What’s for dinner?

We know there’s a need for meat, but how do you cook it?!

Check out some of the recipes we’ve gathered from folks around the state on how to make a great venison-based meal on a budget!

Venison Shepherd’s Pie Pot

​Ingredients:
1 pound of ground venison 
1 Box Au Gratin Potatoes
1 can of peas and carrots (can replace with other mixed veggies as desired)
1 cup of water
1 tbsp. coconut oil (or any other oil substitute)
Shot of Worcestershire sauce (optional)​

Budget: $3 
Serving Size: 4 people

Brown a pound of ground venison in your tablespoon of coconut oil (you don’t have to use any oil, or you can use any oil). Add the potatoes and cheese powder, just the juice from the can of veggies, and 1 cup of water, then cook like the instructions say on the Au Gratin Potato Box. Simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the peas and carrots from the drained can (it’s also good with green beans, corn, or diced tomatoes!). and a shot of Worcestershire sauce. Mix and serve!

 - Courtesy of Shana Howard

Venison Stroganoff

​Ingredients:
1 pound of ground venison
1 tbsp. olive oil (or any other oil of choice)
1 onion, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms or one large can of mushrooms
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. cornstarch or flour (to thicken)
1 tsp. thyme
2 cups cream or sour cream
1/2 cup beef broth

Your Choice of Noodles (Recommend Egg Noodles), Instant Mashed Potatoes, or Boil-In-a-Bag Rice (For serving over)

Budget: $10
Serving Size: 4+ people (can stretch it out with a carb of choice)

Heat a large pan to medium/high. Add ground venison and cook, breaking it down to small pieces. Add oil, onions, and mushrooms. Sauté 5-6 minutes. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir until mixed in. Add broth and cream or sour cream. Stir until combined. Combine cornstarch or flour in a cup with some water to make a slurry to thicken your sauce. Add to your sauce and stir to combine. Simmer, stirring, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Check seasonings to taste. Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice as desired.

- Courtesy of Nanette Sarquiz

Venison Chili With No Beans

​​Ingredients:
1 pound of ground venison
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp. coconut oil (or any other oil of choice)
2 tbsp. fresh garlic (can substitute for 1 tbsp. minced)
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/3 cup of water or beef broth
1 packet of chili seasoning of choice, or 1/4 tsp. each or so of cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, mustard, and chipotle 

Optional Toppings: Cheese, Sour Cream, Cilantro

Budget: $5
Serving Size: 4+ People (Can stretch it out over some mac n cheese, a baked potato, or a grilled cheese sandwich!)

Fry your chopped onions and peppers in a shot of coconut oil or whatever you have, add a pound of ground venison and your fresh/minced garlic, and chop and stir till it’s all brown. Then dump in your can of diced tomatoes, the packet/dry spices, and a little broth or water. Simmer it a bit and CHOW! You can dress it up with cilantro and cheese or crackers and sour cream. I like to stretch it to feed more by putting it on top of some mac n cheese, a baked potato, or a grilled cheese sandwich! You can add beans, but it’s not a must.

- Courtesy of Shana Howard

Bonanza Beans

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground venison
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp. coconut oil (or any other oil of choice)
1 can of baked beans
1-2 tbsp. Ketchup
Hot sauce to taste
Black pepper to taste
1 can of diced tomatoes (optional)
1 can of Rotel (optional)

Budget: $5
Serving Size: 4+ People (Can stretch it out over mac and cheese, potato salad, or a grilled cheese!)

Sauté your chopped onion and bell pepper in a skillet with your oil. Then chop in a pound of ground venison and add your can of baked beans. Sometimes I add a can of diced tomatoes or Rotel too! Seasoned up with a splash of hot sauce, some ketchup, and some black pepper. Simmered it down for a bit. So, so good!!! If you want to stretch it out a little, serve this over mac and cheese, potato salad, or a grilled cheese!!

- Courtesy of Shana Howard

Venison Smash Burgers
with Homemade Zaxby’s Sauce and Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground venison, split into 6-8 patties
3-4 russet potatoes (depending on family size)
6-8 burger buns
Half of an onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. plus more to taste of Old Bay or other Cajun seasoning (Walmart brand tastes even better)
2 tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. mustard
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. water
Oil

Budget: $5 (if you already have sugar and condiments)
Serving Size: 6-8 people

Cut potatoes into wedges and season with oil and Cajun seasoning to taste (about 1-2 tbsp of Cajun and 1 tbsp of oil). Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until cooked through. Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and cook burger patties to desired doneness. Cook onions until soft in 1 tsp of oil, then add 1 tsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of water, stirring constantly until sticky and the water has evaporated. Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and 1 tsp of Cajun seasoning together to make homemade Zaxby’s sauce. Put the burger patty on the bun, top with onions, and then add a small amount of the homemade Zaxby’s sauce. Serve with the rest of the Zaxby’s sauce and potato wedges on the side.

