How to Cook Venison

For many home cooks, grilling venison is uncharted territory. It does not perform the same way beef does. The required fast cooking can easily lead to tough results if you don’t time things right. People worry about it being gamey, too. But there’s good news.

Venison does not have to be difficult, honest! You just need to approach it differently, using rich binders like Cuso’s Lava Barbecue Sauce and smart spices like Cuso’s Dust Seasoning. And deer meat pairs beautifully with many comfort food side dishes, including mac n’ cheese.

There’s no question venison is lean, which is what makes it tricky to get right. But that leanness is also what gives deer meat a distinctive flavor. So, read along and learn how to find the perfect cut, control your cooking temperature, and provide moisture at the ideal time for a rewarding meal.

Introducing Venison

What is venison? Venison is meat usually from deer. However, sometimes apply it to moose and elk.
What does venison taste like? Venison is an earthy-flavored meat, stronger than beef.
What is the best way to cook venison: Quickly over high heat if it is a tender cut. Otherwise, slow cooking.
Why do people like venison? They can sustainably source venison, which has a ton of protein but little fat and is flavorful.

How to Shop for Venison

As with any meat, having a quality piece helps achieve fantastic outcomes. You can find venison usually at local butchers or specialty meat markets. Both can offer you some recommendations based on how you plan to prepare the venison. If you know a hunter, that’s certainly an option. Online suppliers are iffy because you can’t see exactly what you’ll receive.

Use Your Senses as a Buying Guide for Venison

When choosing venison, look for a deep red color and tightly sealed packaging (vacuum packing is best). Touch: texture should be firm. Smell: clean.

Is Venison Expensive?

Think of venison as premium meat. The ground version is the least expensive. Tenderloin and backstrap deer meat are more expensive. Specialty cuts like medallions price out at the top end. You need about .5-.6 lbs per person.

Venison Part Perks

When you think of any meat, various parts come to mind, and each one fares better when cooked a specific way. Grilling, smoking, or slow-cooking venison is no different. When you understand your cut, you can determine the best method.

Backstrap: Also known as the loin cut, backstrap venison is firm yet tender and has a deep flavor. Grill this like a steak.
Ground: Very lean and versatile. Great for burgers or as a sauce addition. Try adding Cuso’s Gravel Seasoning for a vibrant flavor profile and texture.
Shank & Ribs: Tough cuts with bold, intense flavor. Braise these or make a stew.
Tenderloin: True to its name, this is the most tender deer meat cut, and also the one with the mildest flavor. Cook this quickly over high heat.

Ways to Cook Venison

Grilling Deer Meat (Gas & Charcoal)

Head to your grill when you have backstrap venison or steaks. You can create a great crust. Using Cuso’s Dirt® Seasoning. Just monitor the meat closely. If you have a meat thermometer, it will be your best friend when cooking venison. Remove from the heat when the internal temperature reaches 130°F (medium-rare).

Smoking Venison

When you smoke venison, it results in another layer of flavor to the meat. This is a lower- temperature cook that helps tenderize the meat. Add Cuso’s Maple Bourbon to the deer meat before smoking for a sweet-savory tone.

Rotisserie

It’s worth noting that you can use a rotisserie on your grill or smoker for fantastic results.

Crust lovers will swoon. Butterfly the piece, stuff it with butter and herbs, roll it up, and thread it onto the skewer. You can sprinkle it periodically with spices or a spritz of vinegar.

Air Frying Deer Meat

Air frying venison is best when you are working with medallions and similar small cuts. The speed is nice, but it’s easy to overcook.

Slow Cooking Venison

Slow cooking is ideal for tough venison cuts (shanks, shoulder roast, neck, flank, and lower hind leg). Low and slow is the key to tenderizing these pieces while infusing them with flavor.

Tips for Success with Venison Recipes

Don’t cook deer meat beyond medium rare. The longer it goes, the tougher it becomes unless you are using a slow cooker or braising method.
If there’s a way to add fat to your dish (think butter or bacon), it’s a great partner for success since venison is so lean.
Let the meat rest 10 minutes before serving to retain juices.
Look at the meat grain, and slice against it.
Remember, you can’t cook venison like beef.
Use high heat ONLY for searing.
Go bold with seasonings. Venison can handle robust spices.

Venison Recipes

Aged, Butterflied Venison

Take a backstrap piece of venison and butterfly it open. Slather it with compound butter consisting of salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and sage. Slice some green peppers and shallots, then sprinkle them along the full length of the meat. Use a kitchen torch to crisp them slightly.

