Venison Sloppy Joes: How to Make This Easy Recipe!
Sloppy Joes are the ultimate comfort food. Sweet, tangy, a little smoky, and packed with flavor. This venison Sloppy Joes recipe is a weeknight winner. It’s quick, easy, and loaded with lean protein. We love this recipe and I hope you will too!
Venison Sloppy Joes: How to Make This Easy Recipe!
Equipment
- skillet or cooking pan of choice
- meat chopper (this one is my favorite)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground venison (you can substitute any wild game or beef)
- 1 small onion (diced) (use 1/2 an onion if you don't want that much)
- 1 rib of diced celery
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1 ( 6 oz.) can of tomato paste
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 2 tsp. black pepper
- Hawaiian rolls, hamburger buns, or any bun of choice
- 3 tbsp. butter or olive oil
Optional Topping
- pickles
- banana pepper
- onions
- shredded or sliced cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet.
- Add in the ground venison, diced onion, and diced celery.
- Cook until browned and the veggies are tender.
- Add in the garlic and cook for one more minute.
- Add in the ketchup, BBQ sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, vinegar, water, salt, and pepper. Stir.
- Bring to a soft simmer, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
Family Dinners Just Got Easier!
I love cooking with ground deer meat. It’s straight from the field to our table, and we process it ourselves. Our freezer stays stocked all year, and we use venison in just about everything.
If a recipe calls for ground beef, you can swap in venison. It’s lean, high in protein, and packed with flavor. No need to drain the grease—there isn’t any!
Let’s make some homemade sloppy joes with venison. You only need one large skillet and about 30 minutes.
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Ingredients for This Delicious Sloppy Joe Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need:
• 1 pound ground venison (or any wild game or beef)
• 1 small onion, diced (use half if you prefer)
• 1 rib of celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp butter or olive oil
• ½ cup ketchup
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• ½ cup barbecue sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• Optional dash of Worcestershire sauce
• Buns of choice (Hawaiian rolls, hamburger buns, brioche buns)
• Optional toppings: pickles, banana peppers, red onion, sliced cheese, or shredded cheddar cheese
How to Make Venison Sloppy Joes
1. Brown the Meat & Veggies
• Heat butter or olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
• Add ground venison, diced onion, and diced celery. You can also throw in a bit of diced green bell pepper or more celery if you like.
• Cook until the meat is browned and veggies are soft. Use a meat chopper (this one is my favorite), wooden spoon, or the end of a spatula to break up the ground meat as it cooks.
2. Add Garlic & Seasonings
• Stir in minced garlic and cook for one additional minute.
• Add chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
3. Add the Sauce
• Pour in ketchup, tomato paste, bbq sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce (if using), and water.
• Stir well to combine everything.
4. Simmer to Perfection
• Bring the mixture to a soft simmer.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer the Sloppy Joe mixture for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
5. Serve & Enjoy: Easy Dinner!
• Pile onto hamburger buns, brioche buns, or Hawaiian rolls.
• Top with pickles, banana peppers, red onion, sliced cheese, or shredded cheddar cheese.
That’s it! Easy, right?
Make It Your Own
Want to add more veggies? Toss in some diced green peppers or red bell peppers with the onions and celery. They add extra crunch and flavor. Homemade venison Sloppy Joes are easy to customize. Don’t be scared to change things up. You can even use this mixture in a Frito pie recipe.
Need a little spice? Add hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes.
Prefer a smokier taste? Use smoked paprika or a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Storing Leftovers
Got leftovers? Store the venison Sloppy Joe meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the venison mixture for up to 3 months. Just thaw and reheat when you’re ready.
What Can I Serve This With?
The possibilities are endless. You can serve it with sweet potato wedges, a simple salad, kettle chips, or coleslaw. Yum!
Why We Love Ground Deer Meat
Venison is a staple in our home. We hunt, process, and freeze it ourselves. It’s lean, packed with protein, and full of rich, hearty flavor.
No grease. No fillers. Just pure, natural meat.
If you’re new to cooking with venison, don’t be intimidated! It works great in anything that calls for ground beef—just don’t drain it. Unlike beef, venison doesn’t have much fat, so keeping the moisture is key.
More Wild Game Recipes to Try
Love cooking with venison? Check out these other Ground Venison Recipes:
• Venison & Barley Soup -Hearty & Healthy!
• Chunky Venison Chili with Vegetables – A hearty, one-pot meal.
Time to Be A Doer: Try Out the Recipe!
Sloppy Joes with venison are a game-changer. They are perfect for busy weeknights and make for a nutritious meal. Give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think! I hope you love them as much as we do.
Happy Cooking,
Anna Sue
We love deer, always looking for new recipes and this looks wonderful!
We love it too! I hope to be putting out a lot more of our recipes soon.
This looks delicious!
So good! Thank you for reading and commenting!
Printed this and making for dinner tonight. I’ll be using farm raised ground beef instead . Sounds yummy.
So glad you are trying it out! Do you get your beef local?