Venison Tacos

Can't go wrong with tacos? Try venison for a change! Whether it is Taco Tuesday or just Taco Night, you can never go wrong serving delicious, flavor-packed tacos. Ground Venison Tacos have great taste, are easy to make, and are the perfect intro to ground venison for a venison newbie!

Venison tacos are made by filling a flour or corn tortilla with cooked venison, then topping the taco with salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Venison is a type of meat that comes from deer, and is often used in tacos because it is a flavorful meat that is low in fat. The salsa, sour cream, and cheese add flavor and texture to the taco, making it a delicious and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• Ground Venison - Ground venison is deer meat that has been ground. It is often used in burgers, sausage, and meatloaf. Ground venison has a slightly different flavor than beef, pork, or lamb, and some people prefer it because of that. It is also lower in fat and cholesterol than other types of meat.
• Onions - Onions have a strong, pungent odor when raw and a slightly sweet taste. Onions are used in cooking for their flavor and because they add texture to dishes. They can be eaten raw or cooked. We like to add some onion to our taco meat to bulk it up.
• Sweet Bell Peppers - Sweet bell peppers are a type of pepper that is typically eaten raw or cooked. They are mild-flavored pepper and have a sweet flavor whether raw or cooked. Sweet bell peppers can be red, yellow, or orange and can be eaten whole or sliced. You can use green peppers if you prefer but they are not as sweet.
• Taco Seasoning - We prefer to make our own taco seasoning but if you want to use a store-bought seasoning you can. You can add it to taste after browning the meat. The taco seasoning we use is a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, minced dried onion, and garlic along with paprika, cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Add crushed red pepper for some added heat and of course salt and pepper.

How to Make Venison Tacos

The complete instructions, timing, temperature, etc. are at the bottom of the blog post in the recipe card.

Step One: Get your large skillet nice and hot. I like to use a cast iron skillet to cook. The cast iron holds the temperature well and can easily handle this quantity of meat. Add some olive oil to coat the pan and then add your minced onions and peppers. Allow them to saute over medium heat until they are tender and the onion is a bit translucent.

Step Two: Add your ground venison to the pan along with your taco seasoning. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until all the meat is browned.

Step Three: Pull all your taco ingredients together so that you can easily assemble the tacos. I like to heat up my tortillas on a hot grill before making the tacos. Use your favorite toppings to create delicious tacos. I always include tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and hot salsa. Instant Pot White Rice is another good choice.

Tip: I didn't cook this on my stovetop. Instead, I cooked this in my cast iron skillet on my grill. When the venison taco meat is 2 minutes from done, I like to place the flour tortillas on the grill and heat for 30 seconds per side. I always like it when my taco shell is heated up before filling it. 

Variations

Chipotle - Love that smoky flavor of chipotle? Blend a can of chipotle peppers in adobo and add a tablespoon or two to the venison taco filling. You won't use it all but you can freeze the rest for another use.

Veggies - Want to sneak some more vegetables into your venison meat taco filling, you can do that easily. Cauliflower rice, chopped mushrooms, and chopped zucchini are all great choices.

Chili - Turn this into a venison chili by doubling the amounts of onions and peppers, and adding some beef broth and canned tomato sauce. You will also want to add extra chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Common Questions

Is ground venison healthier than ground beef?

Yes. Venison is lean, in fact, it has about half the amount of fat that ground beef has and it has more protein. If you are looking to lose weight or put on more lean muscle, venison is the meat for you. But read the labels, venison ground meat may sometimes also include beef or pork fat. The butcher will sometimes add that because venison is so lean.

Is venison gamey? Will I notice that it is not beef?

Maybe. Like many other wild game meats, venison meat has a bit of a gamey taste. However, because of the spices and flavor that we add with our taco seasoning, each bite is full of flavor, and the gaminess gets lost in all the other powerful flavors. You definitely won't miss the beef.

What else can I serve with venison tacos?

If you want to have some fun with flavors, try replacing sour cream with smoked onion dip for a great new flavor. Or make some homemade salsa, but use smoked tomatoes. If you have any leftover ground venison taco meat, use it to fill some homemade hot pockets for a quick and easy leftover dinner.

For more fun taco recipes try these Blackened Fish Tacos!