# First time cooking with ground venison.  Some questions.



## worktogthr (Mar 2, 2014)

My wife's uncle just dropped off some ground venison from a recent hunting trip.  One pound of it is labeled jalapeño, and looks pretty lean.  The other pound is labeled bacon and seems to have bacon ground in with the mix perhaps to add fat.  I have only eaten venison a few times and never cooked with it.  My first thought was burgers with the bacon mixed venison.  What's a safe internal temp to cook them too?  I like beef burgers medium rare.  The leaner meat with the jalapeños, I was thinking of using for tacos.  For added fat I would sautee it in some oil, then add some liquid and seasonings.  Do these seem like good uses for it?  I'm open to any suggestions, recipes, tips.  Thanks again!  I'll definitely share some pics when I do cook with it.


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## timberjet (Mar 2, 2014)

How about stuffed smoked burgers? My family's favorite some call a juicy lucy burger. If you do a search in the search bar you can get a good tutorial if you have not made them before. Maybe for the bacon mix that would be a good idea. I also do smoked meatloaf quite often with venison burger. You could always buy some sausage to fatten up that jalepeno burger if you need to. Just some ideas. Happy smoking! timber


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## sb59 (Mar 2, 2014)

worktogthr said:


> My wife's uncle just dropped off some ground venison from a recent hunting trip. One pound of it is labeled jalapeño, and looks pretty lean. The other pound is labeled bacon and seems to have bacon ground in with the mix perhaps to add fat. I have only eaten venison a few times and never cooked with it. My first thought was burgers with the bacon mixed venison. What's a safe internal temp to cook them too? I like beef burgers medium rare. The leaner meat with the jalapeños, I was thinking of using for tacos. For added fat I would sautee it in some oil, then add some liquid and seasonings. Do these seem like good uses for it? I'm open to any suggestions, recipes, tips. Thanks again! I'll definitely share some pics when I do cook with it.


Since you don't know for sure if there is any other meat like pork blended in I would always cook to at least 165 internal no matter what the recipe. I hold this true when I didn't field dress or butcher the animal myself also. Better safe then sorry. I would go with meat loafs,meat sauces,fried meatloaf,etc. I would not eat any rare game burger not knowing the ingredients or butcher.


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## foamheart (Mar 2, 2014)

SB59 said:


> Since you don't know for sure if there is any other meat like pork blended in I would always cook to at least 165 internal no matter what the recipe. I hold this true when I didn't field dress or butcher the animal myself also. Better safe then sorry. I would go with meat loafs,meat sauces,fried meatloaf,etc. I would not eat any rare game burger not knowing the ingredients or butcher.


I would agree, unless I know the grinder I am eating well done hamburger. That also applies in my case with wild game. It doesn't get all cold were I live and there are loads of parasites and unseen little critters that can be lying in wait. Just my luck it would be in that one bite, the one time, I didn't stick to my guns. I have had food poisoning once, in the very worst place you can imagine to have it, boot-camp!  You had to get up at 5AM strip and remake your bed then push a mop while carrying the IV with the other hand while hoping that you didn't need the mop bucket again because washing and cleaning it up again was a pain in the posterior! Wear a double gown so you didn't ruin the clean floor behind you by accident! LOL..... I will never tell anyone my life was quiet nor uneventful!

Meatloaf, Tamales, Meatballs, Sveddish meatballs, Tacos, Chili (Mmmmm..... chili), Burritos, Have you thought of that ground meat jerky? Make some and share with the Uncle you might get on good terms! AND it involves smoking. Seems Mr. Bear makes some casingless breakfast mixed sausage too. It looks mighty tastee!


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## worktogthr (Mar 2, 2014)

Thanks everyone for the advice and the ideas.  It is true that I don't know anything about the processing of it so I will cook it to a safe temp.  Haha Foam, I don't want food poisoning.  Got it once but luckily not in boot camp.  From a commercial brand  ice cream of all things.  You guys all gave me such good ideas I wish I had more of it.  About a pound of each frozen.  I will post some pics on this thread when I do use it!


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Mar 2, 2014)

worktogthr, you got some good feedback, but IMHO that ground venison is nasty!  Now that being said, I'll p.m. ya with my address so I can dispose of it properly for ya !:ROTF.  LOL !!    In all seriousness, enjoy that stuff it's a very good and tasty treat !  :kewl:  Can't wait to see pics.