- Courtesy of Courtney Nicholson

Venison and Veggie Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground venison
4 large carrots*
3-4 russet potatoes*
1 can of crushed tomatoes*
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained*
1 can of green peas, drained*
1 can of green beans, drained*
Lawry's seasoning (seasoned salt) to taste
4 cups chicken broth
Spicy V8 to taste (about 2 cups; can be store brand too to bring down cost)*​

Budget: $10
Serving Size: 8-10 people or more if adding more vegetables and V8.

Brown the venison and add seasoned salt to taste (about 1 tbsp) in a large soup pot. When done, if any fat is present, drain now. Add all fresh and/or canned vegetables. Be sure to drain any canned vegetables first. After adding the vegetables, add all 4 cups of chicken broth, then add spicy V8 to the desired soup consistency. Add more seasoned salt and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour or until vegetables are cooked through.

*Any vegetables can be replaced with fresh or canned. Any vegetables can also be added or taken out; this is just a baseline. Add more vegetables and V8 to stretch out the recipe for longer, especially more potatoes. When reheating, use the leftover spicy V8 to add more soup consistency to help with heating.​

- Courtesy of Courtney Nicholson

Okra & Tomatoes One-Skillet Meal

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground venison browned and seasoned to taste
2 slices bacon or 2 Tbsp. bacon grease
1 pound fresh or frozen sliced okra
1 small onion chopped
1/2 bell pepper chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
1 14.5 oz can of stewed tomatoes
1 can of corn or 1 cup of frozen corn
Salt and pepper to taste

Budget: $7-8
Serving Size: 5+ people; can feed more if served over rice or with added noodles

Place bacon in a deep skillet. Cook on medium/medium-high until crisp. Remove the bacon, crumble it, and set it aside, leaving the grease to sauté your vegetables. Sauté your onion, pepper, and celery until soft. Add the okra and sauté. Add your canned tomatoes and thoroughly heat the mixture. Add your corn and browned venison and mix. Season to taste. Serve by itself or with rice. I sometimes add garlic powder, Hardin’s seasoning, or Creole seasoning for depth of flavor.

- Courtesy of Nanette Sarquiz

TexBama Skillet

​Ingredients:
1 lb. ground venison
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of Rotel
1 Box Macaroni and Cheese
1 tbsp. oil of choice
2 cups water
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped (for added heat, optional)
Optional Toppings: Sour Cream, Hot Sauce, or Salsa​

Budget: $3-5
Serving Size: 5+ people

Scramble up a pound of pure ground venison (and some onion and peppers if you want) in a little bit of oil. 
Toss in there a can of corn and a can of Rotel, then stir it up. Add 2 cups of water. Put your box of macaroni noodles and cheese sauce in there and cover with a really tight heavy lid. Simmer on low-medium for about 20 minutes. This could feed 5-6 folks. 30 minutes, one pot, and $2.83 (ALDI for the ingredients) plus a shot of oil and a couple of peppers out of the garden. Can’t beat it!!! Can be topped with cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, or salsa.

- Courtesy of Shana Howard

Clean Out The Fridge Quesadilla

​Ingredients:
Tortillas
Any leftover deer meat: some ground venison browned and seasoned to taste, cube steak diced/sliced and browned, or backstrap diced/sliced and browned
1 tbsp. oil
Any leftover veggies: Favorites are onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and tomato.
Cheese of Choice
Optional Toppings: Sour Cream, Cilantro, Avocado, Salsa​

Budget: $5
Serving Size: Variable on size of tortillas and amount of leftovers

There was a little leftover oil in the iron skillet from last night. I layered a tortilla with cheeses and some cooked ground venison (but you can use any leftover meat like cubed steaks, burger patties, or backstraps) and added in some cucumber and radish this time; usually I do onion, bell pepper, mushroom, or tomato. Then put on another layer of cheese and a tortilla on top. When it got brown enough to be a little stiff on the bottom and the cheese melted into a beautiful glue, I flipped her over. Toppings available today were my sister's homemade salsa and some fresh cheese. Usually I do sour cream, cilantro, and avocado.

- Courtesy of Shana Howard

Cowboy Casserole

Ingredients:
1 to 1.5 lbs. ground venison
1 can of ranch-style beans
1 can of Rotel
1 whole can of kernel corn
Drained 1 can of cream-style corn
2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix (optional jalapeños, shredded cheese, and sour cream to top with)

Budget: $5
Serving Size: 5+ People

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. In a large pan, brown ground beef with whatever seasonings you want. I usually do onion and garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Drain meat when done. 
3. Add Rotel, beans, and whole kernel corn to the ground beef. Bring to a boil and then lower to let simmer while you prepare the cornbread. 
4. In a mixing bowl, pour in the 2 boxes of cornbread mix with the other ingredients according to the directions on the box. Once all stirred up, add the can of cream-style corn and stir. 
5. Put the ground beef mixture in a 13x9 casserole dish, and top with the cornbread mixture. 
6. Bake at 400° for 20-30 mins, until cornbread is golden.​

Ground Venison Stir-Fry

​Ingredients:
1.25 lbs ground venison, browned
1/2 of a small onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
4 tbsp. butter
1 small squash diced
2 small zucchinis diced
1/4 cup Bragg's Aminos (can substitute for soy sauce)
1 tsp. garlic and herb seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Rice, noodles, or tortillas for serving with (optional)

Budget: $6-$8
Serving Size: 4+ can serve over rice or noodles to make it go further.

