Smothered deer steak with cream of mushroom soup

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Venison Salisbury Steak is a delicious twist on the traditional, comfort food classic. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes or noodles to soak up every drop of the easy, homemade gravy.

This post and recipe card updated January 2, 2021

Up until five years ago, you couldn’t pay me to eat game meat. Once I did take the plunge, I did it very slowly. I began with bison burgers at one of our favorite restaurants in town and stuck with that for a couple of years.

When I finally bought venison at the store, my first recipe was Venison Cheeseburgers with Jalapeno and Guacamole.

Now I keep venison in the freezer at all times. It’s perfect for my Venison Stuffing Balls during the holidays, a comforting bowl of Venison Lasagna Soup in the winter, and my Venison Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes when I’m feeling indulgent.

Sometimes I have trouble with inspiration for new venison recipes. The other day I was on Pinterest, and came across Salisbury steak. Since I’d never made it before, I added my own twist with Venison Salisbury Steak

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• You can make the raw patties ahead and freeze them
• The homemade gravy is easy to make, and adds incredible richness and flavor
• You can do a combination of venison and ground beef, or even all beef

INGREDIENT TIPS FOR VENISON SALISBURY STEAK PATTIES

Venison is definitely an acquired taste, as it has a very gamey flavor. That was one of my biggest hesitations with even trying it.

Venison is leaner and lower in calories than beef. I’m still a die-hard steak girl, and will never give it up. Now, I’m just glad I have venison as a great option.

Fact: venison needs help with both moisture and seasoning. So don’t skimp on either part, especially if you’re new to game meat.

For the patties, I add minced onion and garlic, Spicy Brown Mustard, Tomato Paste, Worcestershire Sauce, and fresh parsley. Plus salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.

Panko Bread Crumbs act as a binder to help keep the patties together. There’s no egg, so just press the patties together well with your hands.

Don’t over mix, or the patties will be dense. I combine the mixture with my hands and then form the patties and let them rest for about 15 minutes.

HOMEMADE GRAVY FOR VENISON SALISBURY STEAK

The gravy is easy to make, but it does take a little practice and patience to get the right consistency.

Yellow onion and baby portobello mushrooms are the base of the sauce. You can certainly substitute white button mushrooms. Fresh thyme adds a wonderful earthy flavor.

I use store-bought low sodium Beef Stock, and all-purpose flour to thicken the sauce. A little bit of butter adds another layer of richness. I use real butter, and a little goes a long way.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

In a large bowl, combine venison, minced onion and garlic, Worcesteshire sauce, tomato paste, mustard, Panko, parsley, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder.

Fold the mixture together with your hands until it’s just combined. Divide the mixture into equal parts and form into patties with your hands. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook 2-3 minutes per side.

Remove patties, set aside and cover to keep warm.

Add a little more oil to the skillet. Add onion and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until golden. Next, add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, until soft.

Add fresh thyme, garlic powder, and flour. Stir together and cook for 1 minute.

Add beef stock, scraping the bottom of the skillet to remove the brown bits. Add Worcestershire sauce and bring the mixture to a low boil.

As gravy begins to thicken, turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I add about 1/2 teaspoon of each)

Return the patties to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the patties and cook over medium-low for another 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What’s the best way to serve Venison Salisbury Steak? I like it with creamy mashed potatoes. But you could also do egg noodles or even a root vegetable mash.

Can you make Venison Salisbury Steak ahead? You can make the patties ahead, but I recommend making the sauce and cooking the patties just before serving.

Can you freeze the patties? Absolutely. Form the patties, place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag, and then into the freezer for up to 3 months. Then thaw the patties in the fridge.

What if I’m not fully sold on venison? Do a 50/50 mixture of venison and ground beef. Of course, you could do all ground beef.

What about leftovers? Store the Venison Salisbury Steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

MORE DELICIOUS COMFORT FOOD RECIPES

• Steak Fajita Quesadillas
• Tuna Tettrazini
• Spinach Alfredo Lasagna Roll Ups
• Baked Homemade Mac and Cheese
• One Pot Taco Spaghetti

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Top 12 smothered deer steak with cream of mushroom soup edited by Family Cuisine