Make a take out inspired dinner in your slow cooker or instant pot. We love making this with venison backstrap, but but beef works well too!
Turn venison backstrap or beef roast into a dinner your family will love. This delicious dinner is inspired by take out beef and broccoli, but is made easily in the slow cooker.
You can also make it much quicker in an instant pot. It is perfect for busy days. Just make some rice and you’re ready to go!
I make this every so often and we all loved it. So I knew I needed to make it again for you all! It is so easy and really tasty.
It makes your venison backstraps so tender and yummy and gives you all of the flavor of take-out Chinese food. You could use beef, of course, but I think it is a really great way to use deer.
Slicing The Meat
I have made this recipe both with chunks of backstrap and really thin slices. Both work great, it’s more a matter of texture and preference than anything.
If you choose to use thin slices, I find that the easiest way to do it is to slice it while it is still mostly frozen.
Just use a really sharp knife and shave away. If you prefer chunks, feel free to go that way as well. The thin slices just ensure a really tender end product.
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Crockpot Backstrap and Broccoli
This is a perfect dinner for a weeknight. Just throw the meat and sauce in the crockpot. I cooked mine for around 6 hours, but if you need to cook it a little longer it will be fine.
The meat may start to shred a bit after a while, but it will still taste wonderful! All you have to do at the end of the day is throw in the broccoli and some cornstarch and turn it up for a half hour while you make your rice. Then dinner is served and you look like a rock star!
Backstrap and Broccoli in the Instant Pot
If you forgot to get dinner in the slow cooker, don’t despair! You can also make this recipe in a pressure cooker.
The results are about the same, but you can have it done in under an hour instead of letting it cook all day. Just cook the meat in the flavorful sauce, then add the broccoli and steam until just tender.
Then all you have to do is add the cornstarch slurry to thicken it up and serve it over rice. Both methods are absolute winners!
We love this just the way it is. My husband also loves it with sriracha. He likes everything a bit hotter! I think it is really good both ways.
Backstrap and Broccoli (Crockpot or Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds venison backstrap or beef roast
- 1 cup beef broth
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 to 3 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 to 4 cups broccoli fresh or frozen
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- optional: additional vegetables* scallions or sesame seeds
Instructions
Crockpot Instructions:
- Cut the 1½ pounds venison backstrap into either small cubes or thinly slice it against the grain.
- Place the meat in the slow cooker.
- Mix together the 1 cup beef broth, ½ cup soy sauce, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 2 to 3 teaspoons garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger. Pour over the meat.
- Cook for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
- Make a slurry with the 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and a couple of Tablespoons of cold water. Stir into the meat and sauce in the slow cooker. You can add the 3 to 4 cups broccoli now too or cook it separately and stir it in after the sauce has thickened. Cook on high for ½ hour.
- Serve over rice and garnish with scallions or sesame seeds if desired.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Cut the 1½ pounds venison backstrap into either small cubes or thinly slice it against the grain.
- Place the meat in the instant pot.
- Mix together the 1 cup beef broth, ½ cup soy sauce, 3 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 2 to 3 teaspoons garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger. Pour over the meat.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Add the 3 to 4 cups broccoli and cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, then do another quick release.
- Switch to saute mode. Make a slurry out of the 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and a couple of Tablespoons of cold water. Stir into sauce and continue to stir until the sauce is bubbly and thickened.
- Serve over rice and garnish with scallions or sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
Video
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My fiance is a hunter and the deer meat eater in the house, lol! So while I will admit I did not try this recipe he was GUSHING over it saying how delicious and tender it was telling me to make this all the time!
I am so glad that he liked it!
I love using backstrap to make this
Sooooo yummy !!!
I am glad you liked it!
In crockpot cooking right now. Smells delicious. I didn’t have sesame oil but sesame seeds so in they went! Going to add some peppers and onions. I love my veggies 😋 Can’t wait to eat!
Green peppers and onions will be delicious! I would totally do that too, but then my son wouldn’t touch it. He loves broccoli. I hope you enjoy it!
Very flavorful. Not dry
Best back strap ever. Tender and. Dry flavorful
That is so good to hear, thank you!
I've got this in my pampered chef quick cooker right now and can't wait. I used elk backstrap and got a package of frozen stir fry vegetable to toss in.
YAY! I hope you enjoy it!
What can I substitute for sesame oil?
You can use vegetable oil in the sauce if you don't have sesame oil. The flavor won't be quite as rich, but it will still be good. Or toss in some sesame seeds if you happen to have them. It just adds a little depth of flavor and umami to the finished dish.
Sounds great, going to try it. Are instructions for frozen or thawed venison?
Realistically it should work for either since it's cut in relatively small pieces before it's cooked. We usually freeze our backstraps whole, so it's at least partially thawed in order to cut it more easily. If you have frozen chunks of meat, I would at least defrost it enough that it breaks apart and isn't all frozen together in a ball so that it cooks evenly.
Thanks – I'm going to try it with just steaks (as the backstraps were the first thing to be eaten) – but seems it should work there too – thanks again for the recipe idea!
Awesome! Just the recipe I have been wanting to make. I added mushrooms and onions. Thanks for an easy weekend dinner.
I'm adding mushrooms and onions next time I make it too, that sounds amazing! Thank you so much!