Venison Carne Asada

Yield Serves 4
RECIPE Ingredients
  • 8 pieces Venison Butt Tender
  • 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • Boiling water
  • ½ small can chipotles in adobe
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro + additional for serving
  • Juice from 3 oranges
  • Juice from 3 limes + additional limes for serving
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
  • ½ teaspoon vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  • Coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper
  • Warmed tortillas, for serving
  • Garnishes of your choice, we like salsa verde, cilantro, onion, queso fresco, and pickled jalapeños
Recipe notes
This venison carne asada recipe is marinated in chile peppers, citrus, and spices before being quickly grilled. Try it in tacos for something different.
RECIPE Preparation
  1. Carefully trim excess silver skin from the butt tenders. Set aside. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high flame; add the dried chiles and toast until lightly charred, about 3-5 minutes. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water, let stand until softened, about 20 minutes; drain. To the bowl of a food processor add drained chiles, chipotles, garlic, and cilantro; pulse until finely chopped. Add orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, cumin, cloves, and coconut sugar; process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  2. Set aside about ¾ cup of the marinade; cover and refrigerate. Pour the rest of the marinade into a large non-reactive container and add venison, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.
  3. Remove from the refrigerator about a half hour before you cook. Wipe off excess marinade, season with salt and pepper.
  4. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill for high heat. Or heat a lightly-oiled cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Grill, turning occasionally until venison is nicely charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 120 degrees F, about 6-8 minutes. Rest venison on a cutting board for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve with warmed tortillas and your favorite toppings.