The second best part of a successful deer hunt is all that delicious venison in the freezer. Venison is very similar to beef in the many different ways to use it in cooking, from roasts and steaks to jerky, burgers, tacos, and casseroles. We grind about two thirds of our venison into “hamburger” that we use in dozens of different ways.
I spent my formative years as a child and young adult living in Minnesota where Hot Dish is king, so I am used to calling pretty much all casseroles “hot dish”. Here is my recipe for Tater Tot Hot Dish using ground venison.
- 1 lb ground venison
- 1 quart (or 2 cans) green beans
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 bag tater tots (I like the smaller ones)
- 4 oz shredded col-jack cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
Brown ground venison in frying pan, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder while cooking. Mix in soup and green beans. Place in bottom of 9×13 pan. Cover with tater tots. Season with more salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sprinkle cheese on top. Optional: sprinkle a little taco seasoning on top of cheese if desired. Bake 25 minutes in preheated 400 degree oven.
The Wildwood Glen 