Course
Main
Duration
30 minutes
Serves
4-6
Got a freezer full of wild game but not a whole lot else in the pantry? Grocery stores and restaurants closed, or you just straight up don’t want to be around people? Fear not, the MeatEater crew can help. Welcome to Freestyle Cooking, where we share simple dish ideas based around common, household ingredients and recipes that we often invented on the fly.
Every wild game cook should know how to throw together a basic stir fry. It’s an accessible meal that you can make without a recipe. Plus, it’s a smart way to use up some extra ingredients you might have in your fridge or pantry.
Ground venison blends into this recipe seamlessly, as do thin slices of steak cut against the grain. Really though, any ground or sliced wild game can be tossed in a stir fry. The ingredient list is deliberately vague, so be sure to check the notes for a list of vegetables and garnishes that work best.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of wild game*
- 2 cups mixed vegetables**
- Garnish ***
- Rice or noodles for serving
- Cooking oil
- 1/4 cup soy or ponzu sauce
- 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or citrus juice
- 2 tbsp. sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp. Sriracha sauce or chili paste (less for mild, more for spicy)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 clove of garlic, minced or grated
*For protein, choose any kind of wild game that can be sliced thin or ground. If using venison steak, cut it into thin strips against the grain. Top round steaks, sirloin tip, backstrap, or eye of round will work.
**Choose two cups of mixed vegetables that are chopped. They can be fresh, frozen, or canned. Options include asparagus, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, bok choy, or shredded cabbage.
***You can garnish your stir-fry with one or more of the following: sliced green onions, fresh herbs, pickled jalapenos or ginger, kimchi, or chopped peanuts.
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Prep the ingredients by chopping or slicing the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together and set aside. If using thin slices of steak, pour half the sauce over the meat and allow it to marinate for a few hours. If choosing to serve over noodles, you can double the recipe for the sauce. You may not need all of it though.
- Heat a large wok or sauté pan over high heat. Add two tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and toss. Work in batches as needed, starting with vegetables that take longer to cook first, such as broccoli, carrots, asparagus, onions, and mushrooms. If needed, add a splash of water and cover with a lid for a couple minutes to steam. When they are about halfway through cooking, add the remaining vegetables that cook quickly, such as bell peppers and cabbage. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, but don’t overdo it. They should retain some crunch. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan and brown the venison (or whatever meat you’re using).
- Toss the meat to break up the pieces and return the vegetables to the pan. Pour in the stir-fry sauce and mix to combine.
Got a freezer full of wild game but not a whole lot else in the pantry? Grocery stores and restaurants closed, or you just straight up don’t want to be around people? Fear not, the MeatEater crew can help. Welcome to Freestyle Cooking, where we share simple dish ideas based around common, household ingredients and recipes that we often invented on the fly.
Every wild game cook should know how to throw together a basic stir fry. It’s an accessible meal that you can make without a recipe. Plus, it’s a smart way to use up some extra ingredients you might have in your fridge or pantry.
Ground venison blends into this recipe seamlessly, as do thin slices of steak cut against the grain. Really though, any ground or sliced wild game can be tossed in a stir fry. The ingredient list is deliberately vague, so be sure to check the notes for a list of vegetables and garnishes that work best.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of wild game*
- 2 cups mixed vegetables**
- Garnish ***
- Rice or noodles for serving
- Cooking oil
- 1/4 cup soy or ponzu sauce
- 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or citrus juice
- 2 tbsp. sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp. Sriracha sauce or chili paste (less for mild, more for spicy)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 clove of garlic, minced or grated
*For protein, choose any kind of wild game that can be sliced thin or ground. If using venison steak, cut it into thin strips against the grain. Top round steaks, sirloin tip, backstrap, or eye of round will work.
**Choose two cups of mixed vegetables that are chopped. They can be fresh, frozen, or canned. Options include asparagus, broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, bok choy, or shredded cabbage.
***You can garnish your stir-fry with one or more of the following: sliced green onions, fresh herbs, pickled jalapenos or ginger, kimchi, or chopped peanuts.
Also works with
Special equipment
Preparation
- Prep the ingredients by chopping or slicing the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together and set aside. If using thin slices of steak, pour half the sauce over the meat and allow it to marinate for a few hours. If choosing to serve over noodles, you can double the recipe for the sauce. You may not need all of it though.
- Heat a large wok or sauté pan over high heat. Add two tablespoons of cooking oil to the pan and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and toss. Work in batches as needed, starting with vegetables that take longer to cook first, such as broccoli, carrots, asparagus, onions, and mushrooms. If needed, add a splash of water and cover with a lid for a couple minutes to steam. When they are about halfway through cooking, add the remaining vegetables that cook quickly, such as bell peppers and cabbage. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, but don’t overdo it. They should retain some crunch. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan and brown the venison (or whatever meat you’re using).
- Toss the meat to break up the pieces and return the vegetables to the pan. Pour in the stir-fry sauce and mix to combine.