Venison Teriyaki Stir Fry

Is your venison always tough?

It won’t be if you use this simple trick!! Tender, juicy and delicious is the only way to cook venison! This Venison Teriyaki Stir Fry is outstanding!

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If you are like me, you have had friends offer you some venison that they said was so delicious. The second you put it in your mouth, you are sorry!

You need the teeth of a shark to even chew it!! Somehow, you manage to chew it enough to swallow it and comment about the fact that it is really good venison!

Then, there is my venison. My husband will offer some to his friends and lie to them and say it is filet mignon. Then he tells them that is venison and their answer is typically, “No way!!”

Yes way, my friends. Never have tough, dried out venison again! This Venison Teriyaki Stir Fry is a great example of a quick fried, leg cut that is so tender, you will not believe that it is not loin!

For this stir fry I used a bottom round roast of a the hind quarter off of a medium sized buck.

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How to Identify Cuts of Deer

Have you ever wondered what all of the different cuts of meat are called? Here is a great illustration describing the cuts of meat obtained from a hind quarter of an elk (same thing).

See our article Venison Cuts and How to Use Them for more information. The bottom round is classically a tougher cut of the back leg.

What cuts to choose

This recipe is very forgiving. Although you could use a premium cut, like the backstraps, it works just as well for less tender cuts. The sirloin, round roasts rump roasts from the back legs are all good candidates.

The Secret to Tender Venison Teriyaki Stir Fry?

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How do I get mine to become tender? The secret is to pound the roast vigorously, on both sides.

Then slice the meat in thin strips, against the grain, very thin! Less than 1/4″. If the meat is slightly frozen, it will slice easier.

You also need an ultra sharp filet knife! You don’t want to use a thicker chef’s knife because you won’t be able to get the slices thin enough.

I love to use a wok for stir fries, but you could also just use a frying/ sauté pan.

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The next thing I do is marinate the sliced meat in the teriyaki sauce for at least 2 hours.

It’s still good if you do a quick marinade, just better with a longer marinade! Use lots of garlic and ginger in your marinade, too. It adds a great flavor.

This recipe works for beef, chicken or any wild game, such as; elk, moose, antelope, pheasant and more.

History of Teriyaki

Teriyaki is a technique that originated in Japan, in the 1700’s.

The sauce that we refer to as teriyaki in America, though, is thought to have originated in Hawaii. Here, Japanese immigrants used ingredients that were locally sourced, such as pineapple juice.

1962 was the first year the term made it to a Merriam-Webster dictionary.

So basically, modern teriyaki is a Japanese-American intervention.

What you need for venison stir fry

For the marinade

• deer meat sliced into thin strips
• pineapple juice
• soy sauce
• brown sugar
• ginger root – use fresh ginger
• garlic cloves

For the stir fry

• marinated deer meat
• red bell pepper – thinly sliced
• yellow bell pepper – thinly sliced
• fresh green beans
• oil – vegetable oil, olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil. Any mild oil will work.
• corn starch to thicken the sauce
• Asian noodles or rice- we like jasmine rice with stir fries

Other optional vegetables

• onion – thinly sliced
• carrots – thinly sliced or finely julienned
• celery stalk – sliced thin
• broccoli florets
• bamboo shoots
• snow peas
• bean sprouts
• water chestnuts
• baby corn

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How to make it

1. Trim roast of silver skin and fat.  Pound roast with meat mallet vigorously on both sides. 
2. Slice roast, against grain, very thin. Less than 1/4 inch. (Works easier if roast is slightly frozen.)
3. Mix marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over sliced venison. Stir. You can refrigerate overnight but if you have the time, let them marinate for 2 hours. If they are frozen, you don’t have to refrigerate them, unless it’s very warm out.
4. In a large frying pan, or wok add about a tablespoon of oil, over high heat.. Peanut oil works well but any higher temperature oil will work. 
5. Cook the venison, in batches just for a few seconds. Flip and cook the other for another few seconds. It will not take a minute to cook both sides. When you remove the venison to drain, it should still be pink in the center. Reserve marinade!
6. Drain, each batch on your wok rack, or paper towel. After all of the venison is cooked, cook the green beans. They will take about 5 minutes to reach crisp, tender. Drain.
7. Next stir fry the peppers. They will only take about 1 minute to achieve tender crisp consistency. Drain.
8. Drain out any remaining oil that is left in the wok. Turn down heat. Add reserved marinade to pan and then add the cornstarch mixed with water. 
9. Cook until sauce turns a beautiful dark brown color. Use a whisk to remove lumps from cornstarch, if needed. 
10. Add meat and vegetables back to wok and toss to coat. Heat through. Serve with rice. (I like Jasmine rice)

Pro tips for your success

• The venison steak or roast will slice easier if it is partially frozen.
• Stir fry the meat over high heat and flip it as soon as it is browned.
• Drain meat and vegetables on paper towel so that your dish isn’t too oily.
• After thickening the sauce. Cook the cornstarch until the sauce turns a deep brown color.

I hope you like the recipe today for Venison Teriyaki Stir Fry! If you love stir fry recipes, try this Cashew Pork Stir Fry or this Dumpling Salad.

What is your favorite way to eat venison? I have so many, I don’t think I could pick a favorite! As I said though, this one is outstanding.

Other Delicious Venison Recipes

• Venison Carnitas
• Corned Venison
• Venison Stew
• Venison Burger
• Venison jerky

Want to learn more about How to Cook Venison? Don’t miss our awesome, Ultimate Guide! Complete with 65 FREE Recipes from some of the top venison recipe developers in the world!

Tools I use

Contains affiliate links, for full disclosure, see FTC Disclosure, here.

• wok
• filet knife
• chef’s knife

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

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