Mongolian Venison

This Mongolian-style venison dish is a bold, flavorful twist on the classic takeout favorite. Instead of the traditional flank steak, tender venison backstrap is lightly coated in cornstarch and pan-seared then tossed in a rich, umami-packed sauce. The result isn’t as crispy as beef due to venison’s lower fat content, but it makes up for it with its delicate texture and deep, gamey richness. Served alongside sautéed bell peppers, onions, and kale over a bed of fluffy white rice, this dish balances sweet, savory, and spicy flavors for a hearty, satisfying meal. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds for an extra layer of crunch!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 lb venison backstrap

• 1 red or orange bell pepper, sliced

• ½ of a white onion, sliced

• 2 cups chopped kale, with stems removed

• ½ cup white rice

• 2 stalks green onion

• 3 T cornstarch

• (optional) toasted sesame seeds

Sauce Ingredients:

• 2 t sesame oil

• 2 t Szechuan chili crisp oil*

• 1 ½ T hoisin sauce

• 2 T brown sugar

• 2 t fresh grated ginger

• 2-3 cloves fresh minced garlic

• 2 T light soy sauce

• 2 T water

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*If you don’t have chili crisp oil, you can just use dried chili flakes. But I highly recommend trying chili crisp oil, it holds incredible flavors.

My personal favorite is this one: https://amzn.to/4jCrAPZ

Instructions:

1. Slice venison into 1/4 inch strips, cutting against grain

2. Season with salt and pepper

3. Toss venison in cornstarch and let sit 15 minutes

4. Begin cooking rice according to package instructions

5. Sauté onion and bell pepper in a neutral oil until onions begin to brown, then add kale and a lid to your saucepan

6. In a small saucepan, heat sesame and chili crisp oils

7. Fry ginger and garlic until fragrant

8. Reduce heat and stir in all other sauce ingredients, then add green onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, remove from heat

9. Heat oil in a skillet and cook venison until browned on outside, until desired rareness(I cook it medium-rare), flipping pieces over to cook both sides, for approximately 2-5 minutes

10. Toss meat in sauce in sauce pan

11. When veggies are tender, sprinkle them with salt and serve over rice along with the venison and more sauce if desired

12. (Optional) garnish with toasted sesame seeds