Peruvian Venison Stir Fry

This Peruvian style venison stir fry is my take on lomo saltado. A Chinese-inspired dish that brings together bold flavors, crisp vegetables, and thin strips of venison steak. It’s fast, easy, and deeply satisfying.

If you’ve never had lomo saltado, it’s a traditional Peruvian stir fry that blends Cantonese cooking techniques with Latin American ingredients. Think soy sauce and vinegar meeting fresh hot peppers and cilantro. In my version, we use lean cuts of wild venison, like backstrap, tenderloin, or top round.

If you’re looking for more ways to cook venison steak cuts like backstrap, check out my Venison Backstrap & Tenderloin Recipes for more quick-cooking ideas.

The Best Cuts of Venison for Stir Fry

For the best results, stick with tender cuts. This isn’t the place for slow-cooker shanks or roasts. I prefer:

• Venison backstrap (deer loin)
• Tenderloin
• Venison Round Steaks (Top round or Bottom Round)

Trim the meat well and slice it into thin strips across the grain. You want quick, even cooking over high heat. No need to add extra fat if you’re using a good cast iron pan or wok.

Tips for High-Heat Wok Style Cooking

To keep the dish fast and flavorful:

• Have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go before heating the pan.
• Use very high heat. A wok burner or cast iron pan over a hot flame is ideal.
• Cook the meat in batches so it sears, not steams.
• Have an empty bowl next to your cooking station. This will be where you add the cooked venison while cooking in batches.
• This stir fry comes together in under 10 minutes, so don’t walk away once you start cooking.

Key ingredients:

WORKING AHEAD

• The venison can be sliced, covered, and kept in the fridge 1 day before you plan to cook the stir fry.
• The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Just place it in an airtight container and store it in your refrigerator until ready to use.
• The potatoes can be pre-cooked up to 2 days ahead of time. After pre-cooking the potatoes, drain them and let them cool to room temperature. Then cover and store in the refrigerator.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this over steamed white rice, or toss it all together in a bowl with the fries and sauce soaking in.
• For added crunch, I Like To Top The Dish Off with crispy potato chips.
• For a weeknight shortcut, I’ll use leftover roasted potatoes and day-old rice, crisped up in a skillet before serving. If you’re after something fancier, drizzle it with homemade spicy Gochujang Aioli.

More Recipes

• Korean Ground Venison and Rice Bowls
• Korean Spicy Cucumber Salad
• Chinese Style Slow Cooked Venison Shoulder
• Venison Tataki
• Venison Dumplings

Lastly, if you make this easy venison stir fry recipe, be sure to leave a rating or tag me on Instagram! I thoroughly enjoy hearing feedback and checking out the photos of recipes that you’ve made.

Peruvian Venison Stir Fry

Author: Larry White

This venison stir fry is a cultural fusion that brings out the best of lean deer meat. Whether you're using tender venison steak, leg meat, or experimenting with different noodles, there are many ways to make this your own.

5 from 3 votes

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Peruvian

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 People

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Sauce

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• ▢ 6 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• ▢ 1/2 cup soy sauce
• ▢ 1/2 cup water (or chicken stock or venison stock)
• ▢ 1/4 cup Dry white wine or Xiao Xing 
• ▢ 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sugar

For the Stir Fry

• ▢ 6 tablespoons olive oil or peanut oil
• ▢ 2 pounds boneless venison, cut into thin strips
• ▢ 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice)
• ▢ 2 yellow or red bell peppers, sliced
• ▢ 1 large red or yellow onion, sliced thinly
• ▢ 1 cup diced tomatoes
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• ▢ 4 green onions, sliced thinly
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Make the Sauce

• Heat a small pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, garlic and ginger. Cook for about two minutes or until the garlic is translucent and tender.
• Add the wine and reduce to about half.
• Add the soy sauce, water, sugar and sesame oil. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Set aside for later.

Cook the Potatoes

• Peel and cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Place the potatoes in a pot of water. Bring to a slow simmer and cook the potatoes for 5 minutes. Drain and completely dry off with paper towels or a kitchen towel. The potatoes should be just tender enough to pierce with a fork.
• Set the potatoes to the side.

Prepare the Stir Fry

• Season the sliced venison with salt and pepper.
• In a large frying pan or large wok, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat.
• Brown with meat quickly, 2-3 minutes at most. Cook in batches if you don’t have a large enough pan. Remove the meat and set aside.
• Add the par-boiled and dried potatoes to the pan and cook while stirring for around 3 minutes. Check to see if one of the cubes is cooked thoroughly. If it’s still a little hard, cook for another minute or 2 adding more cooking oil if needed. Remove and set the potatoes to the side.
• Discard the cooking oil that’s left in the pan. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil and heat over medium high heat.
• Add the bell peppers and onions, cook while stirring for about 2 minutes.
• Add the sauce, potatoes, tomatoes, and venison to the pan and stir until everything is mixed and coated with the sauce. Cook over medium-high heat until everything is evenly coated and heated through, about 30 seconds
• Serve immediately with rice or noodles. Top with fresh cilantro, green onions, and sesame seeds.

NOTES

• Best cuts of venison: This stir fry works best with tender cuts like backstrap, tenderloin, or venison round steaks. If using leg steaks, slice thinly and marinate longer to keep the meat tender.
• Slicing tip: For even cooking, slice the venison across the grain into thin strips while it’s still slightly frozen.
• Marinade shortcut: You can marinate the venison for as little as 30 minutes, but 2–4 hours yields better flavor.
• Vegetable swaps: Try this with snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, or bok choy.
• Serving idea: Serve over jasmine rice, brown rice, or rice noodles. Garnish with green onion, toasted sesame seeds, and a squeeze of lime for brightness.
• Leftovers: Store in an airtight container and reheat in a hot pan or microwave. Best eaten within 3 days.
• Wild game note: This recipe works great with deer, elk, antelope or moose meat.

Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!