Dive into this fresh Ground Venison Big Mac Salad this season! Venison meat recipes don’t have to be boring and heavy. This elevated wild game recipe brings all your favorite flavors of a Big Mac sandwich into a lighter salad alternative!
I know most ground venison recipes tend to be on the heavier, comfort food side of things. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a good venison comfort food recipe, like our Venison Lasagna Stuffed Shells. But, sometimes we like to lighten things up, especially in the summertime. This ground venison Big Mac salad is the perfect solution!
Ingredients Needed:
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 4 cups chopped romaine hearts
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 Roma tomatoes – diced
- 1 cup sliced dill pickles
- 4 Tbsp. Thousand Island dressing
How to make a ground venison Big Mac salad
- In a large skillet, add the ground venison meat and season with salt and pepper. Brown over medium heat until cooked through.
- While the meat is browning, chop the red onion, romaine, and tomatoes, and set aside.
- Once the ground venison has cooked, start assembling your salads. You should not have to drain any grease off of the browned meat.
- Fill a bowl with about 1 cup chopped romaine. Top with 1/4 of the ground venison. Then add 1/4 of the chopped red onion, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, and dill pickles. Repeat the process for all four salads.
- Serve immediately with Thousand Island dressing.
- See notes for instructions on making one large salad.
Recipe Notes and Variations
Can I make this into one large salad to feed a group?
Yes! Instead of making four individual salads, simply combine all of the ingredients into a large salad bowl. Toss to combine and serve.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Yes! Combine all of the ingredients except for the Thousand Island dressing and store covered in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, add the dressing and toss to combine, or serve with the dressing on the side.
Is ground venison healthy?
Ground venison comes from deer, which are by nature much leaner animals than cattle. They contain less fat than beef, therefore containing lower calorie and fat content.
Why does venison taste bad?
I’m sure you’re familiar with people saying venison and other wild game meat tasting “gamey.” The “gamey” flavor actually comes from a variety of factors, including the diet of the deer, the processing of the meat, the season in which the animal was harvested (i.e., if the male deer was in rut), the age of the animal, and more. Outside these factors, venison will not taste exactly like beef, so if you’re expecting that, you’ll be in for a surprise. However, I’ve also found how the meat is cooked can also greatly reduce any strong gamey flavor.
If you’ve had a bad experience with venison tasting “gamey”, there are a few things you can try.
- If it’s your kill/harvest, do your research on proper field dressing, bleeding, and processing to know what elements can affect the flavor of the meat during these.
- Purchase ground venison from a company like The Honest Bison. By doing this, you’ll ensure the meat was properly processed and see if you experience a noticeable difference in the taste and texture.
Recipe Notes:
- You can assemble as individual salads or as one large salad.
- Serve with the dressing tossed into the salad or on the side.
- Use yellow or white onion for a milder onion flavor.
Recommended kitchen resources for this recipe
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Enjoy these other venison meat recipes!
Venison Patty Melt – This venison patty melt is hands-down one of THE BEST venison sandwiches we have ever enjoyed! Juicy ground venison, topped with melty cheese and sweet Vidalia onions.
Ground Venison Blend Enchilada Casserole – The rich ground venison blend takes this enchilada casserole and bumps it up into a hearty, flavorful casserole, another easy wild game dinner recipe
Venison Taco Ring – This venison taco ring is made with flavorful ground venison taco meat, covered in cheese, stuffed inside a flaky crescent roll ring, then baked to golden perfection!
Ground Venison Big Mac Salad
Ground Venison Big Mac Salad
Dive into this fresh Ground Venison Big Mac Salad this season! Venison meat recipes don't have to be boring and heavy. This elevated wild game recipe brings all your favorite flavors of a Big Mac sandwich into a lighter salad alternative!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 4 cups chopped romaine hearts
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 Roma tomatoes - diced
- 1 cup sliced dill pickles
- 4 Tbsp. Thousand Island dressing
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add the ground venison meat and season with salt and pepper. Brown over medium heat until cooked through.
- While the meat is browning, chop the red onion, romaine, and tomatoes, and set aside.
- Once the ground venison has cooked, start assembling your salads. You should not have to drain any grease off of the browned meat.
- Fill a bowl with about 1 cup chopped romaine. Top with 1/4 of the ground venison. Then add 1/4 of the chopped red onion, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, and dill pickles. Repeat the process for all four salads.
- Serve immediately with Thousand Island dressing.
See notes for instructions on making one large salad.
Notes
- You can assemble as individual salads or as one large salad.
- Serve with the dressing tossed into the salad or on the side.
- Use yellow or white onion for a milder onion flavor.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 461Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 1040mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 6gSugar: 9gProtein: 41g
Primal Pioneer is a food blog and public land hunting resource by Mike and Jennifer Shreckengost. We’re a husband and wife team who combined their two passions – a love of the outdoors and food – into a joint effort with Primal Pioneer! You’ll find resources on planning and executing your own DIY over-the-counter public land big game hunt, along with wild game recipes featuring mostly venison and elk.
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