Recipe: Venison Empanadas

When I make venison empanadas, the goal is simple. Keep the meat front and center, add enough flavor to complement it, and make a filling that stays juicy without overpowering the wild proteins. The filling is rich, balanced, and built to highlight venison, whether baked or fried.

Empanadas are great hot out of the oven or fryer, but make a wonderful cold snack in the hunting blind.

Venison Empanada Filling

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground venison
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or bacon fat
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Salt to taste
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup beef or venison stock
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup chopped green olives or kalamata olives, optional
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the oil or bacon fat in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened and lightly caramelized. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
2. Add the ground venison and break it up as it browns. Season with cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper, and salt. Venison is lean, so avoid overcooking. Once the meat is just cooked through, stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for a minute to deepen the flavor.
3. Add the stock and Worcestershire sauce and simmer until the mixture thickens and stays moist but not wet. Fold in the olives, if using, then remove from the heat and finish with fresh herbs. Let the filling cool completely before stuffing empanadas.
4. Roll out the dough to about ⅛ inch thickness, cut into 6-inch rounds. Place about ¼ cup of filling in the center of the dough. Fold in half, stretching over the filling. Press the edges of the dough together to seal, and bake or fry as desired.
5. Bake at 400°F until golden, for about 20 to 25 minutes. Brush with egg wash for color. Alternatively, fry in ½ inch of oil over medium-high heat, turning once, until golden brown. We also prepared the empanadas in an air fryer at 400°F for 20 minutes, turning at 10 minutes (brushing with melted butter helps them brown).

Here’s a classic, reliable empanada dough recipe that works for both baked and fried empanadas. It is tender, flaky, easy to work with, and neutral enough to pair with savory or slightly sweet fillings.

Empanada Dough (Masa para Empanadas)

Authentic Argentinian empanadas would be made with lard, but butter is a great alternative to add flavor and keep them flaky. Rest the dough to prevent it from shrinking or tearing.

Ingredients

• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar (optional but recommended for browning)
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 large egg
• ¾ to 1 cup cold water or milk

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar.
2. Cut the cold butter into the flour using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. Those butter bits create flakiness.
3. Add the egg and gently mix.
4. Slowly add cold water or milk, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not overwork it.
5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for about one minute until smooth.
6. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten, making rolling easier.

The filling and dough will make 20 to 24 empanadas.