Directions:
In a skillet, brown ground beef, garlic cloves, and onion. Drain the ground beef mixture and set aside.
Add 3 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet. When the pan is hot, add squash, zucchini, and seasoning. Sauté until veggies reach desired consistency. Add ground beef, Bragg's Aminos, and the last tablespoon of butter to veggies and sauté on low for 5 min. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Cabbage Soup

​Ingredients:
1.25 lbs. ground venison, browned
1/2 of a small onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
4 tbsp. butter
1 small squash diced
2 small zucchinis diced
1/4 cup Bragg's Aminos (can substitute for soy sauce)
1 tsp. garlic and herb seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
Rice, noodles, or tortillas for serving with (optional)​

Budget: $6-$8
Serving Size: 6+

Directions:
Fill a large saucepan halfway with water, and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables, and bring to a simmer.
Add any spices you like and the Lipton Soup Mix. Add the browned meat, simmer a few more minutes, then salt and pepper to taste.

Cheesy Mexican Taco Casserole

Ingredients:
1 ¼ lbs. ground venison
¼ medium yellow onion
¼ medium bell pepper, chopped
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup beef broth
3 oz cream cheese
10 oz riced cauliflower, steam bag
3 tbsp. Taco Seasoning (Make your own or use a packet)
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 tortillas
3 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (optional)​

Budget: $10-$15
Serving Size: 8+

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 9" baking or casserole dish.

Brown ground venison in a skillet with onion and green peppers. Sauté until the meat is browned. Then, drain the meat. While doing that, steam the riced cauliflower in the microwave following package directions.
Add the ground venison back to the skillet with the cream cheese. Use a wooden spoon to 'cream' the venison and cream cheese together until it melts. This will ensure your meat sauce is nice and smooth without chunks of cream cheese.

Over high heat, add riced cauliflower, whipping cream, beef broth, taco seasoning, 1/2 cup salsa, and pepper, then bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer with the lid on for 5 minutes.
Remove lid. If the meat mixture has a lot of liquid, let it simmer on low until more moisture evaporates and it thickens up with the lid off.

If it has already thickened, take the skillet off the heat. If it seems too thick, simply add a bit of broth! You'll want it a bit saucy, as the tortillas will absorb some of the moisture to keep the casserole from being dry.

*Every stove cooks differently, so you will need to be the judge. You want it to be a bit saucy to moisten your tortillas.

To assemble the casserole, spread 1/3 of the taco meat mixture (approx. 1 cup) on the bottom of the casserole dish. Follow with 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Then place one of the low-carb tortillas in the middle of the dish. Use a pizza cutter, or knife, to cut one tortilla into pieces and use half of those pieces to cover the corners of the casserole so that all the taco meat mixture is covered with tortillas.

Repeat the steps above for the second layer. The recipe video in this post is very helpful for a step-by-step visual.
Finish the casserole with the last of the taco meat mixture and a final layer of cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle parsley (or cilantro) on top and serve warm.

Keto Ground Venison Skillet

Ingredients:
1 pound ground venison
3 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp. Bragg's Aminos (keto soy sauce) 
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 cans of green beans, drained
3/4 cup cheddar cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper​

Budget: $8
Serving Size: 8

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground venison in a cast-iron skillet, then drain the excess grease.
Add cream cheese and stir until melted, then add beef broth, heavy whipping cream, Bragg's Aminos, garlic powder, and salt/pepper. Bring to a boil and cook on medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken, then reduce heat and simmer. Once the ground venison mixture thickens, add the two cans of green beans that have been drained on top, then sprinkle cheese on top of the green beans. Bake for 25 minutes. 

Cheesy Venison Taco Pasta

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. large taco shells
1 lb. ground venison
2 tbsp. of taco seasoning
3/4 Cup of Water
1 Cup of Salsa
1 Cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Budget: $6
Serving Size: 6 to 8

Instructions:
Cook pasta according to the package and drain. Brown the venison and drain. Add taco seasoning to meat and water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the venison to pasta and mix with salsa and cheese. Stir to combine and serve!

Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Ingredients
1 lb. Ground Venison
2 eggs
1 can (14 oz) cream-style corn
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cornmeal
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
4 cups (16 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

Budget: $12-15
Serving Size: 10 to 12

Instructions:
​Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and set aside.

1. Meanwhile, cook and crumble the beef until no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
2. In a bowl, beat eggs, corn, milk, and oil. Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
3. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 2 cups of cheese. Top with beef, onions, and jalapenos. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Pour the remaining batter over the top. Use the back of a spoon to spread the batter all the way to the edges.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center tests clean.
5. Serve hot.

Please check out these websites for more wild game recipes as we continue to build our own compilation of awesome recipes from supporters around the state!

The MeatEater

Outdoor Alabama

Share Your Recipes

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