Spicy Korean-Inspired Venison is a total game changer when it comes to easy dinners! Ground venison is combined with a soy-based sauce that is both spicy and sweet. Serve over rice for a twenty-minute meal that you’ll make again and again.
This recipe uses ground venison in place of beef for a riff on classic Korean Beef. It’s a staple in our house that we like to enjoy for a quick dinner or easy packed lunches throughout the week.
Sweet honey, spicy red pepper flakes, and crunchy snap peas all blend in perfect harmony in this ground venison recipe. Here’s what else you’ll need to make it at home:
Ingredients for this recipe:
- Ground Venison (You can also you lean ground beef if you don’t have/like venison.)
- Snap Peas (snow peas would work too! Or broccoli!)
- Soy Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Honey
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Sesame Oil
- Cooked White Rice (for serving!)
One of my favorite things about this dish is it’s a total pantry staple recipe. We always have 99% of the ingredients on hand. That makes it easy to whip up when I don’t feel like heading to the grocery store or thinking too hard about meal prep. Of course, it also helps that it’s incredibly delish!
How to make Korean Venison
- Brown the venison. In the sesame oil. Venison is incredibly lean so the oil will help it crisp up. If you’re using beef, only 1 tsp. of sesame oil is necessary.
- Make the spicy soy glaze. Just whisk everything together.
- Add the glaze to the venison. And cook it down until thick and syrupy. This will take about ten minutes.
- Add the snap peas. During the last two minutes of cooking. This helps them keep their crunch.
- Serve over white rice. Or in lettuce cups or over cellophane noodles!
Brown the ground venison. Make the spicy soy-based sauce. Add the sauce to the venison and cook down. Add snap peas before serving.
Using fresh ginger in cooking
It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago I would have avoided anything with red pepper flakes (can you say, “Midwestern?”). Now I can’t get enough!
The heat from the pepper flakes and ginger are balanced out so perfectly with the sweetness from the honey and the brown sugar. The umami flavor from the soy sauce just ties it all together into one perfect ground venison recipe.
Speaking of ginger! Buy it in a tube! Much like jarred minced garlic, I always have this in the fridge. It lasts forever and is much easier to use than peeling and mincing fresh ginger. Look for it in your grocer’s produce section!
More Venison Recipes you may enjoy
- Ground Venison Stroganoff
- Ground Venison Shepherd’s Pie
- Easy Cheesy Venison Enchiladas
- Venison Meatballs
- Venison Meatloaf
Spicy Korean Venison
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 pound ground venison
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- ½ cup diced white onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tsp. grated ginger
- 8 ounces snap peas washed
Instructions
- Place the sesame oil in a large skillet set over high heat. Add the venison and cook until browned and crispy.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, red pepper flakes, onion, garlic, and ginger. Pour sauce over browned venison, stirring to coat.
- Cook venison until sauce is thick and glossy, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Near the last two minutes of cooking stir in the snap peas.
- Serve with white rice.
Notes
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
- If you’re not a huge fan of spice, use ½ tsp. red pepper flakes.
- Recipe adapted from Table for Two.
MP says
Absolutely wonderful sauce (had to sub gluten free soy sauce - it was still delicious).
Thank you.
Amanda says
So glad you enjoyed it! And could easily make it GF with a simple swap! I love the sticky sweet heat of the sauce - it's just so perfect. Thank you for reviewing 🙂