Instant Pot Venison Roast

What Is Venison Meat?

Originally, venison was considered to be meat from any large game animal, such as moose, elk, deer, or the like. It's considered a high-end meat, not found in many locations. Today, in most cases venison refers specifically to meat of a deer and sometimes an elk depending on your location. Similar to beef, venison is categorized into numerous cuts, such as ribs, tenderloin, and sirloin. In the United States, venison is popular in the Southeast states of Tennessee and Georgia, and in the midwest. You may also find it in big cities, such as New York City and Chicago.

Mention venison in other areas around the United States and you'll get mixed reactions. Some may have no idea what venison is and others may joke that can find venison along the sides of the highway! You may find venison in your local grocery store packaged and sold as "venison sausage". More commonly, it is often made into commercial dog food. Pups love deer!

Deer meat is said to best when cooked on the rare side of doneness, like this pressure cooker lamb roast. You'll often hear that it is best to eat it rare or medium-rare, as its true tenderness and flavor is most prominent then. But rare, or even medium-rare meat dishes, are not enjoyed by everyone. It is possible to enjoy a venison meal that is cooked to medium or medium-well as long you ensure proper tenderizing of the meat prior to or during cooking. It is important not to overcook venison, as it will become rubbery and difficult to chew. In this instant pot venison roast recipe, I'll give you 2 ways to tenderize your deer meat.

How to Cook Venison in an Instant Pot

Pressure cooking venison takes about 30 minutes per pound. It should be cooked on high, completely covered with water or broth.

The simplest way to cook venison in the instant pot is by covering it entirely in water, with an extra 3 inches of water above the meat. Setting to high for 30 minutes per pound will give you a moist and tender, fall of the fork venison. Broth, stock, or water and seasonings can replace the water. This recipe uses a combination of stock, water, and seasonings to create a delicious broth.

The tenderloin or backstrap is arguably the most tender and sought after cut of venison. It's known as the "filet mignon" of deer. I find that it is the best for pressure or slow cooking, as it is for grilling. However, the striploin, rump, and knuckle are also extremely tender. The least tender pieces of deer, and those that you want to avoid for this recipe, are flank steak and osso buco. Top round and bottom round fall into the medium tenderness category.

How to Tenderize Deer Meat

In this instant pot venison roast recipe, the venison is rubbed with a generous amount of salt. Then vinegar is added to the broth while it cooks. This is a quick way to tenderize the meat and eliminate "gamey" flavor.

If you have time and would prefer to tenderize the meat overnight, this is how to do it. Soak the venison in salted water for 24 hours prior to cooking to aid in tenderizing it. To do this, add ¼ cup of salt to 4 cups of water. Mix to dissolve the salt and then pour over the venison. Let soak in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Once the venison has soaked in the saltwater bath, discard the water and cover the venison in white vinegar. Let sit for 1 hour. Then begin following the steps for the recipe, but do not rub the venison in salt or add the vinegar to the instant pot.

To make instant pot venison roast you need:

While you can use any part of the deer, backstrap is my favorite. You know when you slow cook a beef pot roast and it becomes fall-off-the-bone tender? This is what happens to backstrap when cooked right. As for the stock, use chicken, beef, or vegetable. I vegetable stock for this recipe, but it would be just as good with any stock.