This venison stew recipe is a hearty and delicious dinner that will become a family favorite. This flavorful stew is full of tender pieces of deer meat and potatoes and is sure to warm you up on a cold day.
Try my Instant Pot Carne Guisada (Mexican Beef Stew) next!
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Are you new to cooking with wild game? Well you're in for a treat.
This beef alternative is lean and delicious. And when braised over time, it becomes so tender, it's sure to become your new obsession.
This venison stew recipe is perfect for all you comfort food lovers. It's hearty and full of those savory flavors we all crave when the temperatures start to dip.
Venison Stew Recipe
This venison stew recipe is full of great flavor making it the ultimate comfort food.
Every spoonful is a delicious blend of rich, meaty goodness and satisfyingly hearty vegetables.
If you're lucky enough to have some venison on hand, this stew is a fantastic way to showcase this delicious meat. The venison adds a unique flavor to the dish that you won't find in other stews.
You might be surprised to know that venison meat is leaner than beef and is packed with protein making it a great choice when you want the protein without extra fat.
This easy venison stew recipe isn't complicated, in fact it's pretty easy to make. So read on and learn why this easy venison stew is such a great recipe.
Helpful equipment
Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of the post for precise ingredients and printable recipe card.
Oil - any mild flavor will do. Olive oil or canola oil work great. This is used to sear the meat.
Salt and pepper
Venison - you can find it at the grocery store, online, or you might be lucky enough to have a hunter friend who might share a cut with you. The meat must have the sinew removed (this is the silvery connective tissue). This part cannot be tenderized.
Fresh vegetables - onion, carrots, celery, and garlic are the classic stew aromatics that give a nice flavor and texture.
Tomato paste - gives nice color and flavor.
Beef broth or beef stock/venison stock - use homemade, canned or the kind from the carton. You can richen the beef flavor by adding a couple teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce when adding broth to the stew. Choose low sodium or regular depending on taste preference.
Spices - salt, ground coriander, paprika, and garlic powder, and dried parsley add flavor. Bay leaf is a nice addition.
Potatoes - you can use red potatoes like I did, or you might prefer gold potatoes, or even sweet potatoes. Russets can be used, but they tend to get a little mushy when overcooked. Potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled.
Fresh herbs like chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish, if desired.
Cooking tips to know ahead
Be sure the sinew is removed and that the chunks of meat are cut into similar sized pieces. This will allow the meat to cook evenly.
Cook meat in small batches to allow plenty of room for the pieces to sear rather than steam.
You can cook this in one pot, or use a large skillet to brown the meat then transfer it to a Dutch oven or soup pot.
Instructions
STEP ONE: Season venison all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
STEP TWO: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven. Cook the venison on medium-high heat so that each piece is seared on all sides. When evenly browned, set aside on a plate.
STEP THREE: Turn heat to medium. Add more oil to the pan to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Now, add the chopped onions, carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, being sure the veggies don't burn.
STEP FOUR: Add garlic and tomato paste to the vegetable mixture. Stir to combine.
STEP FIVE: Pour in 1 cup of broth and stir, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer on low for about 5 minutes, or until tender.
STEP SIX: Return venison to the pot along with any juices. Add remaining beef broth, salt, ground coriander, paprika, garlic powder and dried parsley. Stir and bring the pot to a low boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for an hour or until meat is tender.
STEP SEVEN: After 60 minutes (or when meat is tender) add potatoes and cook the stew for another half hour or until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
STEP EIGHT: Serve with chopped fresh herbs, crusty bread, biscuits, or over egg noodles.
Venison Stew in a Slow Cooker
If you don't have time to babysit your venison stew recipe on the stovetop, consider making it in a slow cooker. This method is perfect for busy days when you want to come home to a hot meal. Here's how to do it:
- Brown the venison in a pan on the stovetop.
- Add the venison to your slow cooker along with your veggies and broth.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the venison is tender.
- Add in your potatoes and cook for another hour or so.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Venison Stew in an Instant Pot
If you're short on time but still want to make a delicious venison stew, consider using an instant pot or pressure cooker. This method is fast and easy, but still yields great results. Here's how to do it:
- Set your instant pot to sauté mode and brown the venison.
- Add in your veggies and broth.
- Set your instant pot to high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Add in your potatoes and set your instant pot to high pressure for another 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
No matter which method you choose, this easy venison stew recipe is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So grab your ingredients and get cooking!
Common Questions About Venison Stew
Venison is simply the meat of a deer. It's a lean, flavorful meat that's a great choice for stews because it holds up well to slow cooking and has a rich, hearty flavor. If you don't have access to venison, you can use beef or another type of game meat instead.
Sinew is the tendon that connects muscle to bone. It's also be called silverskin. If your cut of venison has any of this silvery, rubbery tissue still attached, it must be cut away before cooking, otherwise the meat will be really tough.
Venison can be a tough meat, so it's important to cook it low and slow to ensure that it becomes tender. You can also marinate the meat in a mixture of acidic ingredients (like vinegar or citrus juice) and spices to help tenderize it before cooking.
How to thicken stew
If you find that your venison stew recipe is not as thick as you like, try these simple tricks:
- Add a slurry: Mix equal parts cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Then, add the slurry to the stew and stir until it thickens.
- Use a roux: Melt butter in a small saucepan and whisk in an equal amount of flour. Cook the roux over low heat for a few minutes until it turns a light brown color. Then, whisk the roux into the stew and let it simmer until it thickens.
- Use a beurre manié: Mix equal parts softened butter and flour to form a paste. Drop small pieces of the paste into the stew and whisk until it dissolves and thickens the stew.
What to serve with venison stew
How to store leftovers
This easy venison stew recipe makes a hearty stew so you may need to store some for the next day or later in the week.
Let stew cool then place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
For longer storage, freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat, covered, on the stove top or in the microwave. Add a splash of water or beef broth to keep stew moist.
More soup and stew recipes
- Guinness Beef Stew
- Chicken Pastina Soup
- Hearty Vegetable Stew
- Crockpot White Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
📖 Recipe
Easy Venison Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs venison stew meat one inch cubed
- 2 tablespoon oil divided use; more as needed
- kosher salt and pepper enough to generously season venison meat and more to season stew
- ⅓ cup onions chopped
- ⅓ cup carrots chopped
- ⅓ cup celery chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth/stock divided use
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika regular or Hungarian sweet
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste to season stew
- fresh chopped herbs like parsley, chives or cilantro garnish
Instructions
- Generously season venison all over with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven. Cook the venison on medium-high heat so that each piece is seared on all sides. When evenly browned, set aside on a plate.
- Turn heat to medium. Add more oil to the pan to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Now, add the chopped onions, carrots and celery. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, being sure the veggies don't burn.
- Add garlic and tomato paste to the vegetable mixture. Stir to combine.
- Pour in 1 cup of broth and stir, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until tender.
- Return venison to the pot along with any juices. Add remaining beef broth, salt, ground coriander, paprika, garlic powder and dried parsley. Stir and bring the pot to a low boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for an hour or until meat is tender.
- After 60 minutes (or when meat is tender) add potatoes and cook the stew for another half hour or when potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Serve with chopped fresh herbs, crusty bread, or over egg noodles.
Notes
- Be sure the sinew is removed and that the chunks of meat are cut into similar sized pieces. This will allow the meat to cook evenly.
- Cook meat in small batches to allow plenty of room for the pieces to sear rather than steam.
- You can cook this in one pot, or use a large skillet to brown the meat then transfer it to a Dutch oven or soup pot.
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