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!
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 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.
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!
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!
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The BEST Ground Venison Tacos
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
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!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive or avocado oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 lb. ground venison*
- 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 orange, juiced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Begin by heating a large pan over medium heat on the stove. Add the oil to the pan and when the oil is hot, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Then, add the ground venison and cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes.
- Next, add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for an 2 additional minutes before deglazing the pan with the orange juice, lime juice and apple cider vinegar.
- Then, add the water and turn the heat to medium-low. Allow the meat to simmer for 5-10 minutes until the desired texture and moisture level are reached.
- Serve in taco shells, lettuce wraps, burritos, quesadillas, nachos – however you like!
Notes
- This recipe will work with elk, beef, antelope, moose, bison, lamb – really any red meat.
- If you’re thawing venison from frozen, try thawing it on a paper towel or drying it with a paper down and discarding old blood before cooking. This helps the meat to taste fresh and not “gamey”.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican American
Keywords: venison, wild game, deer meat, tacos, ground meat, ground venison, mexican
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Fabulous. I think the best tacos I have ever made. I’ve made venison tacos with regular taco seasoning… it does not compare. I will never never be able to use the packaged seasoning again
★★★★★
This makes my day! So glad you like them!
Is this meant to be tablespoons or teaspoons or chilli powder. I used 1 tablespoon (because I thought it was a lot) and I can taste anything apart from hot /chilli
Hi Sue! It’s tablespoon! You need a lot of spices for tacos (usually when I buy a packet from the store of taco seasoning, there’s more than 3Tbsp. inside). Is your chili powder hot/spicy chili powder or mild? Most chili powder does not have heat (cayenne does).