Venison pierogi recipe

Venison is a healthy and delicious source of protein and can be used in place of beef in most recipes.

Always cook ground venison to 160°F (71°C).
Read more about best practices for wild game processing and preparation.

For the dough

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 tbsp. (½ stick) softened butter

Directions

1. Mix flour and salt
2. Stir in egg, sour cream, and butter until the dough comes together
3. Knead and fold the dough until smooth
4. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes

For the filling

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground venison
• 1 lb. chopped bacon
• 1 chopped medium onion
• 5 lb. mashed potatoes
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook onions until translucent
2. Add chopped bacon and ground venison and cook for 5–7 minutes or until fully browned
3. Pulse meat and onion mixture through in a food processor to produce a fine uniform mixture
4. Combine with mashed potatoes and cheddar and mix thoroughly; add salt and pepper to taste

Filling the pierogi

1. Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick
2. Cut into rounds (from 2 to 4 inches, depending on preference) 
3. Place filling in the center of the circle of dough; be careful not to overfill
4. Fold dough over and pinch edges to seal and then press with the tines of a fork

Cooking

1. Boil a large pot of water and add pierogi
2. Cook until they float, remove and let them dry
3. Fry pierogi in oil or butter in a large skillet