by 
Taco Tuesday just got better! These venison tacos are made with ground venison or elk meat and piled with your favorite toppings into a crunchy taco shell or a soft corn tortilla.
These delicious tacos can be ready in under 30 minutes!
Taco meat
Making tacos with ground burger is a classic. I've taken this classic and made it something we eat in our family on a regular basis.
Our freezers are stocked full of wild game meat. We have lots of venison, elk, antelope, and more!
For any recipe typically calling for ground beef, I substitute ground venison or ground elk meat. We have tons of wild game, which is so lean that I don't worry about having it on a regular basis.
If you don't have wild game, no worries! You can certainly use ground beef for these tacos! Since I usually substitute my wild ground game meat for ground beef, you can easily substitute ground beef in this recipe. Choose lean ground beef.
In my household, we typically make tacos with two kinds of shells. I love the crunchy store-bought taco shells, and my kids love the soft corn tortillas.
If you love tacos as much as we do, you'll also want to try these Baked Turkey Tacos.
Sometimes we make our own crispy shells by frying the corn tortillas in hot oil. Use your favorite shell or tortilla for these tacos.
This taco meat can also be added to salads, nachos, burritos, or quesadillas.
Key ingredients
Ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Burger - We use ground venison or ground elk. If using ground beef, select lean ground beef.
- Seasonings - Chili powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. You could also add ground chipotle seasoning if you wanted to add a bit of smoky flavor and a bit of spice.
- Homemade taco seasoning can also be used
- Tomato Paste - This adds richness to the meat and helps bind everything together
Step by step directions
In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
- Brown meat in a hot pan. Be certain to break up large chunks of meat.
- When meat is almost cooked through, add seasonings, tomato paste and water
- Mix well and cook until heated through and the water has evaporated
- Remove from heat and assemble tacos
Recipe tips
- The ground venison we use is very lean and does not contain any excess grease after cooking. If you are using meat with excess grease, be certain to drain any grease before adding seasoning.
- This taco meat works perfectly in tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, or added to salads.
- Use crispy tortilla shells or warmed corn or flour tortillas
- For the tacos, add your favorite toppings. Use shredded cheese, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, fresh cilantro, shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and sliced jalapenos.
Frequently asked questions
Store leftover taco meat in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Yes, this cooked taco meat freezes well. Store cool meat in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months.
Serving suggestions
Serve with your favorite Mexican side dishes. Some favorites include:
More delicious venison recipes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious Wild Game Recipes!
Venison Tacos
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
Taco Meat
- 1 - 1 ½ pounds ground venison (or ground elk or ground beef)
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Taco Shells and Filling
- 12 taco shells (or corn tortillas)
- shredded lettuce
- chopped tomatoes
- shredded cheese (cheddar or a blend)
- fresh cilantro
- sour cream
- salsa
Instructions
- Brown meat in a hot pan over medium to medium high heat. Be certain to break up large chunks of meat.1 - 1 ½ pounds ground venison
- When meat is almost cooked through lower heat to medium low and add seasonings, tomato paste and water½ cup water, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- Mix well and cook until heated through and the water has evaporated
- Remove from heat and assemble tacos
Notes
- Nutritional Value is estimated for just the taco meat. The shells and added toppings are not included.
- For the tacos, I set out bowls of all the toppings and allow everyone to assemble their own taco
- If using corn tortillas, heat them first on a cast iron skillet or directly over a gas flame on your stove
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
David @ Spiced says
I go back and forth on the crunchy shells vs. the corn tortillas - it depends on my mood! Either way, taco night is always a hit in our house, and this version with venison sounds fantastic. Thanks for the sharing these tips on venison in taco form!
Kathy says
I agree! I just really love tacos, no matter the shell!