Venison Crock Pot Tacos
Set it and forget it: Words to my ears.
I often find myself in the same predicament year after year: It’s September, hunting season is days away, and I have only a few items left in my freezer from the previous year’s hunting season. Generally, that’s going to be a few pounds of ground, maybe a couple steaks left, but those are usually the very first to go. I’ll always try to save a few roasts in there for the feeling when that first fall breeze comes blowing through and my body instantly goes into braising mod
Lucky for me, I had two perfect ball roasts — or top round roasts — left for this recipe.
This recipe is insanely simple and so very delicious to prepare. Feel free to use the neck roast or any other roast for this recipe; just make sure you’re left with about 2 to 3 pounds of meat when you start so the ingredients are aligned.
With any tacos, use whatever toppings you like and have available. I’m a sucker for a classic street taco style, so I usually pile mine with diced onion, fresh-cut cilantro, a squeeze of lime and top it with my favorite Mexican hot sauce.
You also don’t need to watch this cook time like a hawk. It’s OK if you go a bit past finished on this, as the meat will be sitting in a liquid broth so it shouldn’t dry out.
I also made this recipe kid-friendly, so there’s not a ton of spice in it. Feel free to throw in a can of chipotles in adobo sauce to give it a smoky and spicy flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 pounds venison roast (top round or neck)
- 2 cups venison or beef broth
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 1 orange, halved
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Flour or corn tortillas
- Toppings of your choice
Instructions
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Slice roasts into large chunks and season with garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, coriander, oregano, paprika, and a generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Oil the pan and place venison in the pan to brown on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes.
- When roasts are seared on all sides, gently place into a crockpot.
- Place the skillet back on the heat and pour 1/2 cup of broth into the pan, scraping the bottom to get all the good brown bits off.
- Pour the stock from the pan into the crockpot along with the rest of the broth, onion, orange, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar.
- Place the lid on and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. When the venison is finished cooking, you’ll be able to easily shred it with a fork.
- Remove roasts, shred with two forks, and return to the crockpot. Stir to combine the meat and sauce.
- If you want crispier meat, remove it from the crockpot and broil on a baking sheet for a few minutes. You could also place it in a saucepan on high to cook down the liquid a bit. This is completely optional.
- Place meat on a corn or flour tortilla and top with your favorite toppings.