Slow Cooker Venison Stew
Tough venison cuts, seared and slow-cooked with red onions, root veg, and herbs into a glossy, spoon-tender stew. Simple prep and freezer-friendly.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds venison stew meat, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 red onions, large dice
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup water, or dry red wine
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 6 cups beef or venison stock
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 2 sprigs rosemary, picked and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons juniper berries, crushed or finely chopped (optional)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your slow cooker on the Low setting.
- Add the venison chunks to a large bowl. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Toss the meat with the flour until evenly coated.
- Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil just begins to lightly smoke, sear the venison in batches until nicely browned. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the onions to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the 1/4 cup water to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add the celery, carrots, potatoes, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, rosemary, bay leaf, dried thyme, and optional juniper to the slow cooker.
- Pour in enough stock to just cover the mixture. Cover and cook on the Low setting for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 6 to 8 hours, until the venison is tender.
NOTES
- Thickening: Stir in beurre manié (2 tbsp soft butter + 3 tbsp flour) and simmer on High 15 to 30 minutes, or use 1 tbsp cornstarch per cup of liquid and simmer until it lightly coats a spoon.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop with a splash of stock or water. Avoid a hard boil to keep the meat tender.
- Serving: Finish with chopped parsley or rosemary. Serve with buttered egg noodles or my fried cornbread.
- Venison cuts timing: Shoulder and neck typically tenderize by 8 to 9 hours on Low; shanks can need the full 10. Doneness is fork-tender.
- Substitutions: Venison or beef stock both work. Optional up to 1 cup dry red wine for brightness. Rosemary, thyme, and bay are classic; juniper adds a clean, woodsy note. For gluten free thickening, use a cornstarch slurry instead of the butter-flour paste.
Nutrition
Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 625mg | Potassium: 1542mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 7428IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
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