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The BEST Ground Venison Tacos

This is the best, simple and from-scratch recipe for ground venison tacos. Simple to make and no packets of seasoning from the store needed!

ground venison tacos on a sheet pan with all of the toppings out

In our home, the love for Mexican food runs DEEP. About once a week we’re having something with a Mexican flair – these chicken fajita bowls, these elk tacos salads, this venison chili OR I make ground venison tacos.

Taco night is always received well. What’s not to love about making your own little handheld morsel of meat and toppings, right? And, I love it because it’s fast to make, easy to use fresh & healthy ingredients (sometimes I use butter or bib lettuce instead of a tortilla), the baby is obsessed with taco meat, and the flavor of venison actually shines when paired with taco seasoning. That’s why I also make these burrito bowls ALL of the time, too.

ground venison tacos on a blue and white plate

One of the requests I get most often is recipes for ground venison or deer meat. It seems that many families get most of their deer meat made into ground meat after a harvest. And, I can’t say I blame them. As much as I would caution against getting ALL meat made into ground (seriously save the ribs, buy my cookbook and made those short ribs!!), it’s so convenient and cost-effective because you can stop buying red meat from the store.

What’s not to love about having your own stash of sustainably sourced, free-range protein at home?

But, another common complaint I receive from people when they have a ton of ground deer meat to go through…it just doesn’t taste like beef. And they’re right. If you cook venison like you cook beef, you’re going to be disappointed with the results. However…

This is one of the BEST ways to use up ground deer meat

Seriously. The taco seasoning flavors not only enhance the flavor of deer meat, but they transform it into a meaty but bright flavor profile that makes the best dang taco meat that I have ever had. And I don’t say that lightly!

ground venison with spices cooking in a pan

What do you add to ground venison to make taco meat?

To make the best ever ever EVER ground venison tacos, you add a combination of chili powder, cumin, fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice and apple cider vinegar to ground deer meat that has been sautéed with onions and garlic.

Chili powder and cumin are some of the greatest seasonings for deer meat

I love making my own taco seasoning blend with chili powder and cumin instead of buying the pre-made packages because it tastes so bold and fresh, I get to control the flavor levels and it is so much more natural!

What really makes these ground venison tacos is the acid from the lime juice, orange juice, and apple cider vinegar.

Adding acid to venison and wild game meats that have a richer flavor is a great way to combat some of that unfamiliar flavor that some people call “gamey”. It is one of my top tricks for making deer meat dishes taste amazing. I used to be someone who didn’t like venison, and now I prefer it to anything you can buy in the store!

You’re going to love this ground venison taco meat! Put in on your to-make list and on your regular meal rotation!

Love venison recipes? Check out these Venison Enchiladas!