Bourbon Steak Tips are tender bites of steak that have been bathed in a sweet, buttery bourbon sauce and have so much flavor!
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❤️ Why you'll love it
Quick prep: rather than marinating the steak before cooking, these steak tips are already cut into bite sized pieces meaning less time to wait for dinner.
No marinating needed: the steak is cooked first, then coated with the sauce cutting prep time down a couple of hours!
Fast cook: the total time for cooking is around 12 minutes. The entire recipe is ready in under 30 minutes (including prep time)
Bursting with Flavor: the bourbon butter sauce is sweet and salty packs a lot of natural flavors from the meat juices.
🥘 Ingredients
Steak: pick a good steak for this recipe, you can use venison tenderloin or sirloin tips cut into 1-inch cubes
Extra-virgin olive oil: you will need just a little oil to coat the skillet and fry the steak tips
Bourbon: this doesn't have to be the most expensive bourbon out there, you can use whatever bourbon you have in the liquor cabinet
Maple syrup: adds a sweet complimentary contrast to the bourbon marinade.
Salted butter: If you use unsalted butter, you will need to add enough salt to the recipe to suit your tastes.
Black pepper or red pepper flakes: for an optional addition of heat
Fresh chives: for flavor and garnish
🔪 Instructions
- Pat the steak bites dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a hot skillet until just smoking.
- Place steak tips in hot skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, until a rich brown color all over. Transfer steak tips to a platter and tent loosely with foil.
- Remove skillet from heat and add the bourbon, maple syrup, and cider vinegar.
- Return the skillet to the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet while the sauce is cooking.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the butter and season to taste.
- Return steak pieces and any accumulated juices to skillet and toss to coat. Sprinkle with chopped chives to garnish.
🥄 Equipment
Cast iron skillet: I recommend a cast iron skillet because it holds the heat evenly, however a non stick skillet can be used in its place.
Hand whisk: to whisk the bourbon sauce together.
🥫Storage
Store any leftover steak in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.
📖 Variations
- Brown sugar or honey can be substituted for the maple syrup
- Substitute balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar for the apple cider vinegar
- Use brandy or gold rum in place of the bourbon
💭 Tips
- If using venison, remove any silverskin from the meat before cooking to prevent any gamey flavor that may come through.
📚 Related Recipes
Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops are another delicious recipe with bourbon.
I love this Salted Chocolate Bourbon Praline Fudge and it makes a great holiday gift.
This Crockpot Venison Stew is a rich and hearty comfort food meal.
🍽 Serve with...
Serve with a side of grilled onions, roasted red skinned potatoes, or garlic mashed cauliflower.
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📖 Recipe
Bourbon Steak Tips
Equipment
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds venison steaks , cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup bourbon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives , chopped
Instructions
- Pat the steak bites dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a hot skillet until just smoking.
- Place steak tips in hot skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 6 minutes, until a rich brown color all over. Transfer steak tips to a platter and tent loosely with foil.
- Remove skillet from heat and add the bourbon, maple syrup, and cider vinegar.
- Return the skillet to the heat and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet while the sauce is cooking.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the butter and season to taste.
- Return steak pieces and any accumulated juices to skillet and toss to coat. Sprinkle with chopped chives to garnish.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and whisk in the butter and chili pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Lela Luster
Is there any special way that you tenderize your venison before cooking it?. Would the round steak work or does it have to be the tenderloin?
Shelby
Lela, I went to Grumpy, who is the venison cook master in our home, he says tenderloin is best, no reason to tenderize it before you use it. Grumpy says cook venison the way you like your steak, however, if you like it well done, it will be tougher. Medium to medium rare is best for tenderness.
Jamie
We ear a lot of wild meat. Moose. Deer. Birds ect. I was so excited to find this. I made this for supper tonight. The only difference was I left my steaks whole. It was amazing! My husband and 2 daughters (2 &8) all loved it. I made extra to have for sandwiches the next day... but everyone had seconds:) this was delish! Thanks a bunch:)
Shelby
So glad to hear you loved it!
Anonymous
been eating this kind of venison for years up in Northern Minnesota, will continue to do so, very lean and clean.
OldGuyLearning
honeyb
Hi Laurie,
I would suggest apple juice as a substitute. Thanks for asking!
Laurie Watson
Sounds yummy! One question, though. I don't drink, so I wouldn't want to buy a bottle of bourbon for just half a cup and then have the rest go to waste. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute?
Heather
U can buy mini bottles or pints but bourbon will last for a long time without going bad!
Nikki @ NikSnacks
I've got some venison coming my way and I'm definitely trying this.
Arisuchan
How great that Grumpy will do that for you! A lovely husband and wife meal! 🙂
amy kim
Wow, I wish I had a freezer full of venison! I haven't had venison in ages, but will have to change that soon!
Julie @ Texan New Yorker
All my favorite flavors on delicious venison, sign me up!! This looks delicious!
Cindy Kerschner
I grew up on venison but haven't had it in years! Great idea!
Isabel Reis Laessig
Love the addition of bourbon to this dish!
Sarah Reid
WOW, I wish when I had venison growing up it was like this! Only had it a few times but it was enough then ha!
Tara Noland
I love the sweet heat in this recipe, that venison is making me drool!!
Marlene Baird
Shelby: I have got to make this recipe. All the ingredients I love, including the venison.
KC the Kitchen Chopper
Shelby, these steak tips would make a fantastic appetizer or an ingredients in a Chopped recipe. Delish.Thanks for tasty inspiration! I'd love for you to bring these by #TheWeekendSocial starting Thursday 9:00 PM EST. http://www.theKitchenChopper.com Pinning! 🙂
Camilla Mann
I LOVE venison. Wish I had some in my freezer. My local hunter friends keep us supplied with wild boar. I only get venison when I visit my in-laws. This recipe looks SO good.
Constance Smith
Mmmmmm...I haven't had venison in years. I'm hoping to change that this year though! 🙂
Stacy
I would be hoarding the bowl all to myself, Shelby! What a great sauce for those tasty bites of venison!
Liz Berg
My BIL is the hunter in the family and he always has a stash of venison in his freezer. I'm going to share your recipe with him...it sounds terrific!
Renee
Always have venison in your freezer? I'm coming by! I LOVE venison and can't get it in my area and I don't know any hunters.