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## worktogthr (Mar 2, 2014)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> worktogthr, you got some good feedback, but IMHO that ground venison is nasty!  Now that being said, I'll p.m. ya with my address so I can dispose of it properly for ya !:ROTF.  LOL !!    In all seriousness, enjoy that stuff it's a very good and tasty treat !  :kewl:  Can't wait to see pics.



Hahaha, the way technology is going, before we know it we can all send samples to each other... Wouldn't that bring this forum to a whole new level?


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Mar 2, 2014)

worktogthr said:


> WaterinHoleBrew said:
> 
> 
> > worktogthr, you got some good feedback, but IMHO that ground venison is nasty!  Now that being said, I'll p.m. ya with my address so I can dispose of it properly for ya !:ROTF.  LOL !!    In all seriousness, enjoy that stuff it's a very good and tasty treat !  :kewl:  Can't wait to see pics.
> ...



Now that my friend would be awesome, seeing all the great Q view on this site, dang I could definitely sample all the good stuff !  Take care, Justin


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## worktogthr (Mar 9, 2014)

Hey All, 

Used the venison I told you all about to make some single serving fatties.  Stuffed them with pepperjack cheese and caramelized onions.  Came out great!  They are the ones with the toothpicks...my niece and nephew requested that the venison fatties be clearly marked so they wouldn't accidentally eat one. Haha I will give them credit though as they both tried it.













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## WaterinHoleBrew (Mar 9, 2014)

Looks tasty, what did ya think of them ??


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## worktogthr (Mar 9, 2014)

I loved them!  Honestly it tastes just like beef... Especially when it's smoked, stuffed and wrapped in bacon any supposed gaminess is nonexistent


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Mar 9, 2014)

Awesome, glad ya enjoyed !  Thumbs Up


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## foamheart (Mar 10, 2014)

worktogthr said:


> I loved them! Honestly it tastes just like beef... Especially when it's smoked, stuffed and wrapped in bacon any supposed gaminess is nonexistent


Family and happy faces........ it doesn't get any better.

Congrats!


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## leah elisheva (Mar 10, 2014)

Very fun! It sounds like you put it all to wonderful use! Cheers! - Leah


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## worktogthr (Mar 10, 2014)

Thanks for the kind words!  Cooking for family and friends is always fun.  Can't wait until my daughter is a little older and can start helping me out in the kitchen!


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## worktogthr (Mar 12, 2014)

The second batch of venison was ground up with jalapeños so I decided to mix it with some ground turkey and make some tacos...












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Made some tacos with the venison and turkey, cotija cheese, cheddar, guacamole, and some pimento stuffed green olives.  That last pic is my monster dinner plate hahah at least I didn't have a tortilla. 

And my wife ate it and loved it!  The venison had a lot of jalapeño in it which was fine by us because we both like spicy food.  A little too hot for my daughter to try.


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## leah elisheva (Mar 13, 2014)

FUN!!!!!! That looked really fun!!! Cheers! - Leah


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## foamheart (Mar 13, 2014)

Looks great man. You didn't make the daughter do the dishes did you? <Chuckles>


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## worktogthr (Mar 13, 2014)

Foamheart said:


> Looks great man. You didn't make the daughter do the dishes did you?



Thanks!  Of course I did.  What do you think I had a kid for?  Haha just kidding.  She's only 16 months old so I will give her at least 3 or 4 months until she has to start earning her keep around here haha


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## foamheart (Mar 13, 2014)

Make sure its a clean diaper, let her sit on the dishes after you wash 'em and giggle wiggle! All dry! POp always made me as a little kid sit on the ice cream freezer so it didn't move as he turned. I doubt it helped much as a kid, other than keeping me close and out of mischief, but we still laugh about making ice to this day. LOL


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## treym64 (Mar 13, 2014)

I have done a BBQ meatloaf with venison and turned our great


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## worktogthr (Mar 13, 2014)

TreyM64 said:


> I have done a BBQ meatloaf with venison and turned our great



Hopefully my wife's uncle will bring me some more because I'd love to try meatloaf with it.  You can't buy venison around here.


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## treym64 (Mar 13, 2014)

Just sub Jeff's BBQ sauce or your fav. For ketchup smoke for 4-5 hrs


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