Venison Nuggets
Step aside, chicken! These homemade venison nuggets are a fun and simple entrée, perfect for dunking in your favorite sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 556kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 venison steaks about 1 to 1¼ lb total, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 cup buttermilk see notes below on making your own
- 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for a little heat
- Lard for frying (enough to fill your skillet about ½ inch deep)
Instructions
- Pat the venison chunks dry with paper towels. Place them in a bowl and pour in the buttermilk. Stir to coat and let sit 30 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).
- In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. In another shallow dish, spread out the breadcrumbs.
- Remove venison from the buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off. First coat each piece in the seasoned flour, then press into the breadcrumbs until well coated. Set aside.
- Pour enough lard into your 10″ cast iron skillet to reach about ½ inch deep. Heat over medium until it reaches about 350°F or until a pinch of flour sizzles when dropped in.
- Fry venison nuggets in batches, making sure not to crowd the skillet. Cook 3-5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Adjust the heat as needed to keep the temperature steady.
- Transfer cooked nuggets to a paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle with a little extra salt if desired. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauces like ketchup, BBQ sauce, or honey mustard.
Notes
- If you don't have buttermilk, you can easily make your own by combining 1 cup of milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes to curdle and it's ready to go.
- There are so many ways to enjoy these venison bites, other than dunking in a dipping sauce. Try them on a salad, in tacos, or even in a stir fry! The possibilities are endless.
- Looking for more unique ways to cook venison? I have my best venison dishes compiled into a list of 37+ Venison Recipes that is perfect for browsing.