Venison Steak Kebabs- Grilled to Perfection
Venison Steak Kebabs are an easy summertime recipe for those last steaks you’ve got tucked away in the freezer. Great for Father’s Day. Dad will thank you.
Kebabs, also called kabobs, kebap, or kabab, are skewered and roasted meat that originated in the Middle East. You can use ground or cubed meat. They’re often marinated with spices and oil before grilling.
I usually try to save at least a few pieces of venison to cook on the grill in the summer! I love the smoky taste that the grill imparts to the venison.
These particular kebabs were made with a Mexican Fajita marinade for something different. We’ve also done them with Teriyaki flavors like in our Venison Teriyaki Stir Fry.
When assembling skewers, we group ingredients based on how long they take to cook. Potatoes and cherry tomatoes each go on their own skewers. Potatoes take longer, and tomatoes take less time than the venison.
Which Cut of Venison to Use
Use any of the roasts from the back legs. The bottom or top round or the rump works fine if you tenderize them first. Venison backstraps or loin are also great options. There’s no need to tenderize them first.
What you Need
- Cubed Deer Meat: Cut the roast into about 2-inch cubes.
- Lime Juice: Fresh or bottled lime juice adds a bit of acidity to tenderize the meat.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a punch of savory, umami flavor.
- Olive Oil: Do not use extra virgin olive oil. Grilling that oil will burn it.
- Cumin: Cumin imparts an earthy flavor to foods.
- Garlic: – either granulated garlic or garlic powder
- Chili Powder: This spice adds a little spicy kick to your food.
- Dried Coriander: Coriander and cumin often pair well together in a Mexican-inspired flavor profile.
- Kosher Salt or Sea Salt: Salt is imperative for seasoning meat.
- Course Ground Black Pepper: Fresh, coarsely ground adds more flavor than pre-ground black pepper.
What vegetables to use
- Onion: Use red onion, yellow onion, or white onion, cut in quarters, with the “leaves” separated.
- Peppers: Red, yellow, orange, or green bell peppers, as well as hot peppers, will both work.
- Zucchini or Summer Squash: Depending on the size of the squash, cut whole slices, halves, or quarters.
- Mushrooms: Use whole white button, baby bella, or quartered standard portabellos.
- Potatoes: Use canned potatoes or par-cooked potatoes
- Cherry Tomatoes: Whole cherry tomatoes or quartered large tomatoes work well.
- Corn on the Cob: Cut the cob into 2-3-inch chunks
- Brussels Sprouts: Par-cook the sprouts for about 5 minutes before grilling.
- Pineapple: Fresh or canned chunk pineapple.
How to Make Venison Kebabs
Remove any fat or silver skin from the roast.
Use a meat tenderizer to tenderize the venison.
Then, slice the meat in uniform thicknesses. Leave the chunks a bit larger so that they do not overcook and get tough. Then, cut into chunks.
Add the marinade ingredients to a large bowl.
Whisk the marinade well.
Cut the vegetables into large chunks.
Assemble the kebabs. Alternate the meat with vegetables that will take approximately the same amount of time to cook for a pretty presentation.
Vegetables that will take longer than the meat should be on separate skewers and started before the meat, like corn, Brussels sprouts or potatoes.
Vegetables that take less time to cook than the meat, such as tomatoes, should be added after the meat kebabs.
Spray the kebabs generously with non-stick spray. Place them on a hot grill directly over the flame. Grill on one side for about 4 minutes, until charred. Flip and cook for a few more minutes on the second side. The internal temperature of the meat should be about 135°F.
If you use the loin rather than the leg meat, they are more tender. Since these are marinated overnight, they remain tender and delicious. You could certainly use backstrap if you have managed to save some loin cuts. 🙂
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in airtight containers for 3-4 days. Leftovers are great on a simple summer salad, in wraps or a taco.
What to Serve with These Venison Kebabs?
- Mexican Rice
- Refried Beans
- Simple summer side salad
- Tortillas
FAQs
Use either a rear leg cut like the top or bottom round, or backstrap meat. Rear leg meat should be tenderized, particularly when using larger animals.
Depending on the size of the chunks, 5-10 minutes is all the time they take.
You want the internal temperature to be about 135°F. Don’t overcook the meat, or it will become tough.
Yes, absolutely. It is best to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Pat it dry before adding it to the marinade.
