Name: Braised Venison Neck Roast with Creamy Polenta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 105 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 2-3 lbs venison neck, (trimmed and quartered); Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 chopped onion; 2-3 cloves garlic, (minced); 1 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 bay leaves; 3 cups homemade tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes); Creamy polenta, for serving; Freshly grated Parmesan and torn basil, for garnish

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Instant Sweet and Tender Venison Neck Meat

This Braised Venison Neck Roast and Creamy Polenta dinner feels award-winning when you’re the one who put in the work. It’s one of my go-to venison neck recipes, transforming a hardworking cut into pull-apart tender, naturally sweet meat that never disappoints.

Preparing the Neck

When we harvest a deer or any big game animal, I always take the extra time to save the neck. After trimming away excess connective tissue, I wash and dry the meat, then quarter the neck into manageable pieces for cooking. Prepared properly, venison neck is one of the most rewarding cuts on the animal.

Seasoning and Searing

I season about 2-3 pounds of neck meat generously with kosher salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder while the Instant Pot heats on Sauté. Once hot, I add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and sear the meat on all sides, turning every few minutes for a total of 14–15 minutes, until deeply browned and rich with flavor.

Cooking in the Instant Pot

Next, in go chopped onions, a few cloves of minced garlic, dried basil, thyme, oregano, salt, bay leaves, and three cups of homemade tomato sauce—though crushed tomatoes work just as well. I lock on the lid and cook on Stew for 90 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally. The meat is shredded right in the sauce and served over creamy polenta, finished with freshly grated Parmesan and a garnish of torn basil.

Wild Game Neck Meat Yields More Than You Think

I always recommend saving the neck from any wild game animal you harvest. Instead of sending it to the grind pile, take the time to trim, clean, and quarter it for braising or slow cooking. Even a smaller deer neck can yield 2–4 pounds of meat, while a mature deer—especially during the rut—can produce up to 15 pounds or more of rich, usable meat.

The meat is naturally sweet and fork-tender, making it incredibly versatile. Braised venison neck—no matter how you season it—shines in enchiladas, tacos, sandwiches, or served over mashed potatoes with gravy. It’s proof that some of the best cuts are often the ones most overlooked.

Venison Neck Roast

Why Braising or Pressure Cooking Is Best for Venison Neck Roast

Venison neck roasts are made up of hard-working muscles packed with connective tissue, which is exactly why braising or pressure cooking in an Instant Pot works best. Low-and-slow moisture combined with steady heat breaks down collagen into gelatin, transforming a tough cut into meat that’s rich, silky, and fork-tender.

The Instant Pot accelerates this process while locking in moisture and flavor, delivering the same deep, slow-braised results in a fraction of the time—making it one of the most reliable ways to turn neck meat into something truly special.

Venison Neck Roast

The Most Overlooked Cut on a Harvested Deer: The Neck

Many hunters overlook neck meat simply due to a lack of familiarity with the cut. Unlike backstrap or tenderloin, the neck doesn’t get much attention in the field and is often assumed to be tough or best suited for the grind pile.

In reality, when properly trimmed and slow-cooked, neck meat becomes one of the most flavorful and rewarding cuts on the animal—proof that unfamiliar doesn’t mean inferior.