Venison Stew Recipe
Venison stew is a culinary delight that combines rich flavors and hearty textures in a comforting dish perfect for any occasion. This classic recipe highlights the versatility and depth of venison, a lean and flavorful alternative to traditional beef or pork stews. With its subtly sweet and earthy taste, Venison pairs beautifully with robust ingredients like root vegetables, aromatic herbs, and a rich, savory broth.
In this post, I’ll walk you through a delicious venison stew recipe showcasing this game meat's unique qualities. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, you’ll find this recipe a breeze to follow and incredibly rewarding. I’ll cover everything from selecting the best cuts of venison to achieving the perfect balance of flavors, making the cooking process a joy.
This stew is not just a meal but an experience—a way to savor the essence of rustic, home-cooked comfort. So, gather your ingredients and dive into a bowl of hearty, flavorful venison stew that will become a new favorite at your dining table.
What Is Venison?
Venison is deer meat. It’s known for its rich, gamey flavor and lean quality. Due to its lower fat content, venison is often considered a healthier alternative to beef.
Venison can come from various types of deer, including red, roe, and fallow deer. The meat can be prepared in numerous ways, such as roasting, grilling, or stewing, and is often praised for its unique taste and tenderness when cooked properly.
How Does It Taste Compared to Beef?
Venison has a distinct flavor profile compared to beef. It’s generally described as having a more prosperous, earthier taste with a slightly sweet undertone. The deer’s diet can also influence the flavor and how the meat is prepared.
In contrast, beef has a milder, more familiar flavor often described as savory and hearty. Venison’s flavor is more intense and gamey, which some people find particularly appealing, while others might find it more pronounced than beef.
The leanness of venison also contributes to its different texture and taste experience. If you’re used to beef, venison can be a flavorful alternative that offers a unique culinary experience.
Is There Farm Raised Venison?
Yes, farm-raised venison is quite common. It comes from deer bred and raised in controlled farm environments rather than being hunted in the wild. Farm-raised venison tends to be more consistent in quality and flavor than wild venison, and it’s often more readily available in markets.
These farms focus on providing a balanced diet and proper care for the deer, which can result in tender and flavorful meat. It’s a good option if you’re looking for venison but prefer a more regulated and sustainable source.
Can You Buy It In a Supermarket?
You might find venison in some supermarkets, especially those focusing on gourmet or specialty foods. However, it’s commonly found in specialty butcher shops, farmers’ markets, or stores catering to game meat enthusiasts.
Availability can vary depending on your location and the store's offerings. If you’re interested in trying venison and it’s unavailable locally, you might also consider ordering it online from specialty meat providers.
About Eating Venison
For those of you who have never enjoyed venison, be prepared for a surprise. It doesn't taste like beef, lamb, or pork. It has a flavor entirely on its own. It is a bit sweet and can taste kind of "mineraly."
This particular venison wasn't gamey at all and was very tasty. Having said that, if there is no way that you are going to eat venison ("I'm not eating Bambi!"), this recipe works just as well with beef stew meat.
If you're at all on the fence about eating deer meat, though, I encourage you to seek out some wild or farm-raised venison and try this recipe. I think you will really enjoy it. My family certainly did.
Notes About This Dish
When I tasted a piece of venison, I found the meat tough. My instincts told me to add a little beef stock and continue cooking for a while longer so the meat would break down and become more tender, but I still wanted to know what had happened.
Lucky for me, I called a chef friend to ask how to make a recipe work. He was so cool about my contacting him and was more than happy to explain what went wrong and how to correct it.
H asked me if the meat was frozen and, if so, how I defrosted it. I explained that it was frozen in a Ziploc bag, which turns out not to be the best way to freeze any meat. A Food Saver would have been a better choice.
He suggested next time, I add the meat to a marinade of red wine and soft herbs like fresh rosemary or thyme while defrosting in the refrigerator overnight to "help bring moisture back to the meat."
But since I didn't know that, he agreed with me to add a little stock and let it cook for 30 or more minutes until it broke down further and became nice and tender. I followed his directions; just like he said, the meat became tender and delicious.
📖 Recipe
Venison Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3⅓ pounds venison stew meat silver skin and tendons removed, cut into 2 inch strips
- 2 large onions white, chopped
- 5 slices bacon chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 cup crimini mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup white button mushrooms
- 2 cups red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon Hungarian paprika
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 dried bay leav
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot or 2½ teaspoons corn starch, to thicken ragout if needed
Instructions
- Heat a frying pan or Dutch oven large enough to hold all the venison meat over medium high heat. When the pan is hot enough to sizzle water, add the butter and oil and then the venison. Sauté until the meat is well browned, being sure to stir occasionally so the meat doesn't burn. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic, bacon and all the mushrooms. Cook for about 10 minutes again being sure to stir frequently. Mushrooms throw off a lot of liquid so when the vegetables begin to brown and all the liquids have evaporated; you are ready to transfer the meat and veggies to a large bowl.
- If there is an accumulation of fat left in the pan, get rid of it. (I didn't find much fat at this point). Deglaze the pan with the red wine and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any brown bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the meat and vegetables back to the pan.
- Add the sage, paprika, fresh thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to a low, cover and simmer for about an hour or until the venison is fully cooked and tender.
- Before serving, remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the pan.
- I didn't find the need to add a starch to thicken the ragout (liquids) but if you do, just whisk together the arrowroot or cornstarch with ¼ cup of red wine to prepare a thickener. Add it to the pan and simmer until the ragout thickens to your likening.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- We served it over noodles but you could serve it on rice or potatoes.
Notes
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