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!

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