Venison Fried Tacos Recipe

Anybody can make tacos, right? Perhaps. But when you’re incorporating wild game into any recipe, you’ll need to make a few adjustments to it in order to make it work for the meat. And tacos are no exception!

Since the hunters in my family harvest enough deer each year to cover our annual supply of beef, our tacos are made with venison. And if you’re just getting started in working with venison, this recipe is a great one for beginners.

LOOK FOR THE COOKING TECHNIQUE: With any recipe that has wild game in it, you’ll want to incorporate a few cooking techniques to make sure the meat isn’t tough and doesn’t taste gamey. So within any recipe we share on Hunt & Fish Wives, be sure to look for the cooking technique highlighted in the recipe.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

3 T. Olive Oil

1 lb Ground Venison

1 Packet Taco Seasoning

Water (apx. 2/3 cup)

Small Flour Tortillas

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Additional toppings as desired: Lettuce, Tomato, Sour Cream, and Taco Sauce

STEPS & TECHNIQUES:

Place about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan and heat to medium. When the oil is hot, add the ground venison and begin to break up the patty using a spatula or ground meat chopper. Thoroughly break up the meat so that it’s finely crumbled, not just ground.

*Cooking Technique #1 – Break Up the Meat

If the meat is not trimmed well before going into the grinder, the connective tissue can still be a bit problematic on the other end. Plus, such lean meat like venison can seem tough when cooked until well done because there’s hardly any fat. Taking the extra step to break up the meat either during or after the cooking process will prevent it from being tough or chewy.

Continue to toss the meat—breaking it up while it’s cooking—until cooked all the way through.

Often, 100% ground venison is so lean that it doesn’t need to be drained mid-way through the cooking process. However, if liquid begins to accumulate within the pan, be sure to incorporate this next cooking technique: “Drain Excess Liquid While Cooking”. If you don’t have any excess liquid in the pan, move on to the next step.

*Cooking Technique #2 – Drain Excess Liquid While Cooking

If excess liquid begins to build up in the pan while cooking, it’s helpful to drain the meat mid-way through the cooking process in order to 1) prevent the meat from boiling, which can make it tough, and 2) avoid a “gamey” flavor that can come from cooking it within its own juices. Try to drain the meat quickly in order to not stop the cooking process.

Once the meat is cooked all the way through, drain the meat and then return it to the pan.

NOTE: Because venison is such a lean meat, typically there’s very little grease to drain, if any at all. However, it’s important to not skip this step, even if there’s very little liquid visible in the pan. Draining any liquid left after cooking will help pull out the potential “gamey” taste that can come from these juices.

Return the cooked meat to the pan and add the seasoning packet and water. Simmer on medium heat for 3-4 minutes until all liquid is incorporated and the sauce is thickened.

At this point, you’re ground taco meat is finished! So, you can either use it to make whatever kind of tacos you’d like to eat—soft tacos, hard tacos, tostadas—or you can use this base taco meat in any taco-related recipe, like taco salad or taco pizza.

But if you’re ready to try these super-delicious fried tacos, follow the next few steps to take it the rest of the way…

In a separate pan, add enough cooking oil so that it’s approximately ¼” deep in the pan. Heat to medium.

While your oil is heating, prep your tacos for frying:

Lay out the soft tortillas in a line on a flat surface. Then scoop a center line of taco meat onto each tortilla. Sprinkle cheese onto the meat, then fold the tortilla up on each side and secure the two sides together with a toothpick. Repeat this process for each tortilla until there’s no meat remaining.

Once your oil is heated and ready for frying, place the taco in the pan lying on its side. Cook the side that’s down until it’s golden brown, and then turn it over to the other side and cook until it’s golden brown. Remove the fried taco from the oil and place it on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.