Name: Venison Enchiladas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. oil (such as avocado oil); 2 tbsp flour; 1 1/2 tsp. cumin; 1 tsp. onion powder; 1 tsp. garlic powder; 1 tsp. chili powder; 1 tsp. paprika; 1 tsp. salt; 2 tbsp. tomato paste; 2 cups chicken stock; 1 1/2 lbs. ground venison; 1 green bell pepper (diced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 medium white onion (diced); 1 tbsp. avocado oil; 12 corn tortillas; 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

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Venison Enchiladas with ground meat are cheesy, filling, and coated with a flavorful homemade enchilada sauce. These are easy enough to prepare, so you can have Mexican food at home any night of the week. Top with your favorite toppings for the full experience.

Key Tips for Delicious Enchiladas

Let’s be honest here, enchiladas in any form are almost always delicious. But there are ways to take them from good to great. Toasted corn tortillas, good sauce, well browned meat and freshly grated cheese all work together to make these enchiladas exceptional.

My first tip is to make sure you toast the corn tortillas. This makes them more pliable and less prone to ripping. It also adds an additional layer of flavor. You can heat them up in the oven, but I carefully heat them up a few seconds each over the grates on the stovetop.

plate with two enchiladas and topped with sour cream, limes, and jalapenos.

I like making the enchilada sauce myself because it is so easy and I ofteen have all the ingredients on hand already. This is a great way to control the spice level as well. For a smokey version, sometimes I like to add a tablespoon or two of adobo sauce. There are some quality store bought enchilada sauces, so feel free to substitute if you have one that you really like. You will want about 2 cups for an equivalent amount of sauce.

If you are able, buy whole block cheese and grate it yourself. It will melt better without the decaking agent that is added to preshredded cheese.

I grew up eating chicken enchiladas, and I still love them. Here is the recipe for my mom's cheesy chicken enchiladas.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Venison Enchiladas

For the enchiladas

Ground Venison: My father in law grinds the venison meat himself and adds beef fat, as venison is very lean. You may need to add extra oil to the pan when browning the meat if the venison has no fat added.
Onion: White onion is the most traditional to mexican cooking, but yellow onion will work as well. White gives a sharper, crisper flavor.
Bell pepper: I used green pepper here, you could use anything you have. For more spice, use poblano peppers instead of bell.
Garlic: Always use fresh if you have it.
Cheese: This is where you’re going to want to shred the cheese yourself. It melts much better and gives a better overall flavor to the dish.
Corn Tortillas: Corn tortillas are more traditional for enchiladas, they give an earthy flavor and hold their shape better. You can use flour if you prefer, but the flavor and texture won’t be quite the same.

For the homemade enchilada sauce

Tomato paste: Caramelizing the tomato sauce deepens the flavor and brings out its sweetness.
Oil: A neutral oil like avocado oil will work best here.
Flour: This is necessary to create a roux which thickens the sauce.
Spices: A blend of onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, and paprika.
Chicken Stock: Chicken stock creates the substance of the sauce while adding more flavor than water alone.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1. To a small saucepan, add oil and heat over medium heat. Add spices and tomato paste and whisk to combine. Cook for one minute to bring out the flavors.

Step 2. Sprinkle in flour and whisk to create a roux. It will look very thick at first. Cook for one to two minutes, whisking periodically so that it doesn’t burn.

Step 3. Slowly whisk in chicken stock to form the enchilada sauce. Once all of the chicken stock has been added turn heat to medium low and simmer for approximately five minutes. Remove from heat and set to the side.

Step 4. Take the time to heat up your tortillas. You can do so by placing each on the grates of a gas stove top, working quickly to avoid burning. Alternatively, you can microwave them for a few seconds to make them more pliable.

Step 5. To a sauté pan or cast-iron skillet, add remaining oil and brown venison meat, breaking it up as you go. I like to make sure it’s nice and brown for the added flavor. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 6. Add in diced peppers, onions, and garlic and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they are just softened.

Step 7. Add ½ cup of the prepared enchilada sauce along with ½ cup of shredded cheese and stir.

Step 8. Fill corn tortillas with venison filling and roll tightly before placing each enchilada to a casserole dish.

Step 9. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top.

Step 10. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas.

Step 11. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Even More Venison Recipes

finished dish of enchiladas topped with sour cream, jalapenos, and limes.