Cooking Wild Game Venison recipe

Venison Leg Steak and Pepperoncini Stir Fry Recipe

By RVL / September 16, 2026

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Venison Leg Steak and Pepperoncini Stir Fry Recipe

Utilize an often overlooked piece of venison and create a dish you are sure to enjoy.

Venison Leg Steak and Pepperoncini Stir Fry Recipe

(Photo courtesy of Adam Berkelmans)
September 14, 2026By Adam Berkelmans

Print RecipeLeg steaks kind of… suck. Yeah, they suck.

Processors and some butchers love them because they make life easy. Instead of breaking down the hindquarters properly, they simply run the entire leg cross-wise through a bandsaw, resulting in unwieldy cuts of meat that are comprised of several different muscles, all of which have different textures and need different cooking times and methods. Each one of those muscles are surrounded by connective tissues that tend to constrict as they cook, causing leg steaks to buckle in the pan or on the grill. This means that it’s tough to get an even sear as only some parts of the steak are touching the pan.

There are also the bones to deal with—not something I mind in my meat, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. These bones can also cause uneven cooking, but aren’t always an issue. (Discover: “How to Find Unpressured Public Land Whitetail Deer More Effectively.”)

That doesn’t mean cuts from the leg can’t make a good steak; I just prefer to be able to control how I cook each one of those muscles, rather than all of them together.

meat and peppers

(Photo courtesy of Adam Berkelmans)

So, what do you do with a leg steak then? Transform it into something else!

Braising works well. Slow cooking will break down those pesky connective tissues and soften the meat, creating a homogenous texture.

You can also mechanically transform them like I did for this recipe. Simply cut the leg steak into thin slices across the grain (discarding or repurposing strong connective tissues, fat, and bone) and cook them quickly for beautifully tender and tasty steak morsels.

This time around, I treated the thinly sliced leg meat to a trip around my wok along with punchy and spicy pickled pepperoncini peppers, which make for a really interesting and tasty combo. This comes out relatively spicy, but if you can handle a pepperoncini on the side of your Bloody Mary, you can definitely handle this stir fry!

Serves: 4, with rice or noodles
Time to Make: 45 minutes (can also make with any cut of lean red meat)

Ingredients: (For the stir fry and sauce)

  • 1 large venison leg steak, or 2 small
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or cooking wine/sherry (optional)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons white sugar or honey
  • 3 tablespoons lard or neutral oil
  • 1 small onion, sliced thinly
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups pickled pepperoncini peppers (about ½ a jar), stemmed, seeded, and sliced thickly
  • 3 tablespoons pepperoncini brine
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½ cup game or chicken stock

Directions:

  1. Separate the individual muscles in the leg steak. They should be apparent (circles surrounded by connective tissues) and should pull apart with only a little help from a knife. Discard the bones, or simmer them for a quick stock you can use in the sauce.
  2. Now slice each muscle across the grain into thin slices, discarding any major connective tissue or fat you find.
  3. In a medium bowl, add the soy sauce, baking soda, cornstarch, wine, and sugar. Mix well, then toss in the venison slices. Let marinate for about 20 minutes.
  4. Prep the onions, garlic, and pepperoncini and have them ready to go.
  5. Mix all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and keep it near the stove.
  6. Heat a wok or skillet over high heat. When it starts smoking, add the oil. Add the venison strips to the oil and let sit for 1 minute. Give everything a good toss, then continue to stir fry for another 1-2 minutes, or until venison looks JUST cooked through. Transfer back to the bowl and reduce heat to medium-high.
  7. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and toss for 30 seconds, then add the pepperoncini peppers, brine, and venison slices, along with any juices that have accumulated. Season with a few grinds of black pepper.
  8. Toss together for about a minute. Stir your bowl of sauce to re-incorporate the cornstarch, then pour it into the wok or skillet, tossing everything vigorously with a sturdy spoon. The liquid should thicken quickly and turn into a clinging sauce. If it doesn’t, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add it to the sauce—toss until thickened. If the sauce is too thick, simply add a small amount of water or stock.
  9. Remove from heat and serve with rice or noodles. Enjoy!

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