Roll the meat up as tightly as possible, binding it with butcher’s twine. Place it on a rotisserie over a wooden fire. Baste it as it turns until it reaches 125°F. Remove and rest for 10 minutes.

Venison Tenderloin

This one is easy. Pat the tenderloin dry and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Sear it quickly in a cast-iron pan, then turn down the heat. Add butter and any herbs you like to the pan, and spoon it over the deer meat until it’s medium-well. Rest.

Smoked Venison Backstrap

Before you smoke the deer meat, apply a dry rub. Some of Cuso’s blends that work well include Cuso’s Dirt®, Maple Bourbon, Tequila Lime Habanero, and Grass Seasoning. You can also whip up a fast rub with paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Smoke at 225°F to medium well (125-130°F). Rest.

Venison Jerky 6 Ways

Slice your deer meat pieces against the grain. Place them in a marinade overnight. Options include:

Soy sauce, garlic, pepper, brown sugar
Worcestershire, paprika, smoke seasoning, garlic, onion
Balsamic vinegar, citrus juice, honey, red pepper flakes
Red wine, rosemary, cracked black pepper, thyme.
Mango juice, fresh ginger, freshly minced garlic, chili flakes
Lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, cumin, cilantro, agave

Dehydrate until the meat has a little flex (does not snap in half), but is firm. Should not be tacky on the outside. Look for uniform dryness on the inside.

Ground Venison Burgers

Create an 80/20 balance of venison to a fat like bacon, butter, beef fat, or ground pork.
For mellower deer meat flavor, use finely minced onion, shallots, or garlic.
Consider adding cheese: Sharp cheddar, Swiss, blue cheese, cream cheese (really juicy!), feta.
Fruit: dried cranberries, dried cherries, grated apple, grated pear
Vegetables: spinach, mushrooms, parsley, grated carrots, finely minced peppers
Binder: 1 egg

Add no more than 15% add-ons to keep the meat from falling apart.

Cook in a frying pan over medium-high heat for 4 minutes (medium rare), flipping only once.

Get Saucy with Venison

If you’d like a sauce for topping your venison or as a dip, I use three:

Simple crema: Yogurt mixed with Cuso’s low-calorie Lava Barbecue Sauce
Blackberry Bourbon: Fresh blackberries, bourbon, shallots, butter, garlic, thyme, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar
Maple Bourbon Jam Reduction Sauce: Bacon, onions, whisky, maple syrup, Cuso’s Maple Bourbon and Cowboy Butter Seasonings, balsamic vinegar

What about Gaminess?

The flavor of venison depends on the deer’s diet, the amount of fat, and whether or not you removed the silver skin.

As the name implies, silver skin is a whitish-silvery tissue found on venison cuts. If you don’t remove it, the meat may become chewy, and that skin retains some of the gaminess.

To remove it, use a sharp, thin knife. Carefully slide it just under the skin, and loosen a section. Take a paper towel and grip that loosened section. Gently pull. If there’s still resistance, loosen using the knife once more. The goal is to avoid meat loss.

Chef’s Secret: Soak it in buttermilk or acidic marinades to decrease the gamey flavor.

Storing & Reheating Venison

Use airtight packaging. You can refrigerate venison for up to 5 days, and freeze deer meat for up to 12 months.

Venison should be stored carefully to maintain quality.

Refrigerate for 3–5 days.
Freeze for up to 12 months.
Use airtight packaging

When reheating, use low heat and add moisture to prevent drying.

Good ways to repurpose cooked venison include making it into stir fry, adding it to tacos, or breakfast hash. Put some on your next grilled cheese sandwich.

Serving Ideas and Meal Planning

Side Dishes: homemade French fries, wild rice, strawberry spinach salad, roasted root vegetables, mushroom skewers, apple-fennel slaw, cranberry-orange relish.
Beverages: Shiraz, Pinot Noir, stout, amber ale, brown ale, bourbon, whisky, Old Fashioned, sparkling apple cider, mint iced tea
Dessert: Pear tart, apple crisp, chocolate mousse, honey Panna cotta

Venison Visions

Yes, venison is a little less forgiving than other meats, but it’s tasty and lean, having a special flavor profile all its own. Once you master it, deer meat recipes are ones you’ll add to your repertoire.

Learning how to cook venison is about understanding its nature. It’s lean, flavorful, and a little less forgiving—but that’s exactly what makes it special.

If you’d like to see more venison recipe ideas, join us on Instagram (@CusoCuts). There are also numerous other dishes for you to explore. Tell us if you tried any of these ideas and how your effort turned out. Share your story, ask your questions.

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