Venison Steak Bites N Herb and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This is such a simple yet delicious "meat and potatoes" style dish. I often use venison, but you can use any wild game. The steak bites are a seared and perfect medium-rare, the mashed potatoes are comforting and creamy, and the gravy just brings it all together. Serve with salad or green beans or as is.

For the Steak Bites

1 lb venison (or moose, bison, beef) backstrap, tenderloin, sirloin, top round, or other roast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp onion powder
½ tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil

For the Venison Gravy

2 cups venison, moose, bison, or beef broth/stock
2 tbsp sourdough discard or cornstarch

For the Garlic Butter Mashed Potatoes

5–6 medium potatoes (russet or Yukon gold), washed but not peeled
⅓ cup butter
8 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup warm milk
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp fresh chives or wild leek leaves, chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Prepare the Potatoes

Cut potatoes into roughly equal chunks, about 2 inches.

Place in a pot and cover with cold, generously salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Drain well when done.

While potatoes cook, melt ⅓ cup butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add that minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant (do not brown).

Mash the potatoes with a masher or mixer.

Pour in the garlic butter, then slowly add warm milk until creamy.

Stir in that sour cream, salt, and pepper.

Taste and adjust seasoning, then fold in fresh chives and parsley. Set aside and keep warm until your gravy and steak is ready. That won’t take long.

For the Steak Bites

Cut venison into bite-sized cubes (about 1.5 inches) and pat dry to ensure a good sear.

Toss the steak bites with a salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder mixture.

Heat a skillet (cast iron is my weapon of choice) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter.

Once hot, add the steak bites in a single layer (avoid overcrowding). You may want to turn the heat down at this point.

Sear for 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side until browned. Add remaining butter near the end and spoon over the meat. Venison cooks quickly and you want to aim for medium-rare. (more on the rare side)

Remove steak bites from the pan and set aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet for the gravy.

Make the Venison Gravy

Sourdough Discard Version

Lower heat to medium. Add 2 tbsp sourdough discard to the pan with the steak sear bits and drippings and stir 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.
Slowly whisk in 2 cups broth, scraping up any browned bits.
Simmer 3–5 minutes until gravy thickens.

Or Cornstarch

Mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2–3 tbsp cold stock to make a slurry.
Whisk remaining broth into pan. Bring pan drippings and broth to a simmer. Slowly whisk in slurry.
Cook 2–3 minutes until thickened.

Return steak bites to the gravy or serve gravy over the top. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Plate a generous scoop of garlic butter mashed potatoes.

Top with venison steak bites and ladle the gravy over everything. Garnish with extra fresh herbs if you’d like.

Venison Steak Bites & Rustic Garlic Butter Mashed Potatoes

This is such a simple yet delicious "meat and potatoes" style dish. I often use venison, but you can use any wild game. The steak bites are a seared and perfect medium-rare, the mashed potatoes are comforting and creamy, and the gravy just brings it all together. Serve with salad or green beans or as is.

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Wild Game

Servings 2 people

Ingredients  

Steak Bites

• 1 lb venison or moose, bison, beef backstrap, tenderloin, sirloin, top round, or other roast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• ½ tbsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil

Venison Gravy

• 2 cups venison moose, bison, or beef broth/stock
• 2 tbsp sourdough discard or cornstarch
• For the Garlic Butter Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes

• 5 medium potatoes russet or Yukon gold, washed but not peeled
• ⅓ cup butter
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ cup warm milk
• 2 tbsp sour cream optional - extra creaminess
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh chives or wild leek leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Instructions 

• Prepare the Potatoes
• Cut potatoes into roughly equal chunks, about 2 inches.
• Place in a pot and cover with cold, generously salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Drain well when done.
• While potatoes cook, melt ⅓ cup butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add that minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant (do not brown).
• Mash the potatoes with a masher or mixer.
• Pour in the garlic butter, then slowly add warm milk until creamy.
• Stir in that sour cream, salt, and pepper.
• Taste and adjust seasoning, then fold in fresh chives and parsley. Set aside and keep warm until your gravy and steak is ready. That won’t take long.
• For the Steak Bites
• Cut venison into bite-sized cubes (about 1.5 inches) and pat dry to ensure a good sear.
• Toss the steak bites with a salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder mixture.
• Heat a skillet (cast iron is my weapon of choice) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter.
• Once hot, add the steak bites in a single layer (avoid overcrowding). You may want to turn the heat down at this point.
• Sear for 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side until browned. Add remaining butter near the end and spoon over the meat. Venison cooks quickly and you want to aim for medium-rare. (more on the rare side)
• Remove steak bites from the pan and set aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet for the gravy.
• Make the Venison Gravy
• Sourdough Discard Version
• Lower heat to medium. Add 2 tbsp sourdough discard to the pan with the steak sear bits and drippings and stir 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Slowly whisk in 2 cups broth, scraping up any browned bits.
• Simmer 3–5 minutes until gravy thickens.
• Or Cornstarch
• Mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2–3 tbsp cold stock to make a slurry.
• Whisk remaining broth into pan. Bring pan drippings and broth to a simmer. Slowly whisk in slurry.
• Cook 2–3 minutes until thickened.
• Return steak bites to the gravy or serve gravy over the top. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
• Plate a generous scoop of garlic butter mashed potatoes.
• Top with venison steak bites and ladle the gravy over everything. Garnish with extra fresh herbs if you’d like.

Keyword recipe, venison, wild game