

        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

        Venison Shepherd’s Pie

        Venison Shepherd’s Pie combines tender venison, veggies and mashed potatoes for a simple & impressive way to use up holiday leftovers!

        Venison Shepherd's Pie combines tender venison, veggies and mashed potatoes for a simple & impressive way to use up holiday leftovers! 

        Chances are, right about now, you’re up to your ears in Holiday planning. And, if you are lucky enough to have Thanksgiving leftovers, I’m betting that you’re trying to get really creative with those leftover mashed potatoes, no?

        Shepherd’s Pie is one of JMan’s favorite dishes, and his sweet momma makes it every year on St. Patrick’s Day for us. We are all VERY Irish. Since he was kind enough to fill our freezer with deer meat this fall, I’m returning the favor by whipping up this stick to your ribs classic. I tested this recipe before Thanksgiving, so I didn’t have any mashed potatoes on hand to use. The directions below include a simple method for whipping cooked potatoes with butter for the “crust” but use up those leftovers if you got ’em!

        shepherd's pie on a grey plate with a white background and fork

        This Shepherd’s pie is impressive enough to serve to your holiday guests but easy enough to whip up on a weeknight.

        This is really simple, you could probably get much more complicated and gourmet with it, but hey, easy is key this year. I wanted to use chunks of meat instead of ground meat like a traditional Shepherd’s Pie; I was just in the mood for a tender cut of venison. This is gluten-free, and if you use ghee in place of butter, completely dairy free, too!

        If you don’t have access to venison (you could really just come over to my house), or if you aren’t a fan of the flavor, you can always use beef. The ratios will all be the same, your flavor will just be slightly different.

        cut up shepherd's pie on small plate with a casserole dish and spoon

        Here’s what it will look like to build this baby:

         

        ingredients for shepherd's pie on a marble slab

         

        mixing up shepherd's pie filling in a pot

         

        mixing up shepherd's pie filling in a pot with venison

         

         

        prebaked shepherd's pie in a casserole dish

        Love this recipe? Check out my recipe for Traditional Instant Pot Venison Shepherd’s Pie!

        Print

        Venison Shepherd’s Pie

        ★★★★★

        5 from 1 reviews

        • Author: Miss AK
        • Prep Time: 20 minutes
        • Cook Time: 25 minutes
        • Total Time: 45 minutes
        • Yield: 6-8 1x
        Print Recipe

        Description

        Venison Shepherd’s Pie combines tender venison, veggies and mashed potatoes for a simple & impressive way to use up holiday leftovers!

        Scale

        Ingredients

        • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (or about 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes)
        • 3 tbsp of butter or ghee, divided
        • 1 lb of venison steaks or chops, cubed*
        • 1 bag of carrots, chopped (about 5 carrots)
        • 5–6 celery stalks, chopped
        • 1 large onion, chopped
        • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
        • 1 cup of beef stock or bone broth
        • 1 6oz. can of tomato paste
        • 1/2 tsp of ground thyme
        • 2 tsp. salt, divided
        • 1 tsp. pepper

        Instructions

        1. Preheat oven to 375
        2. Begin by boiling a pot of water.
        3. Peel and cut your potatoes into eighths so they cook faster.
        4. Once the water is boiling, add the potatoes and boil for 15-20 minutes until they are tender. Again, if you have leftover mashed potatoes, skip this step and set aside about 3-4 cups of the leftovers for the topping!
        5. While the potatoes cook, dice the venison into bite-size chunks.
        6. Heat a large pan or skillet on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of butter and let it heat.
        7. Add the chunks of venison and let them cook until slightly browned.
        8. While the venison and potatoes cook, chop your veggies.
        9. When the meat is browned, transfer it to a plate, and let it sit while you cook the veggies. Add the veggies to the hot pan and let them cook for 5-7 minutes before adding the garlic and thyme.
        10. Let this cook for 2 more minutes, and add the stock, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and venison back into the pan. Let it go for two more minutes until everything is thick and combined.
        11. Turn the burner off, and pour this into the bottom of your casserole dish.
        12. By now, your potatoes will be done. Drain them, add them to a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of butter or ghee, 1 teaspoon of salt, and whip with a mixer or mash with a few forks.
          Dump this out onto the top of your venison filling and smooth everything well.
        13. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes slightly start to brown on top. Serve up in generous portions with a giant hug.

        Notes

        *can sub beef – I suggest getting beef stew meat

        Nutrition

        • Serving Size: 1 cup
        • Calories: 289
        • Sugar: 12 g
        • Sodium: 723 mg
        • Fat: 6 g
        • Saturated Fat: 0 g
        • Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
        • Trans Fat: 0 g
        • Carbohydrates: 34 g
        • Fiber: 8 g
        • Protein: 17 g
        • Cholesterol: 45 mg
        This post was published in November 2016 and was updated in October 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 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. 

        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.

         

        Print

        Easy Instant Pot Venison Stew (slow cooker friendly)

        ★★★★★

        5 from 8 reviews

        • Author: Miss AK
        • Prep Time: 15 minutes
        • Cook Time: 35 minutes + heating and release time
        • 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.

        Scale

        Ingredients

        • 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 broth
        • 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.

        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.

        Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin

        A dressed up main sure to impress anyone at your table 

        Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin

        The Holidays are the time of year that I like to test out those “next level” recipes. Maybe all of the merriment gives me more courage, or the magic of it all just consumes me.

        Let me start by saying that tedious recipes do not interest me. You know those little videos where you see those quick little hands dipping 8500 teeny squares of ice cream into chocolate for dessert bites? Yeah, nope – not happening on my watch, too time-consuming and repetitive.

        I wanted to do a stuffed tenderloin, well, because they feel freakin’ fancy. I imagined myself painstakingly learning to tie up a piece of meat, ferociously writing notes for you all. “Buck up, Buttercup”, I told myself.  I thought this was going to be one of those recipes that took me 8 tries to get right and simplify. I bought a whole ball of kitchen twine – just in case, you know?

        Welp, first try, 15 minutes in, I had stuffed, tied and oven placed one lucky, and very dressed up tenderloin. Wait what? I feel like this was like the time I first cooked with lentils. I expected this earth-shatteringly complicated experience and in reality…easy peasy lemon squeezy.

        Anyway, we’re making a quick garlic & walnut spread, slicing up some crisp apples and placing them between two tenderloin halves. We’ll tie the whole thing up, as haphazardly as you please, place on a bed of onions & allow the meat to soak up the generously rich & pungent flavors of the stuffing. I used venison tenderloin, but beef or pork would work perfectly. If you like to eat pork on New Year’s – consider this recipe!

        Sliced, Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Walnuts

        WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

        Tenderloin – Venison, Beef or Pork

        Walnuts

        Apple

        Garlic

        Olive Oil

        Apple, Walnut, Garlic Stuffed Tenderloin

        WHAT YOU’LL DO:

        Preheat oven to 475 degrees. If your tenderloin isn’t already cut in half, do so. Allow it to come to room temp by sitting it on the counter for a bit before cooking.

        Roughly chop an onion into pieces and lay on a lightly greased cookie sheet or small roasting pan. You’re going to lay the tenderloin on these so the stuffing doesn’t sit in the juice and get soggy. Bonus: you get some seriously flavorful onions as a side.

        Wrapping a Stuffed Tenderloin for Baking

        Add the garlic, walnuts, salt and olive oil into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Wash and thinly slice half of the apple.

        Lay each side of the tenderloin on a cutting board, with twine cut and ready to tie placed underneath. Spread equal parts of the garlic spread on each half. Lay the apple slices on one half, and place the other on top.  Tie the twine around the tenderloins and place on the bed of onions. Sprinkle with pepper and place in the oven.

        Tender Stuffed Venison Tenderloin

        After the tenderloin has cooked for 10 minutes, drop the heat to 425 and roast for 20-25 mins. I took mine out at 20 (my oven quickly burns things) and it was a perfect medium rare. OK, I want you to rest your meat for AT LEAST 5 minutes, preferably 10-15. I am definitely guilty of cutting meat too soon, but not for this recipe. Let it rest. You won’t be sorry. Even with the lean and sometimes tough venison meat, my tenderloin was fall-apart tender.

        Serve up with some roasted veggies and the flavorful onions from the bedding! You’ve got yourself a fancy meal made simple. I promise I won’t tell you only used 5 ingredients.

        xoxx,

        Miss AK

        Sweet and Savoury Stuffed Tenderloin

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        Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin
        Author: Miss AK
        Ingredients
        • 1 Tenderloin – Venison, Beef or Pork – cut in half (most come this way)
        • 1/3 cup of Walnuts
        • 1 Apple thinly sliced
        • 3 large cloves of Garlic
        • 3 tbsp of Olive Oil
        • 1/2 tsp of Salt
        • 1/4-1/2 tsp of Pepper
        Instructions
        1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. If your tenderloin isn’t already cut in half, do so.
        2. Allow it to come to room temp by sitting it on the counter for a bit before cooking.
        3. Roughly chop an onion into pieces and lay on a lightly greased cookie sheet or small roasting pan.
        4. You’re going to lay the tenderloin on these so the stuffing doesn’t sit in the juice and get soggy. Bonus: you get some seriously flavorful onions as a side.
        5. Add the garlic, walnuts, salt and olive oil into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Wash and thinly slice half of the apple.
        6. Lay each side of the tenderloin on a cutting board, with twine cut and ready to tie placed underneath. Spread equal parts of the garlic spread on each half. Lay the apple slices on one half, and place the other on top. Tie the twine around the tenderloins and place on the bed of onions. Sprinkle with pepper and place in the oven.
        7. After the tenderloin has cooked for 10 minutes, drop the heat to 425 and roast for 20-25 mins. I took mine out at 20 (my oven quickly burns things) and it was a perfect medium rare.
        8. OK, I want you to rest your meat for AT LEAST 5 minutes, preferably 10-15.
        9. Even with the lean and sometimes tough venison meat, my tenderloin was fall-apart tender.
        10. Serve up with some roasted veggies and the flavorful onions from the bedding!
        11. You’ve got yourself a fancy meal made simple. I promise I won’t tell you only used 5 ingredients.

         

        Apple Walnut Stuffed Tenderloin - an elevated main dish to impress any guest at your table. Don't tell them how easy this one is!

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