Ground Venison Bulgogi Tacos

Name: Ground Venison Bulgogi Tacos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp pork lard (or other cooking fat); 1 lb ground venison; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; ½ tbsp sugar; ⅓ cup green onions, sliced; 1 tbsp garlic, minced; 2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced; ½ cup white vinegar; ½ cup water; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 3 tbsp mayonnaise; 1 tbsp sriracha; ¾ cup radishes, thinly sliced; ¾ cup carrots, cut into thin matchsticks (or shredded); ¼ cup green onions, sliced diagonally; ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves; 12 street taco flour tortillas; lime wedges (optional, for serving)

Venison bulgogi tacos are a delicious fusion that combines Korean flavors with everyone's favorite handheld Mexican dish. Juicy venison bulgogi meat is layered with zesty pickled cabbage, fiery sriracha mayo, and crisp vegetables, all enveloped in a tender flour tortilla to create the most delicious combination of flavors. These unique venison tacos come together in 30 minutes and are a great way to spice up taco night!

close up of venison bulgogi tacos with fresh toppings.

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Featured Comment:

"This recipe is phenomenal. So easy to make, simple ingredients, and big flavor! Even my 6 year old loved it. Will be a new staple for us. Thank you!"

- Lindsey

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Why You'll Love This Recipe:
Ingredient Notes:
Step by Step Instructions:
Other Easy Ground Venison Recipes to Try:
Putting it All Together:
Recipe FAQ's:
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Why You'll Love This Recipe:

Easy to Make: With just 20 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of cook time, this recipe is a great weeknight option. You can make the toppings as easy or as extravagant as you want depending on your personal preference!

Adventurous: Bulgogi is a popular Korean dish that consists of thin slices of beef marinated in a simple soy sauce-based marinade which is then grilled or stir-fried. This easy recipe uses a similar marinade cooked into ground venison. The outcome is succulent meat with a ton of flavor that serves as an excellent foundation for these delicious tacos. The tangy pickled cabbage, spicy sriracha mayo, and crisp fresh veggies balance out the sweetness of the meat. The combination of all the ingredients inside soft tortillas results in a perfectly flavorful and satisfying bite!

Meal Prep Friendly: If you're looking to speed up weekly meal prep time, make a big batch and use the leftover taco meat for Banh Mi Bowls, Korean Bowls, or Bibimbap. Store the cooked meat in an airtight container and heat it up when you need it!

Ingredient Notes:

venison bulgogi tacos ingredients with labels.

Ground Venison: Any ground wild game meat or domestic ground meat can be used in place of ground venison. Elk, antelope, moose, lean ground beef, turkey, etc. will all work.
Pork Lard: Homemade pork lard is my cooking fat of choice for wild game, but you can use your preferred cooking fat or oil.
Street Taco Tortillas: You can use any size and type of tortilla in place of the street taco tortillas. You can also use corn tortillas or hard taco shells.
Vegetables: If desired, the vegetables on these tacos can be substituted for different ones. Cucumbers, red onions, bell peppers, or your favorite taco toppings can be substituted.

Step by Step Instructions:

How To Make Pickled Cabbage:

Pickled red cabbage is super simple to make and adds so much flavor, color, and crunch to these venison tacos. It's a great addition to poke bowls, venison street tacos, bibimbap, and more! Looking for more ways to use red cabbage? Try some red cabbage sauerkraut!

removing core from red cabbage quarters. — **Step 1:** Cut cabbage into quarters and remove the core.

slicing quarters of red cabbage. — **Step 2:** Cut cabbage into thin slices using a knife or food processor.

hand holding jar with sliced red cabbage. — **Step 3:** Pack sliced cabbage into a glass jar.

pickling liquid boiling in pot. — **Step 4:** Bring pickling brine to a boil - water, vinegar, salt, and sugar.

pouring pickling liquid into jar of sliced red cabbage. — **Step 5:** Pour pickling brine over the cabbage in the jar. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

close up of pickled red cabbage in glass jar. — **Step 6:** Place the lid on the jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

Pro Tip: Pickled cabbage lasts in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Keep a jar on hand to add to lots of delicious meals!

How To Make Venison Bulgogi Taco Filling:

Bulgogi marinade is made up of a few simple ingredients and is uncomplicated to prepare, yet it imparts an abundance of flavor to the meat you're cooking. The garlicky marinade adds a sweet flavor to the meat and is the perfect complement to the earthy flavor of ground venison.

It's a super fun alternative to the classic taco seasoning (chili powder-based). Follow the simple steps below for this easy ground venison recipe!

bulgogi sauce ingredients on wood board. — **Step 1:** Gather marinade ingredients: green onions, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.

mixing bowl of bulgogi sauce. — **Step 2:** Add all ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine.

melting pork lard in pan. — **Step 3:** Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add lard (or other cooking fat like olive oil) to the pan.

ground venison in fry pan. — **Step 4:** Add ground venison to the hot pan and break up the meat with a spatula.

pouring bulgogi sauce over cooked ground venison. — **Step 5:** Once the meat is browned, add the bulgogi marinade.

ground venison with bulgogi sauce cooking in fry pan. — **Step 6:** Cook until sauce is bubbly and starts to thicken, about 3-4 minutes.

Pro Tip: Since the meat will continue cooking after adding the marinade, it's unnecessary to fully brown the meat beforehand.

Other Easy Ground Venison Recipes to Try:

Putting it All Together:

Once you have your delicious venison bulgogi meat and fresh toppings, it's time to assemble your tacos. Add a scoop of venison taco meat to the tortillas, drizzle with sriracha mayo, and top with pickled cabbage and other fresh veggies or your favorite toppings and a squeeze of lime juice.

These imaginative venison tacos are guaranteed to provide a delightful burst of flavor that you'll want to add to your Taco Tuesday rotation!

venison bulgogi tacos with fresh toppings.

Recipe FAQ's:

How do I keep ground venison moist?

Adding moisture like a sauce or marinade can help keep ground venison moist. Avoid overcooking the meat as well to help it retain its natural moisture. Ground venison is a lean meat and can dry out quickly if you overcook it.

What is ground deer meat good for?

Ground deer meat is a very versatile ingredient that is great for venison tacos, venison burgers, venison sausage, venison meatballs, venison hand pies, and more!

How do you make ground venison taste better?

Ground venison can vary widely in flavor depending on the animal, its habitat, meat care, and more. For particularly strong-tasting ground venison, adding a sauce like the bulgogi marinade in this recipe can add great flavor to the meat while masking some of the stronger flavors.

What part of the deer is best for ground meat?

Tough cuts of meat with a lot of connective tissue are popular choices for grinding. Shanks, shoulders, neck roasts, etc. are popular choices. But, tough cuts of meat like venison shanks are also great for braising like in this Elk Osso Buco recipe.

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Thank you!

Annie

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5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)