There are several reasons Sloppy Joes are a classic weeknight dinner. First, they're comfort food incarnate. Second, they're so easy and inexpensive to make. Third, everybody loves Sloppy Joes, even super picky kids. But maybe you're looking for a way to shake up your Sloppy Joe recipe, in which case may we suggest venison Sloppy Joes. We're pretty fond of mixing it up with wild game recipes, and this easy venison recipe is a good use of the deer meat in your freezer. Or if you've never tried cooking with venison, Sloppy Joes are a good entry point since the flavorful sauce does a lot of work in this hearty meal.
For this venison Sloppy Joes recipe, you need a pound of ground venison, along with an onion and two garlic cloves, tomato sauce, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; saute the veggies until they are tender and transparent, which should take about five minutes. Add the ground meat and cook through, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. Season the meat with salt and black pepper. You can also add in green bell pepper to the veggie mix, if you like.
Cook the venison until its browned, then add tomato sauce, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and apple cider vinegar. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture thickens; the total cook time should be about 25 minutes, but you can cook for longer if you prefer a thicker sauce. The sauce is tangy and just a little sweet, which is a perfect balance to the venison. Serve your venison Sloppy Joes on hamburger buns (or on pretzel buns!), and top with cheddar cheese if you like. Add some coleslaw on the side to round out your meal!
In large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender and transparent, about 5 minutes. Add venison and cook through, breaking apart with a wooden spoon.
Once meat is browned add tomato sauce, ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and apple cider vinegar. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture thickens, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve on hamburger buns.
Notes
Looking for something fun? Try substituting pretzel buns in place of hamburger buns. Yum!
If you like your sloppy joes really thick simmer mixture 30-35 minutes.
Perfect Pairing
Add a side of Twice Baked Potato Bites to sop up all the Sloppy Joe sauce.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Venison Sloppy Joes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 381Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 40mg13%
Sodium 943mg39%
Potassium 809mg23%
Total Carbohydrates 41g14%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Sugars 17g
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A9%
Vitamin C15%
Calcium5%
Iron32%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.