Overnight, up to two days is ideal. As little as 4-6 hours will help tenderize the meat, though.
Yes. Place a cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the kebabs on the rack. Broil on high for 4-5 minutes. Then check the temperature and flip them. Return them to the oven and broil for another couple of minutes until the internal temperature is 135°F
You can marinate the meat and chop the vegetables the day before. Assemble them just before cooking?
No. Just place the meat and vegetables in a grill basket or even on foil.
Just substitute soy sauce and a bit of apple cider vinegar for the Worcestershire.
More Delicious Venison Recipes
- Venison Stroganoff
- Smoked Venison Backstrap
- Bacon-wrapped Venison Backstrap
- Grilled Venison Loin Chops
Helpful Tools
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Done in under 10 minutes after marinating, this is a delicious and easy recipe for your summer meals. What could be easier!?
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Venison Steak Kebabs
Ingredients
For marinade
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp garlic, granulated
- 2-3 tsp Chili powder
- 2 tsp dried coriander
For Kabobs
- ½ red onion, cut into large chunks
- 2 bell or hot peppers, cut into large chunks
- any other vegetable you like, such as, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms
Instructions
- Cut venison in approximately 2″ chunks1 lb venison steak, either back leg roast, or loin
- Add marinade ingredients to a container large enough to accommodate meat. Mix well.3 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce, 1/2 cup Olive Oil, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp garlic, granulated, 2-3 tsp Chili powder, 2 tsp dried coriander
- Add venison, refrigerate overnight.
- Assemble kebabs on skewers, in whatever order you like. Heat grill to high.½ red onion, cut into large chunks, 2 bell or hot peppers, cut into large chunks, any other vegetable you like, such as, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms
- Spray kebabs generously with non-stick spray. Grill for 4 minutes on the first side.
- Carefully turn and grill until internal temperature is 135°F. Let rest 5 minutes.
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Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I get a small commission if you click the link and purchase something, at no additional cost to you. See FTC Disclosure, here.
Originally published June 4, 2018. Updated February 1, 2024.
- Recipe Name: Venison Steak Kebabs
- Type: Main Course
- Main Ingredients: Venison steak, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, garlic, chili powder, assorted vegetables
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Marinate Time: 8–12 hours
- Total Time: About 10 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Special Equipment: Grill, skewers, meat tenderizer
- Great For: Father’s Day, summer grilling, using frozen venison, wild game cookouts
I found an old backstrap in the bottom of my freezer – from fall of 2020!! No freezer damage, though (hey, it’s not not quite 3 yrs old yet, lol). WOW – this marinade made delicious kabobs! I scraped every bit of marinade left in the bowl to spread on the veggies – did not use potatoes, just onions, peppers, & cherry tomatoes. You’re right, this IS a Mexican marinade, but it worked SO well with the venison. Didn’t taste “Mexican”, just delicious. Thank you for the great recipes and ideas; you’re awesome!!
Thanks so much Mich! We’re so glad that you like it!
OK, so now I found some roasts from 2016 – I cubed it and am going to let it sit in my favorite marinade and we’ll see what happens tomorrow… I just could be stretching it with this one, LOL.
Do they look or smell freezer burned? If not, they may be ok, especially if they were vacuum packed. But, no lie. that is kinda stretching it, lol! Good luck. Let me know how you make out!
No, wouldn’t have used them if they were freezer-burned, would’ve left them out for the raccoons. And the roast wasn’t vacuum-packed. To be honest, I only just thought of cubing the roasts for summer grilling a couple of weeks ago – I used to save it all for long, slow oven baking or the crock pot in the winter. THEY CAME OUT FABULOUS!! I just marinated the peppers & onions in some balsamic & olive oil overnight. We ended up having something else for supper the night I planned to use them, so they sat in the marinade for 2 days – in a metal bowl – yes, I forgot about the acid reacting with the metal – I tend to fly by the seat of my pants. So now that a friend FINALLY took home all of his fish & venison hearts/livers we were saving for him, I could see to & clean out the bottom of one of our freezers – to find venison from 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, & 2024. It’s just my husband & me, only so much we can eat. Since this is my very favorite venison marinade recipe, I’m sending it out to a few friends! A million thanks!!!
That’s great Mich! We’re so glad that you liked it! I run into that all of the time. There is so much in the freezers that I can’t find anything for dinner, lol. Thanks for trying the recipe.