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Home » Wild Game » Venison Tacos

Published: Jan 5, 2023 by Kathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Venison Tacos

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Tacos made with soft shells.

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!

Three tacos held in a hand.
Table of Contents
Taco meat
Key ingredients
Step by step directions
Recipe tips
Frequently asked questions
Serving suggestions
More delicious venison recipes
Venison Tacos

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 with wild game meat. We have lots of venison, elk, antelope and more!

Any recipe typically calling for ground beef, I substitute for ground venison or ground elk meat. We have tons and wild game is so lean so 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 a 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.

Soft shell tacos on a plate.

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 for making tacos.

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 a 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 a richness to the meat and helps bind everything together

Step by step directions

  • 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
Ground venison in a cast iron skillet.
Spices added to cooked burger.

Recipe tips

  • The ground venison we use is very lean and does not contain any excess grease after cooking. If you are using a 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.
Taco meat in a white bowl.

Frequently asked questions

How long will leftover taco meat last?

Store leftover taco meat in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Can I freeze taco meat?

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:

  • Refried Beans
  • Cilantro Lime Rice
  • Homemade Baked Tortilla Chips
  • Guacamole
  • Salsa

More delicious venison recipes

  • Seared Venison Backstrap
  • Venison Stew
  • Venison Pastrami
  • Venison Jerky
  • Chili with Beans
Three tacos on a white plate.

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!

  • Seared Venison Backstrap
  • Elk Osso Buco
  • Venison Pastrami
  • Smoked Kokanee
Three tacos held in a hand.

Venison Tacos

Kathy
Delicious seasoned taco meat made with ground venison or ground elk.
5 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 20 mins
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 people
Calories 307 kcal

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
Prevent your screen from going dark

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 water
    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
  • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 42gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 151mgSodium: 401mgPotassium: 711mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 482IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 6mg
Keyword taco meat
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Comments

  1. David @ Spiced says

    January 09, 2023 at 4:51 am

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      January 09, 2023 at 8:11 am

      I agree! I just really love tacos, no matter the shell!

      Reply

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I'm Kathy, a busy working mom who loves to cook from scratch, grow a garden, and raise farm animals. Take a look around and find all my recipes, gardening tips, and country living antics.

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