Ben’s Venison Barbacoa
Discover a savory venison barbacoa recipe, a tribute to family traditions blending Kentucky roots with San Antonio flavors.
Ben’s Venison Barbacoa
Ben O'Neal, Friend of MKC
12
30 minutes
12-18 hours
350
Caribbean
Dinner
I grew up in Kentucky. My grandfather taught me how to hunt and fish on his farm, while my grandmother taught me how to cook. We would prepare meals together, listening to big band music and seasoning dishes from the heart, without precise measurements.
For years, we used shoulder and neck meat for ground venison when butchering, until another hunter recommended using those cuts for roasts. It was a great decision, resulting in tender and juicy meat. Even when I left Kentucky for San Antonio, I continued preparing venison that way.
This venison barbacoa recipe results from multiple trials with different flavor combinations. It’s inspired by my love for street tacos during my time in San Antonio and those long days on my grandparents’ Kentucky property.
Ingredients
- 4–5 lbs. venison neck or shoulder
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. rubbed sage
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 2 Tbsp. avocado oil
- 1 1/2 sticks butter, divided
- 1 large white onion or 2–3 shallots, minced
- 1 head of garlic, minced
- 12 oz. beer (amber ale)
- ~4 cups bone broth (beef or homemade)
- 2–3 Tbsp. adobo sauce, to taste
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice, to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 12–16 corn tortillas
- 1 small red onion, diced
Directions
Thaw the venison neck or shoulder completely.
Dry rub the meat with salt, black pepper, cumin, rubbed sage, and paprika, coating the entire surface.
In a cast iron skillet, sear all sides of the meat in avocado oil on high heat until light brown and crispy, without burning. The meat shouldn’t be cooked through, just seared.
In a Dutch oven (or a large pan with a lid, like a turkey roaster), melt a stick of butter with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add the minced white onion or shallots and cook until transparent. Add minced garlic from one head and cook until lightly browned.
Pour in one beer (avoid IPAs or those with unusual flavors) and place the seared venison in the Dutch oven.
Pour the bone broth (beef or homemade) over the meat, covering it almost completely. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven at 200°F for 12–18 hours, flipping the meat every six hours.
After 12–18 hours, shred the meat from the bone.
Fold in half a stick of butter.
Add adobo sauce, lime juice, and fresh cilantro to taste.
Serve your venison barbacoa with toasted corn tortillas and raw red onion on top for the perfect San Antonio-style street tacos.
