- 2 venison steaks (about 1 lb), cut into 1” cubes or slightly smaller
- Salt & Pepper
- Flour
- Canola or Vegetable Oil
- Soy sauce
- Apple cider vinegar OR rice wine vinegar
- White wine
- 1 Lime OR pure lime juice (can substitute a mandarin/clementine or orange juice)
- Ground ginger (can substitute fresh grated ginger root)
- Red Chili pepper flakes OR Korean chili pepper paste
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4-6 cloves of garlic, smashed once with flat of knife
- 1 large head of broccoli, cut into bite size chunks
- 1 small bag (about 1/2 lb) of shredded carrots
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped (use red for a more pronounced flavor and sweetness)
- 1 Small package of portobello or white button mushrooms, sliced
- 1-2 small cans of sliced water chestnuts
- Brown Sugar/Honey (optional)
- Sesame Oil OR Chili Oil (optional)
- Jasmine rice
- Preheat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season venison with salt and pepper then dredge lightly in flour. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the wok, then brown the venison on all sides for a total of 2-3 minutes. Remove nuggets from the oil and set aside on a paper towel. They should be golden brown all over.
- Add a little more oil to the wok, then add the broccoli and season lightly with salt and pepper. Raise heat to med-high and cook until the majority of the broccoli begins to brown, less than 5 minutes. Splash the broccoli with a bit of soy sauce.
- Add the garlic, bell peppers, and onions. Toss the whole deal with another splash of soy sauce and add some chili pepper (start with a small amount, no more than half the total you wish to use). Once the peppers start browning, you can get your rice water boiling and start that process. I’m not here to teach you how to cook rice, but pro tip: follow the directions on the package to the absolute T, and you’ll be hard pressed to screw anything up.
- At this point you may need another tiny drizzle of oil in the wok, just don’t let things get greasy-looking. Add the shredded carrots, mushrooms, about 1/2-1 cup of wine, a couple tablespoons of vinegar, juice of 1/2-1 lime, and you guessed it—a small splash of soy sauce. Gently dust the entire surface of the mixture with ginger, another dash of chili flake if desired, and let it all get cozy for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the water chestnuts and mix very well.
- Now you can stir the fried venison nuggets into the vegetables, and lower the heat to a simmer. Taste one of everything. If you need salt, try a pinch at a time, or use soy sauce to increase salt content and overall depth of flavor (my wife doesn’t love soy sauce, so I go kinda light on that and pinch salt instead). If you want more ginger, again, go with a pinch at a time. Ginger will get away from you quickly and before you know it your stir-fry tastes more like Canada Dry. If you want more spice, add those chili flakes. And if you want a little sweetness, this is the time to sprinkle just a smidge of brown sugar or a tiny drop of dark honey (or molasses). Conversely, if the mixture is a little syrupy and you want to thin and brighten it, go with an extra suggestion of vinegar, citrus, or wine. If you want a little more sauciness, add a very small bit of sesame and/or chili oil.
- Turn the heat off and leave the wok covered with the lid slightly cocked to vent, while keeping the contents nice and warm. Cover completely if you are not serving within a few minutes. You can wait maybe 45-60 minutes (keeping your eye on it and stirring occasionally) before the integrity/texture could be compromised.
- Serve over rice. If you like a fancy presentation, drip the smallest bit of sesame and/or chili oil over each bowl as you serve. Enjoy!
