Venison Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Fire up the grill for these colorful, spicy peppers made with ground venison. You won’t miss the traditional mid-summer burger once you’ve tasted these. Customize the spice level by increasing or decreasing the amount of chipotle peppers, adding a few pinches of chili powder, or a splash of your favorite hot sauce to the meat mixture.
Serves: 4
Time: 45 minutes
4 large fresh poblano peppers, about 3½-4½ oz. each
12 oz. 100% ground venison
4 oz. bulk pork chorizo (I use Cacique brand)
¼ c. finely diced jalapeno pepper
¼ c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 tsp. grated yellow onion
1-2 small chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. fine sea salt
½ c. shredded pepper jack cheese
Avocado Cream
2 large avocadoes, coarsely chopped
½ c. sour cream
½ tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. Kosher salt
2 ½ Tbsp. fresh lime juice
¼ c. packed fresh cilantro leaves
2-3 Tbsp. whole milk or cream (or more to adjust thickness)
Toppings
Queso fresco or cotija cheese, crumbled
Fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Put poblano peppers in a large microwave safe dish with 2 Tbsp. water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 ½ - 2 minutes and let stand, covered, while preparing the Avocado Cream and filling.
Use a blender to combine all Avocado Cream ingredients, pulsing gradually to achieve a smooth, mayonnaise-like consistency. (Be careful not to add too much liquid at first.) Taste and adjust seasoning, transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving time.
In a large bowl combine venison, chorizo, jalapeno, corn, onion, chipotle pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, and cheese and mix thoroughly. Cut softened poblanos in half lengthwise and remove seeds and ribs. Brush the skin side of each pepper half with vegetable oil, arrange halves on a grill topper with open holes (or a double layer of aluminum foil), and fill peppers with meat mixture. Preheat grill to medium. Grill peppers for 5 minutes to char the outsides then put the grill pan or foil on top of a baking sheet and continue to grill with the lid closed until filling reaches 155° internal temperature, about 15-20 minutes total.
Divide Avocado Cream between four plates and top with two pepper halves each. Garnish with crumbled queso fresco or cotija, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Peppers can be served with a side of tortilla chips, or over polenta or cheese grits and topped with Avocado Cream.
Summer and grilling are synonymous. It’s hard to beat a juicy grilled burger, but by mid-summer I’ve had enough and am looking for something different to do with ground venison. If you’ve had a successful fall deer hunt and put up a supply of ground meat you probably still have some in the freezer.
When I grind venison for freezing I don’t add any fat. I will decide later if, what kind, and how much fat to add depending on what I’m making. For loose meat recipes like spaghetti sauce and tacos I leave it 100% lean and just add a little extra oil to the pan when browning. The challenge with completely lean venison is that it dries out quickly and doesn’t hold together well for burgers, meatballs, and similar foods. Fat adds flavor, moisture, and “holding power”. The meat-to-fat ratio is a matter of personal preference; normal fat percentages for burgers is 10-20%; sausage is 30%. Several cuts of pork are suitable additions, each giving a subtle difference in flavor. Pork fat and shoulder are the most common and readily available. Pork belly and bacon are my preferred cuts because they add both fat and meat; bacon adds a subtle smokiness throughout that is complemented by chargrilling. Beef tallow (fat) is harder to find and often sourced from a butcher. It is used in lower percentages than pork because a high tallow-to-venison ratio gives the meat a greasy mouthfeel and an overpowering taste.
Pre-seasoned ground meats like bulk pork sausage and chorizo add fat and seasonings at the same time. They’re easy to mix with ground venison for a fast weeknight meal like Venison Stuffed Poblano Peppers. Customize the level of spice to your taste by increasing or decreasing the amount of chipotle peppers, adding a few pinches of chili powder, or a splash of your favorite hot sauce to the meat mixture.