Simple Venison Stew

Stew is one of those hearty dishes that is perfect for the cold weather. There are so many variations on stew out there, but this simple venison stew recipe is one of my favorite go-to’s. It combines the classic winter root vegetables, with savory meat and a splash of red wine for a dish that is full of flavor. Serve it with a hunk of crusty bread, and you have yourself a dinner.

One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it frees me up to do other things. I have to do a little work earlier in the day to throw it all together, but once I have all the ingredients in the pot I can just set it to simmer and go about my day. This frees me up to do other chores, play with my son or maybe just watch a show. It also makes your house smell absolutely mouthwatering. Plus, it makes great leftovers! Stew is one of those things that is even better on the second day. So I always make sure I make enough for two nights dinner. It really is the perfect thing for a cold winter Sunday.

Venison or Beef?

When I make this stew, I almost always make it with venison, but it works just as well with beef. I come from a very outdoorsy family so venison is normally something that I always have stocked in the freezer. I do, however, know that venison is not something that everyone readily has on hand. It is not a meat that is commonly sold commercially in most food stores. You can find it in some higher-end or specialty food stores, but then you are paying the higher-end prices. If that’s the case go with the beef stew meat.

Also, I find there’s a lot of people who just don’t like the idea of venison. The way I look at it, however, is that it is the ultimate farm (or in this case forest) to table meat. It is completely organic, antibiotic-free, growth hormone-free, free-range and grass-fed. Plus, it is much leaner and overall healthier than beef. So if you have the opportunity to get your hands on some venison give it a try, you might just surprise yourself and love it. However, if it is something that is just completely unpalatable to you or if you don’t have any access to venison, go with the beef. This recipe works equally well for either protein and whatever meat you choose, it will come out amazing.

Simple Venison Stew in the Crockpot

In the recipe below, I give the instructions for making this stew on the stove-top. However, it easily adapts to a crockpot recipe. I’ve made it in the crock-pot several times and both cooking methods are equally good. In fact, stew in the crock-pot is nice because it allows for longer, slower cooking, which only gives the flavors more time to come together and marry. Crock-pot or stove-top, for me it honestly comes down to time, what’s going on that day and honestly which method I feel like using.

To make the stew in a crock-pot:

• Flour and brown the pieces of stew meat in the bottom of a skillet and transfer directly to the crockpot.
• Add more butter to the skillet and sautee your onions and garlic. Pour in the wine to deglaze your pan and cook on medium-high for another minute or two.
• Give the bottom of the skillet a good scrape with the spatula to loosen any of the bits and pour it all right into the crockpot.
• Add stock, Worcestershire sauce, vegetables, thyme, bay leaves and salt and pepper to the crock-pot and set it to cook.
• Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

Simple Venison Stew

Sam

This simple stew recipe is great for either venison or beef. It's a great mix of flavors for a delicious winter meal.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Equipment

• Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp paprika
• 1½ lbs venison or beef stew meat cut in 1" cubes
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 medium yellow onions chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 quart beef stock
• 1½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 parsnip cut in 1" (bite-sized) pieces
• 2 turnips diced in large bite-sized pieces
• 4 carrots cut in 1" (bite-sized) pieces
• 5 stalks of celery cut in 1" (bite-sized) pieces
• 4 medium-sized potatoes
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp thyme leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• In a medium mixing bowl, mix flour, 1 tsp of salt, ½ tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp of sweet paprika. Pat the cubes of stew meat dry with a paper towel and toss in the flour mixture to coat.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of your dutch oven over medium heat and add half of the floured stew meat. Brown the meat on for a minute or two on each side then set aside on a plate. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pot and brown the other half of the meat and set aside.
• Add the rest of the butter and the chopped onion. Sautee for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat then add the minced garlic and sautee for another minute.
• Carefully pour in the wine to deglaze the pot. Use your wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom and give it a good stir. Cook on high for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour in the stock and Worchestershire sauce. Return the meat to the pot and add all of the vegetables, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover the pot and cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the vegetables are tender.
• Serve hot with bread.

Notes

This recipe works well in a crockpot as well.  Simply follow steps 1 through 4 then add all the ingredients to the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.  

Keyword beef, carrot, celery, classic, comfort, onion, parsnip, potato, stew, turnip, venison, winter

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