Venison Recipes
Welcome to my complete collection of venison recipes. This page pulls together all of my favorite ways to cook deer meat, organized so you can find the right cut and method without guessing.
From quick-seared backstrap to slow-braised shanks, every recipe here is written with the nuances of wild game in mind. All tested in my kitchen with the animals that I harvested.
About Venison
Venison may just be the most popular wild game meat throughout the world. But I believe that the vast majority of people have had a bad experience with eating venison at some point in their lives. Myself included.
And that usually isn’t the animal’s fault. Most of the time it’s from the hands of the deer hunter, cook, or butcher. Even if you process your own deer meat, sometimes things can go wrong.
A hunter can take longer than expected to recover the animal. A cook can either overcook or undercook the meat. Or the processor could have a poor storage environment. All of these issues can lead to the “gamey taste” that everyone dreads.
Venison is leaner than beef, which means it can be unforgiving if it’s cooked the wrong way. So I included some helpful tips at the bottom of this page to get you started cooking these recipes.
(Updated January 2026)
VENISON RECIPES CATEGORIZED BY CUT OF MEAT
BROWSE BY CATEGORY
TIPS FOR COOKING VENISON
Cooking Venison Steaks, Roasts & Chops
For steaks and roasts, aim for rare (120–125°F) to medium-rare (130–135°F). Anything further, and it dries out quickly.
These cuts include the backstraps (loins), tenderloins (inner loins), deer round steaks (eye, top, and bottom round), and the ball/football roast.
You’ve got two main approaches:
- Hot and fast – sear the outside hard, then finish at a lower temp in the oven or smoker until you hit doneness.
- Reverse sear – cook it low and slow until you’re just shy of target temp, then give it a quick sear at the end. Let it rest to carry over to perfect doneness.
Whichever way you go, the golden rule is simple: don’t overcook it. An instant-read thermometer is your best friend here.
Slow-Cooking Venison Shanks, Flanks, Necks & Shoulders
These cuts are full of connective tissue and silver skin, and since venison is lean, there isn’t much fat to help break them down. That means you need moisture somewhere in the process.
Whether you’re making pulled venison barbecue or a tender stew, the trick is the same: cook it low and slow with liquid. Braising in the oven is classic, but a slow cooker or crockpot gets the job done too. This is where tough cuts shine. Give them time and moisture, and they’ll fall apart into some of the most flavorful venison you can make.