Venison Salisbury steaks are classic comfort food made with ground venison patties simmered in a rich mushroom gravy. It’s everything we remember from old-school TV dinners, but elevated with quality ingredients.
This recipe is built for ground venison, so it works just as well with elk, antelope, or moose. Serve the steaks over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice for the ultimate comfort food experience.
Looking for more ways to use up your ground deer meat?
Browse all of my Ground Venison Recipes for family comfort food, bulk freezer-friendly meals, or quick handhelds like venison tacos
Notes for Venison Salisbury Steak
- Use a binder so the patties hold together. Panko breadcrumbs and egg work together to keep these venison patties moist and stable so they sear nicely without crumbling in the pan.
- Taste the steak mixture. Before cooking the patties and sauce, make sure the seasoning is correct. Fry off a small piece to see if the mixture needs more seasoning. This step will save you from bland steaks when the dish is complete.
- Brown the patties first to build flavor. A quick sear on both sides over medium-high heat develops a deep, golden crust. The browned bits left in the pan become the base of the mushroom gravy.
- Finish the steaks gently in the gravy. The partially cooked patties are returned to the pan and simmered in the mushroom gravy until just cooked through. This keeps lean venison moist as long as it’s not overcooked.
Key Ingredients
- Ground venison – Ideally with some added fat (around 80/20 lean-to-fat). If you go with a higher fat content, you will need to drain some of the fat after searing.
- Panko breadcrumbs – Helps bind and keep the patties tender. You can use regular breadcrumbs but the texture will be firmer.
- Grated or minced onions – Grating gives you flavor without big crunchy pieces.
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard – Classic Salisbury steak tang.
- Worcestershire sauce – Deep, savory flavor that adds umami.
- Egg – Binder to hold the meat mixture together.
- Herbs – Dried thyme, oregano, and fresh rosemary give the dish a deep earthiness.
- Cream – Cream helps tie the sauce together, making it comforting and velvety.
- Wine – I recommend Madeira, as it pairs perfectly with cream and mushrooms. But a dry red wine is a good substitute.
- Broth – Beef broth or venison broth is ideal. Chicken stock is an excellent substitute.
Recipe Variations
- You can use ground wild boar or ground dark meat wild turkey instead of venison. If you’re out of wild game, lean ground beef will work.
- Turn this into meatballs. Growing up my mom made Salisbury meatballs during the fall in her heavily used crockpot.
- Add frozen peas to the sauce. Want to add vegetables to go with this meal, but don’t want the extra work? Add thawed frozen peas to the sauce.
Serving Ideas
You want to pick the perfect sides to accompany that creamy mushroom gravy. I like to serve this with Southern fried cornbread, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, pasta, and rice. For extra crunch, top it off with crispy fried onions.
Storage, Leftovers & Freezing
- Refrigerating – Store leftover venison Salisbury steaks and gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Reheating – Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of stock or water if the gravy is too thick.
- Freezing – Cool completely, then freeze steaks and gravy together in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More Ground Venison Recipes
If you make this venison Salisbury steak recipe, drop a comment or leave a review. And if you have any cooking questions about making stews or want to share your latest creations, give me a shout on Instagram at @larry__white.
Venison Salisbury Steak
Venison Salisbury steaks are seared ground venison patties simmered in a creamy mushroom gravy. The perfect comfort food for those chilly days during deer season.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the Venison Salisbury Steaks
- 1 pound ground venison
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup onion, grated or very finely minced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking the patties)
For the Mushroom Gravy
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups cremini mushrooms, quartered
- Kosher salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup Madeira wine (or dry red wine)
- 3 cups beef stock (or venison stock)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
Mix the patties
- In a large bowl, combine the panko, grated onion, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, egg, dried thyme, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir until the breadcrumbs are fully moistened and everything is evenly mixed. Add the ground venison and mix with clean hands until the meat mixture is smooth and tacky, but not overworked.
Shape the patties
- Form the mixture into 3–4 oval patties about ¾–1 inch thick. If the patties feel very soft or fragile, refrigerate them for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
Brown the patties
- Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the patties in a single layer without crowding. Sear until well browned on the first side, 2–3 minutes. Flip and brown the second side for another 2–3 minutes. The patties should still be undercooked in the center. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
Start the Sauce
- Cook the mushrooms: In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the quartered mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5–7 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Add the onions and garlic: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent, 3–5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Make the roux: Add the butter and let it melt. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the mushroom mixture and stir until no dry flour remains and the mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring often, for 1 minute.
- Deglaze and add liquids: Pour in the wine, if using, and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Slowly whisk in the stock, then the heavy cream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Season the gravy: Stir in the Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme, and chopped rosemary. Simmer over low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often.
Finish the patties in the gravy
- Carefully add the browned venison patties back into the skillet, along with any juices from the plate. Spoon some gravy over each patty. Simmer gently for 5–10 minutes, turning once and basting occasionally, until the patties are cooked through and the gravy is thick and glossy.
- If the steaks are cooked and the sauce is too thin, remove the steaks and reduce the sauce until it's thickened.
Adjust seasoning and serve
- If the gravy is too thick, stir in a splash of stock or water. If it’s too thin, remove the patties and simmer the gravy until it reduces to your desired thickness. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice.
NOTES
Gravy thickness: If the mushroom gravy is too thin, remove the venison patties and simmer uncovered until it coats the back of a spoon. If it’s too thick, whisk in a splash of stock or cream a little at a time until it loosens.
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