Pan Fried Venison Steak Recipe

I grew up with a dad who was an avid hunter, so we always ate a lot of venison. But my parents would try to sneak it into almost everything, including anything that was made with ground beef. I could always tell. I especially hated it when they put ground venison in the spaghetti sauce; I didn't like my spaghetti being messed with. But THIS Pan Fried Venison Steak recipe was my favorite way to eat deer meat. In fact, it was the only way I'd eat it.

This easy venison steak is juicy and delicious, and a simple recipe, made with pantry ingredients! Venison is very popular in fall and winter, but great for any time of the year. It pairs well with these Scalloped Potatoes without cheese and this Green beans and mushrooms recipe. It's the perfect recipe if you're short on time, and steak lovers will adore it!

🥘Ingredient Notes

You will need the following simple ingredients for this recipe:

• Venison: I recommend using the round or loin for this recipe. These cuts are lean and tender, making them perfect for quick pan-frying.
• Onions: We use 4 whole onions! As they cook with the meat, they release moisture and natural sugars, which help "baste" the lean venison and keep it from drying out.
• Garlic Powder & Dried Parsley: These simple pantry seasonings provide a savory crust that complements the earthy flavor of the deer meat without overpowering it.
• Cooking Oil: Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as canola or vegetable oil, to get that perfect sear.

*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities

📖Variations & Substitutions

• Garlic Powder - you can use fresh garlic or garlic salt instead
• Parsley - you can use fresh parsley instead of dried, but you'll need double the amount. I use both dried and fresh.
• Cooking oil - you can use canola oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil
• Spicy - add chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat into the dish
• Marinade - try this with my soy, ginger, and lemon marinade instead!

🔪Step-by-Step: How to Cook Venison Steaks in a Frying Pan

1. Step 1: Sprinkle onion with half the parsley and garlic powder.

2. Step 2: Microwave onions for 6 minutes.

3. Step 3: Add oil to the skillet and turn to medium- high heat.

4. Step 4: Pat meat dry with paper towel. Place steaks on the hot pan and sprinkle with half the remaining garlic powder and parsley.

5. Step 5: Cook on high until rare. Flip over and reduce to medium.

6. Step 6: Then sprinkle with the remaining dried parsley and garlic powder. Add onions. Turn down to low and cook until medium rare (internal temp of 130-135°F/54-57°C) *Cooking time will depend on the size of the steaks and thickness of the meat

🥗 What to Serve with Pan Fried Venison

This Savory Saskatoon Sauce is made for venison! The earthy, nutty flavors in this sauce, paired with the mildly gamey flavors in the venison steaks, are a match made in heaven!

If you're looking for sides, Venison pairs well with potatoes, such as my Twice Baked Caesar Potatoes or these Onion Soup Mix Baked Potatoes. Deer steak also goes nicely with a salad, such as my Strawberry Spinach Salad, and Italian Bread Machine Breadsticks.

🌡️Storage

Store leftover venison in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

You can freeze it up to 3 months in a sealed container.

👪 Serving Size

This Easy Venison Steak recipe makes 6 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.

🔢WW Points

This deer meat recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 5 WW points per serving.

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