18 Nebraskaland • April 2026
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
VENISON STIR-FRY
Velveting is a special technique
in Chinese stir fry. Marinating slices
of raw meat in egg and cornstarch
protects it from drying out while
cooking, which results in juicy meat.
For this recipe, I used the eye of round
from an older doe, a muscle located
in the hindquarter. I was surprised
by how tender it was and thought
leftovers reheated well, too.
Servings: 2-4
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
•
1 pound of venison eye of round, or
another tender cut
•
1 egg
•
5 tbsp. of cornstarch, separated
•
1 tsp. of kosher salt, separated
•
Canola/vegetable oil for frying
•
⅓ cup of sweet chili sauce
•
⅓ cup of hoisin sauce
•
½ to 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, to taste
•
1½ tbsp. of apple cider vinegar
•
¼ cup of water
•
1 tsp. of sugar
•
1 red bell pepper
•
Half a medium onion
•
5 cloves of garlic, minced
•
Freshly cooked white rice
•
Thinly sliced green onion for garnish
1. Trim off silver skin on venison
and cut thinly against the grain. In
a small bowl, beat egg and then mix
in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and ½
teaspoon of kosher salt. Add sliced
venison, stir to coat and refrigerate
covered for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, remove ribs and seeds
from the red bell pepper and cut into
1-inch squares. Cut onion into similar-
size pieces. In a small bowl, combine
sweet chili sauce, hoisin sauce, red
pepper f lakes, apple cider vinegar,
water, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and
sugar, and set aside.
3. When venison is done marinating,
add the remaining cornstarch to the
bowl and stir to coat. In a saucepan,
heat 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees F.
Separate venison pieces and carefully
drop into the hot oil one by one — do
not crowd the pan. Once the pieces
start turning golden at the edges,
about 1 to 2 minutes, remove and drain
on paper towels. Repeat with the rest
of the venison.
4. While the venison is frying, add
oil to coat the bottom of a frying pan/
wok over medium-high heat. Add
onion and red bell pepper and sauté
until caramelized at the edges. Lower
heat to medium and then add minced
garlic and a pinch of salt; sauté for
30 seconds.
5. Add the sauce and bring to a low
boil, stirring frequently and being
careful not to scorch the bottom.
Add the cooked venison and toss to
coat. Simmer for a couple minutes
until thickened and warmed through.
Season to taste. Serve hot with freshly
cooked white rice. Garnish with sliced
green onion.
IN THE FIELD
