If you season, cure, and smoke ground venison and pork fat, you can make venison bacon, which is sweet and smoky sheet bacon.
This recipe has been on my to-do list for a long time. People who like to hunt really like venison bacon, but I could never find a recipe for how to make it. I could only find ready-made cure mixes that I had to buy. For people like me who are proud to kill their own animals and make everything from scratch, that wasn’t okay. So I set out to create this recipe.
Venison bacon is made from ground meat instead of a whole cut of meat like pork belly in regular bacon. It is also sometimes called “formed ground bacon.” It is prepared and cooked like venison sausage, but loaded with bacon seasonings and thinly sliced.
Frying up deliciously crispy venison bacon is easy with the right techniques. Made from venison mixed with pork fat and infused with a smoky, salty cure, venison bacon offers a fabulous wild game twist on a breakfast favorite. With its deep, rich flavor and pleasantly chewy texture when fried, venison bacon is worth the small effort it takes to DIY. Follow this simple guide for achieving crackling, melt-in-your-mouth fried venison bacon.
Benefits of Frying Venison Bacon
- Adds crispy, crunchy texture
- Infuses smoky, savory bacon flavor
- Allows the venison flavor to shine
- Gives a breakfast/brunch flair
- Provides a tasty wild game treat
- Lets you use venison in creative ways
- Offers a fun cooking activity
- Provides venison any time of year
Tips for Selecting Venison Bacon to Fry
Look for venison bacon that:
- Has good marbling of fat
- Is evenly sliced 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch thick
- Has a nice ratio of meat to fat
- Is properly cured and smoked
- Has a good, even shape for frying
- Smells smoky, not spoiled
Seasoning and Preparing Venison Bacon
Proper prep helps develop flavor
- Choose desired seasonings like pepper or herbs
- Remove from fridge 20 minutes before frying
- Pat bacon thoroughly dry with paper towels
- Season just before frying for best adherence
How to Fry Venison Bacon Perfectly
Fry low and slow for ideal texture
- Use a heavy skillet, Dutch oven or griddle
- Heat on medium-low, about 300°F
- Arrange bacon slices in a single layer
- Cook 4-6 minutes per side until crispy
- Adjust heat so bacon sizzles but doesn’t scorch
- Drain on paper towels; blot top too
Handy Tools for Frying Venison Bacon
Having the right gear makes frying easier:
- Metal tongs for turning bacon slices
- Spatula for pressing and flattening
- Slotted spoon for removing from grease
- Timer to prevent under or overcooking
- Instant read thermometer for precision
- Paper towels or brown bags for draining
Serving Suggestions for Fried Venison Bacon
Crispy venison bacon brightens any dish:
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Serve on a breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese
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Crumble over a salad for a smoky topping
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Chop and add to your favorite dips for a twist
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Wrap around roasted asparagus spears
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Toss with Brussels sprouts before roasting
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Make venison bacon bits for sprinkling on foods
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Skewer for tasty loaded bacon-wrapped appetizers
Handy Tips for Frying Venison Bacon
Follow these tips for the perfect fry:
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Start with properly cured and smoked venison bacon.
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Choose bacon slices of consistent thickness.
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Cook over medium-low heat to render fat slowly.
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Let bacon come to room temp before frying for even cooking.
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Fry in batches to prevent steaming for crispy texture.
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Drain on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
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Blot with paper towels to soak up excess grease.
Storing and Reheating Leftover Venison Bacon
Save that leftover venison bacon:
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Allow fried venison bacon to cool completely before storing.
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Place in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
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Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
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To reheat, place in a skillet over medium heat.
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Cook until warmed through, 1-2 minutes per side.
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Alternatively, reheat in the microwave, 15 second intervals.
Common Questions About Frying Venison Bacon
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What temperature should I fry venison bacon? About 300°F.
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How long does it take to fry venison bacon? Cook 4-6 minutes per side.
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What oil is best for frying venison? I prefer refined avocado oil’s high smoke point.
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Is venison bacon already cooked? Yes, it just needs to be crisped up through frying.
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Can I bake venison bacon instead? Yes, bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes.
Enjoy Perfectly Fried Venison Bacon
With its fabulous wild flavor and pleasantly chewy texture, venison bacon is a treat when fried up crisp and golden. Use this easy guide for achieving ideally crispy, mouthwatering venison bacon every time. Adjust heat as needed and fry in small batches for even cooking. Then dig into the wonder that is freshly fried venison bacon!
Does Venison Bacon Taste Like Bacon?
Venison has a distinctly different flavor than pork which will be reflected in the bacon. However, venison bacon does have the same traits as traditional bacon – wonderfully sweet, smoky, and salty!.
Equipment Needed for Venison Bacon
There are affiliate links in the list of things you need to make venison bacon that let you quickly and easily buy the same things I use from Amazon.
- Stick smoker—You can use a regular oven to make deer bacon, but smoking it will make it taste better. It is best to use an electric smoker for making any kind of sausage because it lets you control the temperature more precisely as you raise it gradually during the cooking process.
- Deli Slicer: Once the bacon is done smoking, you can use your chef knife to cut it into thin slices, but a deli slicer is much faster and easier to use. You can also use it to cut my smoked rump roast recipe into thin slices.
- Meat Grinder: You will need to use a meat grinder to grind your deer brains into bacon that is already formed. Read my How to Butcher a Deer tutorial for tips on how to grind deer meat.
Most likely, you don’t keep a few of the things you need for venison bacon on hand if you don’t usually make bacon or sausage.
- Curing—The meat needs to be cured because it will be cooked at very low temperatures for a long time. The cure stops dangerous bacteria from growing in the meat while it cooks, making it safe to eat. You can buy a lot of different cures. Always read the label to make sure you use the right amount.
- Dairy-Free Dry Milk Powder: You can get this at any grocery store. It is added to sausage to keep it together, keep the moisture in, and stop it from shrinking while it’s cooking.
- Brown Sugar—Smoky and sweet is the classic bacon pair. The brown sugar gives the meat a great sweetness and makes a sticky glaze on the outside. Feel free to add/substitute maple syrup as well.
- Ground Venison—I use a mix of ground venison and pork fat to make venison bacon. Somewhat less than 80% lean meat and 20% fat is a good starting point, but you can go as high as 30% fat if you want to. Make sure you don’t lose more weight than you need to, or your bacon will taste dry and lack flavor. If you had a butcher process your deer meat, you can ask them what fat ratio they used.
