Dearborn Firefighter’s Venison Mexican Sandwiches: Wild Game Comfort Food
If you're looking for a wild game recipe that combines tradition, comfort, and pure, hearty satisfaction, this one’s a showstopper.
Straight from the kitchens of hardworking Dearborn firefighters, these Venison Mexican Sandwiches are layered masterpieces — slow-cooked venison roast, stacked between refried beans, rice, tortillas, and melted cheese. It's the kind of meal that's earned after cold mornings in a treestand or long afternoons packing elk quarters out of the backcountry.
And trust us — once you taste it, this will be your next big-game season tradition.
Ingredients
4–5 pounds venison roast (shoulder or hindquarter preferred)
64 oz spicy Bloody Mary mix (any brand you like)
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons cumin
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
2 large green peppers, chopped
2 jalapeños, chopped
Refried beans (your favorite brand or homemade)
Mexican rice (prepared separately)
Muenster cheese, freshly grated
Tortillas (8"–10" size, flour)
How to Make It
Step 1: Brown the Meat
In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, brown the venison roast on all sides to build flavor. Once browned, remove the meat and set it aside.
Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables
In the same pot, add the onions, green peppers, jalapeños, and garlic. Cook until softened and fragrant, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Step 3: Build the Braise
Return the venison to the pot. Pour in the Bloody Mary mix. Add paprika, chili powder, cumin, and chopped cilantro. Stir and bring everything to a boil.
Step 4: Low and Slow
Cover and cook in a 350°F oven for 3 hours, then uncover and continue cooking for another 2 hours. After 5 hours total, remove any bones, shred the meat, and return it to the pot.
Step 5: Reduce and Concentrate
Place the pot back in the oven, uncovered, for one more hour. This concentrates the flavors into a rich, spicy, irresistible sauce.
Step 6: Assemble the Sandwiches
On an oven-safe plate:
Place one tortilla and spread a ¼-inch layer of refried beans.
Add another tortilla and spread a ¼-inch layer of Mexican rice.
Add another tortilla and top it generously with the shredded venison mix.
Cover with freshly grated muenster cheese.
Step 7: Melt and Serve
Broil briefly or bake at 450°F until the cheese melts and bubbles. Serve it hot — preferably with cold beers and a bunch of tired, hungry hunters.
Tips for Next-Level Flavor
Want more heat? Toss a few extra jalapeños into the pot.
Camp Variation: Pre-cook the meat, then assemble the sandwiches at deer camp with a camp stove and a broiler or hot oven.
Why It Works
This isn't your average venison taco.
This is slow-cooked, multi-layered, firehouse-built food — packed with flavor, warmth, and enough calories to recover from dragging a heavy pack out of a canyon.
It’s a reminder that the best hunting memories aren’t just made in the field. They’re made around the table, plates full, after a hard-earned day outdoors.
Inspired by real hunters, built for real appetites.
More wild game recipes and DIY hunting tips at LandsToHunt.com.
