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venison stew recipe

Hearty Venison Stew

Author: Larry White
A hearty stew with venison, carrots, potatoes, and a broth finished with soy, white wine, and cider vinegar. This recipe is simple, light, and comforting.
5 from 18 votes
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Course Main Course
Style stew
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 2 pounds boneless venison, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • Venison stock or beef broth (as needed to cover the meat)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion, small dice
  • 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced small
  • 2 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon real apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons dry white wine or sherry
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup green onions, (optional for garnish)

Instructions

Cook the Venison First

  • In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the venison with salt and black pepper. When the oil shimmers, add the venison. Sear on all sides until nicely browned.
  • Pour in enough venison stock or beef broth to just cover the meat. Cover and simmer until tender, about 3 to 4 hours. Check the liquid periodically and add more stock as needed to keep the meat covered.
  • When the meat is fork tender, remove it from the pot. Reserve 4 cups of the cooking liquid for Step 5. Shred the venison and set aside.

Cook the Vegetables and Aromatics

  • Heat a clean pot over medium heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and cook 5 to 6 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.
  • Add the reserved cooking liquid, soy sauce, white wine or sherry, cider vinegar, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, carrots, and potatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are just fork-tender, about 12 minutes.

Add the Cooked Venison

  • Add the shredded venison and sugar. Simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together.

Season and Garnish

  • Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Garnish with sliced green onions.

NOTES

Cuts of Venison to use
Shoulders, necks, and shanks make the best stew meat. They usually take 3 to 4 hours to become tender with a gentle simmer. Smaller stew meat cubes from the hind quarter can finish in as little as 2 hours.
Substitutions
  • Stock: venison or beef both work. 
  • Worcestershire for the soy sauce is a good option.
  • Vegetables: Turnips can replace the potatoes.
Serving
  • Garnish: Finish with sliced green onions and fresh parsley.
  • Bread: Serve with warm fried cornbread.
  • Pasta: For an extra kick of comfort, my family likes to add in a little cooked pasta on those extra cold days during deer season.
Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!