Looking for something delicious to make with ground deer meat? This collection of 20+ ground venison recipes includes everything from juicy burgers and meatballs to chili, tacos, pasta, and a few unique dishes. All of these recipes also work with ground elk, antelope, or moose. You can also substitute ground beef or bison in many of them.
If you’re processing your own deer, check out my guide on how to grind venison. I cover grinding techniques and storage there.
Cooking Ground Venison Notes
Ground venison is naturally leaner than ground beef, so choosing the right fat content makes a big difference in flavor, texture, and juiciness.
For recipes like burgers, meatballs, meatloaf, and tacos, I prefer adding fat to help keep the meat juicy. For chili and pasta sauces, where the meat cooks in liquid, leaner ground venison works well. Cooking venison in a well-seasoned sauce or broth can also help mellow any gamey flavors.
I typically use pork fat, beef fat, or bacon ends. Below is a quick reference chart showing my fat content preferences for different dishes.
| Recipe Type | Preferred Fat Percentage |
|---|---|
| Smash Burgers (cooked well-done) | 20–30% |
| Thick Burgers (cooked medium to medium-rare) | 0–15% |
| Taco Meat | 20–30% |
| Meatballs | 20–30% |
| Meatloaf | 20–30% |
How to read this chart: Fat percentages refer to the finished meat mixture. For example, a 20% fat blend contains 80% lean venison and 20% added fat by weight. These are my preferred ratios based on the dish and desired texture, not mandatory requirements.
