Homemade Venison Gravy
A rich venison gravy made using two options. Either with homemade venison stock or by building a quick broth from neck, shank, or shoulder meat.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless venison neck (neck, shank, or shoulder) cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and black pepper (as needed)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 4 cups reserved broth (or homemade venison stock)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (optional)
- chopped fresh herbs (optional for garnishing)
Instructions
- Season venison with salt and black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to lightly smoke, sear venison until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add onion and celery. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook while stirring often for 1 minute.
- Pour in about 6 cups of water or stock to cover. Add bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer, covered, 2 to 3 hours or until the venison is tender. Strain and reserve the broth and meat. You should have about 4 cups of liquid remaining. Freeze any extra for later use. Discard the vegetables, bay leaf, and herbs.
- Add the venison to a bowl and shred it finely. Set aside.
Make the Roux
- Melt the butter in a clean pot or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Cook while stirring often until the color is a rich golden brown, between 5 and 8 minutes. Lower the heat if needed to prevent burning.
- Whisk in the warm broth slowly until smooth.
- Add shredded meat, season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For a more refined gravy, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme.
NOTES
Optional homemade stock: If using homemade venison stock, simmer the venison in it for a richer sauce. Or you skip this step completely.
- Use the tough cuts. Neck, shank, or shoulder work best here because they add more body and flavor to the broth than tender cuts. If you already have homemade venison stock, you can use that instead of building the quick broth.
- Cover the meat fully. If 6 cups of water is not enough to cover the venison, add more as needed, then reduce the strained broth later until you have about 4 to 6 cups with better flavor.
- Cook until fork-tender. Simmer the venison gently, covered, for about 2 to 3 hours, or until it shreds easily. For a faster version, cook it in an Instant Pot on high pressure for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Build a brown roux. Cook the butter and flour over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes until it turns a rich golden brown. Lower the heat if needed so it does not burn.
- Whisk in warm broth. Add the broth slowly so the gravy stays smooth, then stir in the shredded venison if you want a heartier gravy.
- Adjust the texture last. If the gravy gets too thick, thin it with a little warm venison stock, chicken stock, or cream. For a smoother finish, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream at the end.
- Reheat it slowly. Store the gravy in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months, then warm it gently on the stove while stirring so it keeps its texture.
- 6 cups not enough water? If 6 cups of water isn't enough to cover the meat, you are probably using a big pot. You can add as much water as you need to cover the meat. However, this will weaken the broth. To remedy this, you can strain the broth after the meat is tender, then continue cooking it uncovered until it has reduced to around 4 to 6 cups.
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1077mg | Potassium: 602mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 552IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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