Beer-Braised Corned Venison

Upgrade classic corned venison by braising it in beer and finishing with a flavorful whiskey mustard glaze. Be sure to make extra-you'll want leftovers for a hearty corned venison hash the next morning!

this recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

Tender: The brining process and slow braising of corned venison turns meaty roasts into fork-tender pieces of deliciousness. You can slice it or it can be the perfect shreddable texture for recipes like corned venison hash.

Flavorful: Using beer as the braising liquid imparts a delicious, rich flavor to the meat. The sweet and tangy whiskey mustard glaze is the perfect addition to already deliciously tender venison. For another tasty "beer & deer" combo, try this venison hand pies!

Freezer Friendly: You can cure a few roasts at a time and freeze them to save time later down the road!

Ingredient Notes

• Venison Roast: Round roasts (bottom or top) are my favorite cuts of meat for corned venison. But, you can use another boneless venison roast from the hind quarters like a football roast (sirloin roast). You can use larger roasts or smaller roasts or even other game meats like elk or moose or even goose breasts!
• Curing Salt: Curing salt has many names (pink salt, instacure, Prague powder, tender quick, etc.). It is the ingredient that gives corned venison (and corned beef) its signature pink color. You can make corned venison without it, but it will be more of a brown color. For a cured venison recipe without pink salt, try this smoked venison backstrap.
• Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is often used for brining because it doesn't have any additives and its flaky texture dissolves easily in water. But, you can use regular salt instead.
• Sugar: Brown sugar can be used in place of white sugar in this recipe.
• Pickling Spices: Pickling spices are a spice mixture that varies based on the recipe or product. I like to use this pickling spice blend which includes mustard seeds, dill, coriander, bay leaves, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, ginger, black peppercorn, and turmeric.
• Beer: Non-hoppy beers like lagers and wheat beers are best for braising. Hoppy beers will add bitterness to the meat.

Equipment Notes

• Curing Vessel: You need a non-reactive vessel that will hold enough liquid to completely cover the roast. I like to use these Cambro storage containers.
• Pots and Saucepans: A large pot is needed to boil the brine. The medium saucepan is to braise the corned venison (You can also use a Dutch oven or slow cooker like a crock pot). The small saucepan is to make the whiskey glaze.
• Instant Pot: This recipe has the option to add classic veggies like cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. I like to cook them in the corned venison cooking liquid in an Instant Pot to infuse the flavor. But, you can cook them on the stovetop or skip the veggies altogether.

What is Corned Venison?

Corned venison is venison that has been cured in a solution of pink salt, kosher salt, sugar, and pickling spices. The name "corned" comes from the original use of large grain rock salt that is about the size of corn kernels. The long brining time cures the meat and also tenderizes it.

As the meat sits in the brine, it absorbs the salty liquid and the muscle cells expand to hold more moisture. The additional moisture in the meat makes it very flavorful and tender. Traditional corned beef is made with brisket. Corned venison is often made with roasts from the hind leg instead of brisket.

How to Brine Corned Venison

Making corned meat is a pretty simple process. It only takes a few simple ingredients and not a lot of technique. The key ingredient is time. From start to finish, it takes about 5-7 days depending on the size of your roast. You need enough time for the brine solution to reach the center of the roast. Read below for how to make it!

Step 1: Add all brine ingredients (curing salt, pickling spices, garlic cloves, salt, sugar, and water) to a large pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cool completely and put curing mixture into a large container.

Step 2: Add meat to curing mixture. Place a piece of plastic wrap gently on top of the liquid to keep it air tight. Place lid on container and refrigerate for 5 days.

Pro Tip: If you have a really large roast, try injecting some of the brining liquid into the center of the roast to make sure it cures all the way through.

How to Cook Corned Venison

What sets this corned venison recipe apart from others is the braising process and the glaze. Corned meat of any kind needs some low and slow cooking after the curing process to break down the connective tissue and tenderize the meat a bit more. To add some extra flavor, simmer the corned venison in beer instead of water.

Step 1: Rinse the brine off the meat. To a medium pot, add beer, onion, pickling spice, and rinsed venison roast.

Step 2: Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 hours. Add water if the liquid level gets below the level of the meat. You want the entire piece to be submerged for the whole cooking time.

Step 3: Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine mustard, honey, whiskey, and salt and pepper.

Step 4: Heat in a small saucepan until boiling and slightly thickened.

Step 5: Remove meat from the braising liquid. Strain and save the liquid if you are making the vegetables below.

Step 6: Place meat on a foil-lined sheet pan. Spread lard all over the corned venison.

Step 7: Baste with whiskey mustard glaze.

Step 8: Place in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes, basting with glaze every 2 minutes until slightly browned and bubbly. Remove from oven. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Pro Tip: After the brining period, rinse the venison thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt. This step is crucial to prevent the dish from being overly salty.

Optional Veggies

If you want to make a classic St. Patrick's Day meal of corned venison and cabbage, read below for how to prepare the veggies!

Step 1: Before putting venison in the oven, place vegetables in the Instant Pot. Place potatoes in the bottom, carrots in the middle, and cabbage on top.

Step 2: Pour meat braising liquid over vegetables. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. It will likely take around 15-20 minutes to come to pressure and cook which is approximately the same amount of time it will take the venison to cook with the glaze and rest.

How to Freeze Corned Venison

After venison has cured for 5 days, remove it from the curing liquid. Rinse the brine off the meat and place it in a vacuum bag. Seal with a vacuum sealer. Be careful to not let the vacuum sealer suck in the liquid.

Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw and follow the cooking instructions in the recipe card below.

What to Serve with Corned Venison

Corned venison (or corned beef) is often the centerpiece for a St. Patrick's Day feast. Alongside the meat, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots are often served. If you want to try something more non-traditional, try making this corned venison hash or reuben sandwiches with red cabbage sauerkraut instead!

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📖 Recipe

Beer-Braised Corned Venison

Annie Weisz

Upgrade classic corned venison by braising it in beer and finishing with a flavorful whiskey mustard glaze.

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe (Email Required) Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 hours hrs

Curing Time 5 days d

Total Time 5 days d 5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 532 kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• ▢
  large pot
• ▢
  Cambro 6 qt Container (or other curing vessel)
• ▢
  medium saucepan
• ▢
  Small Saucepan
• ▢
  Instant Pot (optional for vegetables)

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Corned Venison

• ▢ 1 ½ lb venison bottom round roast
• ▢ ¾ oz curing salt (instacure #1)
• ▢ ½ cup pickling spice
• ▢ ¾ cup kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ cup sugar
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 3 quarts water

Beer Braise

• ▢ 24 oz beer (non-hoppy like lager)
• ▢ 1 onion, halved, then quartered
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pickling spice

Whiskey Mustard Glaze

• ▢ 3 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• ▢ 3 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 2 tablespoon whiskey
• ▢ salt and pepper, to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lard, room temperature

Vegetables (optional)

• ▢ cooking liquid from corned venison
• ▢ 1 small cabbage, quartered, core intact
• ▢ 1 lb baby gold potatoes
• ▢ 1 lb small carrots, peeled
• ▢ chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

 

Curing the Meat:

• Combine curing salt, pickling spices, garlic, salt, sugar, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Cool completely and put curing mixture into a large container. I use a 6 qt Cambro translucent container. Add meat to curing mixture. Place a piece of plastic wrap gently on top of the liquid to keep it air tight. Place lid on container and refrigerate for 5 days.

  Note: this amount of brining liquid will work for more than one roast. If you have room in your container, you can brine another roast at the same time.

Cooking the Corned Venison:

• Rinse the brine off the meat. To a medium pot, add beer, onion, pickling spice, and cured meat. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 hours. Add water if the liquid level gets below the level of the meat. You want the entire piece to be submerged for the whole cooking time.
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine mustard, honey, whiskey, and salt and pepper in a small saucepan. Heat until boiling and slightly thickened.
• Remove meat from braising liquid. Strain and save the liquid if you are making the vegetables below.
• Place meat on a foil-lined sheet pan. Spread lard all over the corned venison. Baste with whiskey mustard glaze.
• Place in oven and cook for 8-10 minutes, basting with glaze every 2 minutes until it is slightly browned and bubbly. Remove from oven. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Vegetables:

• Before putting venison in the oven, place vegetables in Instant Pot. Place potatoes in the bottom, carrots in the middle, and cabbage on top. Pour meat braising liquid over vegetables. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Do a quick pressure release and that's it! It will likely take around 15-20 minutes to come to pressure and cook which is approximately the same amount of time it will take the venison to cook with the glaze and rest. Serve with corned venison.

Freezing Instructions:

• After venison has cured for 5 days, remove it from the curing liquid. Rinse the brine off the meat and place in a vacuum bag. Seal with a vacuum sealer. Be careful to not let the vacuum sealer suck in the liquid. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw and follow cooking instructions above.

Notes

• Round roasts (bottom or top) work great for corned venison. But, you can use another boneless venison roast from the hind quarters like a football roast (sirloin roast). You can use larger roasts or smaller roasts or even other game meats like goose breasts.
• Curing salt has many names (pink salt, instacure, prague powder, tender quick, etc.). It is the ingredient that gives corned venison (and corned beef) its signature pink color. You can make corned venison without it, but it will be more of a brown color.
• Kosher salt is often used for brining because it doesn't have any additives and its flaky texture dissolves easily in water. But, you can use regular salt instead.
• Brown sugar can be used in place of white sugar in this recipe.
• Pickling spices are a spice mixture that varies based on the recipe or product. I like to use a pickling spice blend which includes mustard seeds, dill, coriander, bay leaves, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, ginger, black pepper, and turmeric.
• Non-hoppy beers like lagers and wheat beers are best for braising. Hoppy beers will add bitterness to the meat.
• For the curing process, you need a non-reactive vessel that will hold enough brining mixture to completely cover the roast. I like to use these Cambro storage containers for brining.
• If you have a really large roast, try injecting some of the brining liquid into the center of the roast to make sure it cures all the way through.
• After the brining period, rinse the venison thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt. This step is crucial to prevent the dish from being overly salty.
• A large pot is needed to boil the brine. The medium saucepan is to braise the corned venison (You can also use a Dutch oven or slow cooker like a crock pot). The small saucepan is to make the whiskey glaze.
• This recipe has the option to add classic veggies like cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. I like to cook them in the corned venison cooking liquid in an Instant Pot to infuse the flavor. But, you can cook them on the stovetop or skip the veggies altogether.
   

Nutrition

Calories: 532kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 46gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 1026mgPotassium: 1782mgFiber: 11gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 19130IUVitamin C: 98mgCalcium: 177mgIron: 8mg

Nutrition Information Disclosure

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